2023 Chevy Silverado 1500 vs 2023 Ram 1500
When you need the right kind of light-duty pickup with great capacity, modern tech, and lots of performance to boot, it's not uncommon to choose between a Chevy Silverado 1500 and a Ram 1500. Hence, the 2023 Chevy Silverado 1500 vs 2023 Ram 1500 comparison being one of the most common that many truck shoppers make when selecting a performance-oriented full-size pickup with great trailering, hauling, and towing capabilities. Both trucks have a lot to offer for the 2023 model year, but which is the right one for you? Well, let's find out...
The Ram 1500 has several new updates and enhancements for 2023. The most significant new addition is the Limited Elite Edition—available for the 1500 series—featuring the Multifunction Tailgate, a cargo divider, adjustable cargo tie-down hooks, 12-way power leather seats, and a bright pedal kit. The Ram 1500 also receives the Ram Red Edition, featuring a blacked-out exterior and red Ram badging. The digital driver display cluster was upgraded to 12.0 inches, and rear seat reminders and the Emergency Vehicle Alert system were also added. You can get the base truck in seven trims: the Tradesman, the Tradesman HFE, Big Horn, Laramie, Rebel, Limited Longhorn, and the Limited.
The 2023 Chevy Silverado 1500 has a lot of exciting new features for this model year. The most significant new feature for the Silverado 1500 is the inclusion of the ZR2 Bison limited edition off-road trim, featuring special accessories and badging from American Expedition Vehicles (AEV). The ZR2 Bison comes equipped with all of the ZR2 content but with a special AEV-inspired livery, AEV-stamped steel front and rear bumpers that come with step pads and heavy-duty recovery points, as well as five hot-stamped boron skid plates to protect the undercarriage. You also get steel rocker panel protection with the Bison, along with 33-inch Goodyear Wrangler Territory MT tires and special interior badging. Additionally, the 2023 Silverado 1500 features improved powertrain performance, three new exterior colors, and new interior color material for the High Country. You can get the Silverado in nine base trims: the WT, Custom, Custom Trail Boss, LT, LT Trail Boss, RST, LTZ, High Country, and ZR2.
| 2023 Chevy Silverado 1500 | VS | 2023 Ram 1500 |
|---|---|---|
| $36,300 [a] | MSRP | $37,410 |
| 305-420 | Horsepower (hp) | 260-395 |
| 383-495 | Torque (lb-ft) | 273-480 |
| 13,300 | Max. Towing (lbs) | 12,750 |
Performance
Performance is key for tackling all the tasks a light-duty, full-size pickup is expected to undertake. Without properly-performing powertrains, you won't get very far with whatever hauling or towing you plan to do. Thankfully, both the 2023 Ram 1500 and 2023 Silverado 1500 come with powerful and varied powertrain selections suited for all sorts of different tasks. However, the Silverado actually manages to best the base Ram 1500 in all key performance metrics.
For instance, the Ram 1500 offers three distinct base powertrains for its standard trim lineup, which includes the 3.6L Pentastar V6 with eTorque that makes 305 hp at 273 lb-ft of torque, the 5.7L HEMI "Eagle" V8 with eTorque that makes 395 hp at 410 lb-ft of torque, and the 3.0L EcoDiesel V6 that delivers 260 hp at 480 lb-ft of torque. Each powertrain is matched up with an eight-speed automatic transmission and gives you plenty to work with for power output—and yet, it's not quite enough to top out the Chevy Silverado 1500's offerings
The 2023 Silverado 1500 has four different powertrains, including the 2.7L High Output Turbo I-4 that makes 310 hp at 430 lb-ft of torque, a 5.3L EcoTec3 V8 that makes 355 hp at 383 lb-ft of torque, a 6.2L EcoTec3 V8 that makes 420 hp at 460 lb-ft of torque, and a 3.0L Duramax Turbo-Diesel I-6 that produces 305 hp at a salivating 495 lb-ft of torque. Each of the Silverado 1500's engines is married to a ten-speed automatic transmission, with the exception of the high-output turbocharged four-cylinder, which mates to an eight-speed automatic. When it comes to overall power output, though, the Silverado 1500 manages to outdo the Ram 1500 in better base horsepower and better overall torque for the base trims.
