Comparo: 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 vs. Ram 1500
By John LeBlanc
While sales of pickup trucks have never been higher in Canada, the expectations from new truck buyers have also risen to new heights. It’s just not enough for a truck to be able to haul a load or tow a boat. Today’s truck buyers also demand car-like features like full-on infotainment, high-quality interior materials, and functional ergonomics, decent fuel economy and the ride and handling of a luxury sedan.
Phew.
Thankfully, truck makers have responded. With the best-selling Ford F-150 due for a full makeover later this year, we brought together the next-best examples of what a modern pickup truck should be: the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and the Ram 1500. Equipped with four-wheel-drive, four-door “crew cab” body styles and eight-cylinder gas engines, we asked which one is the best new "car-like" truck?
FIRST PLACE: 2014 Ram 1500 Laramie Crew Cab 4X4
With all-new versions of General Motors’ Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra twins and the impending 2015 Ford F-150 coming this fall, Fiat-Chrysler’s Ram Truck brand continues to fine-tune what is arguably the best overall full-size truck on the market. Our 2014 Ram 1500 Laramie Crew Cab 4X4 tester is priced competitively at $51,395 (all prices are starting MSRPs), and blends most of the capacity old-school truck buyers need plus the car-like features new-school buyers want.
For starters, rated at 395 horsepower and 410 pound-feet of torque, the Ram’s 5.7-litre eight-cylinder gas engine outguns the smaller, 5.3 L V8 in the Chevy by 40 hp and 55 lb.-ft., respectively. And the Ram’s eight-speed automatic transmission offers two more gears than found in the Silverado’s auto box.
If you need to seat six, base Ram 1500 models offer a three-across front bench. But our mid-level Laramie edition came with a pair of buckets up front, making it a roomy five-seater with a massive centre storage bin where the middle front seat would usually go. The two-level storage unit is ideal for pack rats and handheld device fetishists (with an SD card, USB and auxiliary ports and a 12-volt power source inside). More storage is found in the back seat, where the rear squabs fold up to reveal bins, as well as a pair of in-floor storage cubbies.
The fit-and-finish of the Ram 1500 is arguably the best in its class, rivalling some German luxury sedans in feel. Another area the Ram 1500 Laramie Crew Cab 4X4 excels at being more “car-like” than the Silverado is in the ride and handling department.
When the current, fourth-generation Ram was redesigned for 2010, one of its biggest innovations was a class-exclusive, coil spring and five-link rear suspension, a departure from the traditional leaf-spring setup found in Ford and General Motors trucks. Mated with its relatively linear steering system, the Ram 1500 Laramie Crew Cab 4X4 is both a quiet and comfortable tool to eat up the highway kilometres and to cruise around town in style.
SECOND PLACE: 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Crew Cab 2LT 4X4
Just like its domestic rivals at Ford, Ram, and sister brand GMC, Chevrolet’s full-size pickup truck is its biggest seller. So even though the 2014 Silverado 1500 is an “all-new” design, Chevy designers have focused on a traditional exterior design and traditional truck qualities.
Like the Ram 1500 Laramie Crew Cab 4X4, our $50,370 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Crew Cab 2LT 4X4 came as a five-seater, with an optional front centre console that’s chock full of storage compartments and places to plug in a plethora of electronic gadgets. While the Chevrolet’s interior design isn’t as stylish as you’ll find in the Ram 1500, all the Silverado’s knobs and buttons have a quality feel. From the driver’s seat, though, you’ll need to be careful parking in tight, urban parking lots. The new Silverado’s high cowl and wide roof pillars hinder outward visibility. However, the Silverado’s cabin is roomier, rated at 3,851 litres versus 3,539 in the Ram 1500.
Compared to the all-new Chevy truck, one area where the Ram is showing its age is its relatively hefty curb weight. Weighing in at 2,511 kilograms, the Ram 1500 Laramie Crew Cab 4X4 is 111 kg heavier than the Silverado 1500 Crew Cab 2LT 4X4. The results are better fuel economy estimates for the Chevy, rated at 13.3 litres per 100 kilometres in the city and 9.0 on the highway, compared to 14.6 and 9.8, respectively, for the Ram.
The Chevy’s “bigger truck is a better truck” theme continues outside of its slab-sided cabin, as well. The Chevy beats the Ram for maximum towing capacity (11,100 pounds versus 10,100) and maximum payload (1,883 lbs compared to 1,380).
No doubt, traditional truck buyers will appreciate Chevrolet’s conservative approach, leaving the Silverado at the top of Chevrolet’s sales charts for the foreseeable future. However, when compared to the Ram 1500 Laramie Crew Cab 4X4, the new 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Crew Cab 2LT 4X4 is our second choice for the best car-like truck.