2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 vs. 2022 Ram 1500

The Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and the Ram 1500 are two of the best light trucks on the market. That makes it hard to choose between them. Of course, you could always pick one and hope for the best, but our guide can help you make a more informed decision—we’ve done the homework for you.

Price

Trucks can be expensive—just take a look at the Ford F-150 Raptor. You don’t want to be paying off your truck for the rest of your life, and while you can deck these trucks out as much as you want, the basic cost of entry isn’t that high. Of the two, the cheapest Silverado 1500 has the lowest MSRP of $29,300 The cheapest Silverado 1500 is priced at $33,975.

Fuel Economy

Trucks are notorious for getting poor fuel economy. After all, they haul large loads and have some of the most powerful engines of any vehicle on the market. You need that kind of power to tow thousands of pounds of stuff. Both of these trucks have relatively good gas mileage compared to some of the other trucks out there.

The Chevrolet Silverado gets 16 mpg in the city and 21 mpg on the highway with the V6 engine. Comparatively, the Ram 1500 gets 20 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway. That’s actually quite a bit of a difference, so if gas mileage is a concern, the Ram is generally your best best, depending on which model you choose.

Towing and Payload

Neither of these trucks has the best-in-class towing, but they aren’t too far off. When properly equipped, the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 V6 engine tops out at 9,000 lbs. However, if you shell out for the 5.3-liter V8 engine, you can tow a whopping 13,300 pounds.

The Ram 1500 doesn’t really stack up. The Ram has the ability to tow up to 7,730 with the V6 engine. You can upgrade to the V8 to tow a maximum of 13,000 lbs, but that’s still less than the Silverado’s by around 300 pounds. The max payload for the Ram sits at 2,300 pounds, which decreases to 1,970 lbs. for the V8 engine.

The Silverado wins at hauling and towing, all around. So, if you are looking for a truck that can do it all, it may be worth it top accept the Silverado’s generally higher price tag and fuel economy. But if cost is a concern, the Ram may be the more suitable option.

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