2015 Ford F-150 vs. 2015 Chevy Silverado

Ergonomics & Features
Ford didn’t keep the F-150’s changes limited to its body and chassis; the interior gets a host of updates as well. Ford actually looked to improve cabin space in the new F-150, increasing its width by 2 inches. The newly designed dashboard is still very much Ford, with a few too many buttons for our taste on the center stack and the steering wheel (18 alone there). The 8-inch touchscreen is broken into four segments to control navigation, stereo, phone and settings on the homescreen. The design is clean and modern looking, but it simply isn’t as intuitive and easy to use as the Chevy’s MyLink system, and its black background screen made it feel a little smaller. The Ford also uses a center-console-mounted shifter versus the column shifter on the Chevy, which is noteworthy since it reduces the usable storage space in the center console.

The bucket seats in the Ford are very comfortable. They contour nicely to the body and hold the driver and passenger firmly in place on winding roads or when powering around in the dirt. The increase in width makes the Ford’s cabin feel just a bit roomier compared to the Chevy's. The Ford also elevates the driver and passenger more, although that feeling is amplified by the F-150's lower window sills.

In the Chevy, the driver feels seated lower and more in line of sight with the hood. Both trucks offer plenty of space in the backseat, but we did note the Ford boasts the larger backseat area of the two. We're very impressed with the overall dash layout of the Silverado. We are already huge fans of the MyLink system and touchscreen in the Chevy, and even though its 8-inch screen is no larger than the Ford’s, it just seems easier to find what you need. The controls below the touchscreen also make it easy to control the dual climate control settings (which Ford doesn’t have), the upgraded seat warmers and A/C, and the piano-key buttons just below the HVAC are aesthetically pleasing and simple to use.

We didn’t care for the flatter, less defined seats in the Silverado, which offer much less contour than the F-150’s. The Chevy rules in the storage department, with dual glove boxes featured on the passenger side, a column shifter that facilitates a generous open storage are with easy-to-find power ports (12-volt, 110-volt, USB, auxiliary) and a massive closed storage bin under the center-console arm rest.

Both trucks feature front and rear park assist sensors, with the Ford providing the typical audible warn to alert the driver of an object, while the Chevy uses a vibrating buzzing in the seat as its alert. The vibrating seat received mixed reviews with the testers.

We’ve never been a fan of large, fixed side steps on 4x4 trucks. More often than not, they protrude far too much from the truck and are the first thing to get hung up on rocks and slopes on the trail. We did not care for either side step design, but if we had to choose one, we'd take the Ford’s design because it is tucked up closer to the F-150's rockers. We’d really prefer to see retractable steps on 4x4 models, especially considering both trucks, as tested, are at or above the $50,000 price point.

On the other hand, we appreciate the Silverado’s damped tailgate and are disappointed the F-150 does not have one. The CornerStep bumper on the Silveardo is a nice feature but not something we’d often use. Ford’s foldout step is an interesting idea but a little too clunky for our preference. A pullout retractable step mounted under the bumper would be preferred in either case.

Chevy’s High Country model is equipped with a host of added goodies (which explains its price tag that’s roughly $9,000 more), such as a sunroof, the cooled/heated saddle brown leather seats, 20-inch chrome wheels and a few other features. If you start to feel too much sticker shock, just realize that the High Country is really more comparable to Ford’s King Ranch. It just so happens the High Country was the only vehicle available with the new eight-speed transmission.

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