The Ford F-150 is an icon among its segment. It’s also been America’s top-selling truck for 44-consecutive years. For the Chevy Silverado and the Ram 1500, that makes for some pretty bad news. It certainly doesn’t help that Kelley Blue Book tapped the 2021 Ford F-150 as its ‘Best Buy Award’ winner in the full-size truck category for 2021. 

What the 2021 Ford F-150 has going for it

There are plenty of reasons that explain why the Ford F-150 is so popular. But according to Kelley Blue Book, it all comes down to how innovative the Ford F-150 actually is. Unlike other pickups in the segment, the Ford F-150 has leveraged the use of technology to deliver some pretty impressive features. From its available Pro Power Onboard mobile generator system to its PowerBoost hybrid powertrain that can tow an impressive 12,400 pounds, the Ford F-150 has made it pretty clear that it’s no stranger to innovation.

Of course, that’s not all the 2021 Ford F-150 has going for it. Kelley Blue Book reports that the 2021 Ford F-150 also offers an incredible value. With a base price of $28,940, this year’s model knows just how to please without breaking the bank. After all, spending all of your hard-earned cash on a truck probably isn’t the smartest financial decision.

The 2021 Ram 1500 is significantly more expensive than the F-150

Perhaps one of the reasons the 2021 Ram 1500 has been unable to knock the Ford F-150 out of the spotlight is because of its high price, lack of engine options, and lackadaisical tow ratings. Opt for the base Ram 1500 and you can expect to spend a minimum of $32,245. Compared to the F-150’s $28,940 base price, that’s a pretty big difference.

The Ram 1500 doesn’t offer quite as many engine options as the 2021 F-150 either. The F-150 is available with a hybrid powertrain, a 3.3-liter V6, a twin-turbo 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6, and a twin-turbo 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6. It’s also offered with a turbo-diesel 3.0-liter V6 and a 5.0-liter V8. As for the Ram 1500? Its engine options include a 5.7-liter V8 and a 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 that are both available with Ram’s eTorque mild-hybrid system. A 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V6 engine is also available.

This year’s Ram 1500 disappoints when it comes to towing capacity too. When properly equipped, the 2021 Ford F-150 is able to tow an impressive 14,000-pounds. This year’s model also boasts a best-in-class available payload rating of 3,325-pounds. The Ram 1500, on the other hand, can tow a maximum of 12,750-pounds. As for its max payload capacity? This year’s 1500 boasts a payload capacity of approximately 2,300-pounds, which is pretty disappointing when compared to the F-150.

Why the 2021 Chevy Silverado continues to lag behind the F-150

As we mentioned before, it’s not just the Ram 1500 that is struggling to knock the Ford F-150 out of the spotlight. The Chevy Silverado has also tried and failed to do so. 

When it comes to the Silverado, its troubles have nothing to do with price. Unlike the Ram 1500, the Silverado’s base price is actually on par with that of the F-150’s. The Silverado does, however, struggle to outdo its Ford competition when it comes to engine options. Because, unlike this year’s new F-150, the Chevy Silverado isn’t available with a hybrid powertrain.

But that’s not the only thing holding the Silverado back from F-150 levels of greatness. As we’ve already established, the F-150 delivers a maximum towing capacity of 14,000-pounds. The 2021 Chevrolet Silverado, on the other hand, can tow a maximum of 13,300-pounds when equipped with its available 6.2-liter V8 engine.

There are plenty of reasons to choose the 2021 Ford F-150

In the end, there are plenty of reasons that the Ford F-150 has been able to hold on to the top spot in its segment. It’s able to tow an impressive amount and can be had with your pick of engine, even if that engine is a hybrid. Pricing is also a plus for the F-150, particularly when compared to the Ram 1500. But does that mean the Ford F-150 is the perfect truck for you? Well, that’s going to take a test drive.