2019 Ram 1500 vs 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
Posted on January 15, 2021
This year is a big year for the pickup truck market with two of the biggest names in the business getting complete redesigns. The Ram 1500 and the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 were already two of the most popular full-size light-duty pickups we have, but this year they're taking the competition to an entirely new level. If you're in the market for a new full-size pickup truck both are likely to feature high on your list of models to consider, so let's put the 2019 Ram1500 and 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 up against each other in a head-to-head comparison.
Exterior styling
Neither manufacturer has exactly tried to reinvent the wheel with the styling of these two new trucks, but they are both notably different from their predecessors. Whether either looks better than before is a matter of personal taste, but while the styling of the Ram 1500 has been toned down a little, the Silverado 1500 is perhaps more polarizing than it has been in the past. Both are still big, beefy, macho-looking, but the Ram trucks will probably have wider appeal.
Prices
Because there's an almost unlimited number of ways these two trucks can be specified, it can be very difficult to compare like-for-like models. On the face of things, the Chevy has a slightly lower starting price than the 2019 Ram 1500. However, the Ram comes with a slightly better list of standard features at the entry level and when it comes to the most popular crew cab formats, the Ram is actually more affordable.
Powertrains
The 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 has an expanded lineup of powerplants available this year. As well as a new turbo-four, there's also a 3.0-litre turbodiesel, and there are six different engines to choose from in all. However, the 2019 Ram 1500 has done something truly groundbreaking by introducing a mild-hybrid system into a full-size truck lineup for the very first time. The 48-Volt mild-hybrid system is truly revolutionary, and it puts the 2019 Ram 1500 into a class of its own.
Trim levels
Both models are offered here in Canada in eight different trim levels, but three of the trims in the Chevy lineup are four-wheel drive only. In the 2019 Ram 1500 family, every model apart from the Rebel is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive formats. The 2019 Ram 1500 Rebel is the only model in the lineup that's standard four-wheel drive. The 2019 Ram 1500 is now available in Tradesman, SXT, Big Horn, Sport, Rebel, Laramie, Laramie Longhorn, and range-topping Limited trim level.
Capability
We can argue all day about horsepower and torque and how light or heavy these vehicles are and how it impacts performance. The one figure nobody can ignore is the maximum tow rating, and this vitally important area gives another win for the Ram. The most you can tow with a properly specified Silverado 1500 is an impressive 12,200 pounds (5,533 kg), but the 2019 Ram 1500 sees that and raises it to a maximum 12,750 pounds (5,783 kg), when properly equipped.
Verdict
The 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 is now leaner, lighter, more powerful, and more capable than its predecessor. Unfortunately for Chevy, Ram has gone several steps further forward with the all-new 2019 Ram 1500, even to the point of a hybrid powertrain.
For more details about the 2019 Ram 1500 and to try it out for yourself on a test drive, don't hesitate to get in touch with us here at CarHub, the premier choice Ram dealer in Thornhill and Bolton, ON.