The 2021 Ford F-150 and the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 are popular pickup trucks which have been around for years. Of course each year modifications are made, adjustments are made and the trucks are (hopefully) getting better all the time. If you’re torn between the two, you may look to safety features and ratings. Is the F-150 safer than the Silverado 1500 – or is it the other way around? 

What kinds of safety features should I be looking for?

Consumer Reports says that everyone shopping for a new vehicle should prioritize certain safety features. Many advanced safety systems are becoming required on cars, or standard within certain car manufacturers. For example, all new cars must come with a backup camera. This is meant to enhance safety when someone is backing up, as it can be difficult to see a small person or animal behind the vehicle. There are other safety features which you should look for, as well. 

Consumer Reports tested a variety of F-150s and Silverado 1500s. Let’s look at the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado Crew Cab LT 6-Cyl 10-Speed Automatic and 2021 Ford F-150 Crew Cab Lariat V6-Cyl 10-Speed Automatic.

Forward collision warning will alert you if a collision is imminent. This is an option you may select in the 2021 Silverado 1500, which starts at $29,300. It comes standard in the 2021 F-150, which starts at $29,290. Different systems will alert the driver at different distances from the potential collision, so you may want to see which system will give you the most advance warning. 

Pedestrian detection can alert you if there is a person in the path of your vehicle. Some will let you know if there is someone who may enter the path of your vehicle. Still others will also alert you to a cyclist who could present a danger. Again, this is optional in the Silverado 1500 but standard in the F-150. 

Automatic braking is standard in the 2021 Ford F150

Yet it isn’t in the 2021 Chevy Silverado 1500. Not only that, but while automatic braking for the city is an option in the Silverado 1500, automatic braking for the highway doesn’t exist. Both of these braking systems are standard in the F-150. Automatic braking will apply brakes automatically in the event of a possible collision. As the names imply, city automatic braking works at lower speeds while the highway automatic braking works at higher speeds. 

Front side airbags come standard in both trucks, but not rear side airbags. Head protection is standard in the Chevy Silverado 1500 and standard with rollover in the Ford F-150.

All other advanced safety systems are the same in both the F-150 and the Silverado 1500. Lane departure warning and lane keeping assist are optional in both, as is blind spot warning. Rear cross traffic warning is optional in both pickup trucks while anti lock breaks, traction and stability control, and daytime running lights are all standard in the F-150 and the Silverado 1500. 

So is the F-150 safer than the Silverado 1500? Even with the similarities in some of the available and standard safety systems, the fact that the 2021 Ford F-150 comes with forward collision warning, pedestrian detection, and automatic braking gives it a strong edge over the 2021 Chevy Silverado 1500. The Ford F-150 doesn’t have available crash test ratings on Consumer Reports, so it’s hard to evaluate the overall safety of the pickup trucks against one another. Still, if you’re looking for the pickup with the most safety features, the 2021 Ford F-150 is the way to go.