Likewise, the Ram 1500's diesel option pales in comparison to the Silverado 1500's Duramax when looking at the raw numbers. The HEMI Eagle also comes up short compared to the 6.2L EcoTec3 V8, which has overall better horsepower and torque. Even when comparing entry-level powertrain options, the high-output turbocharged four-cylinder handily runs circles around the 3.6L Pentastar. That's not to mention that the Silverado 1500's ten-speed automatic transmission has two additional gears over the Ram 1500, providing you with an additional allocation of RPMs across a broader gear spectrum, which can give you smoother shifting and a better handle on hauling.
Capabilities
When it comes to towing and cargo capacity, the Ram 1500 and Silverado 1500 both offer some impressive figures within their segment. They are in the upper echelon of light-duty pickup trucks when it comes to capacity and towing capabilities, and this is thanks to their sturdy frames, reinforced suspension, and durable chassis. Combined with their performance-rich power plants, these mean you can achieve impressive towing numbers with both trucks—but even still, Chevy manages to get a one-up in this category thanks to some key advancements in its engineering.
The 2023 Ram 1500 has a base towing capacity of 7,730 lbs when you have its Pentastar V6 equipped. However, if you opt for the HEMI Eagle V8, you can top out the Ram 1500's trailering capacity at 12,750 lbs. This nets you some very worthwhile towing and trailering opportunities. By comparison, the Silverado 1500's base towing capacity sits at 9,500 lbs with its turbocharged four-cylinder—and it steadily goes up from there, topping out at up to 13,300 lbs for both the EcoTec3 V8 and the Duramax Turbo-Diesel.
So you get an additional 550 lbs worth of towing out of the Silverado compared to the Ram 1500, which is not an insignificant difference. In fact, even the Silverado's four-cylinder is capable of towing as much as the Ram 1500's EcoDiesel V6. This is all thanks to Chevy steadily increasing the torsional threshold of the Silverado's chassis over recent years and consistently reinforcing the truck while improving the powertrain capabilities throughout the generation.
Additionally, the Silverado 1500 manages to outdo the Ram 1500 when it comes to bed box cargo volume. The Ram 1500 is available in two different bed formats: a short five-foot, six-inch bed and a standard six-foot, four-inch bed. The short bed offers 53.9 cu.ft. of cargo volume, while the standard bed features 61.5 cu.ft. of cargo volume—both of which fall short of the Silverado 1500's offerings. The Silverado has three bed sizes: a five-foot, eight-inch short bed, a six-foot, six-inch standard bed, and an eight-foot, two-inch long bed. Their respective sizes offer 62.9 cu.ft., 71.7 cu.ft., and 89.1 cu.ft. of cargo volume, giving the Silverado 1500 a decided victory over the Ram 1500 regarding bed box cargo volume.
Functionality
Functionality for a pickup truck can range across a multitude of facets, from tow hooks and roof racks to tailgates, upfitting opportunities, and infotainment systems for trailering, telemetry, and navigation. For a truck, its suite of functionalities is its lifeline for efficient utility, and both the 2023 Ram 1500 and 2023 Silverado 1500 pull out all the stops to provide as much functionality as possible for truck drivers. Yet, despite many of the Ram 1500's impressive features, they still come up short compared to the best that the Silverado 1500 has to offer.
First and foremost, the Ram 1500's impressive Multifunction Tailgate provides numerous ways to use the tailgate to get into and out of the bed box, including being able to open the tailgate sideways for niche access into the rear bed. However, the Multifunction Tailgate comes up short compared to the Silverado 1500's Multi-Flex Tailgate, which offers six different functionalities, including multiple load-stop positions, an elevated workbench position, the ability to use it as a step into the bed box, and a way to lower it to enable extended cargo to be positioned beyond the limits of the tailgate. This alone gives the 2023 Silverado 1500 a significant leg up on the competition, but it doesn't end there.
Regarding infotainment offerings, the Ram 1500 has a lot of great infotainment capabilities designed for monitoring vehicle health, trailering, and even media access. However, the Silverado 1500 still manages to beat the Ram in this category, as Ram's center touchscreen tops out at 12.0 inches, while the Silverado manages a center console display that tops out at 13.4 inches; so you get more screen real-estate to access with the Silverado over the Ram.
Additionally, the Silverado 1500 offers the availability of Super Cruise, with its hands-free semi-autonomous driving system that spans up to 200,000 compatible roads throughout North America—something that the Ram 1500 has no comparable alternative for. Add in the functionality of features like the Chevy Connected Services with OnStar support and the Teen Driver mode, and you can see how—in the tech and functionality department—the Silverado 1500 takes a definitive lead over the Ram 1500.
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