The rivalry between the Chevrolet Silverado and the Ford F-150 is one of the most enduring battles in the automotive industry. Both pickups are flagships for their respective carmakers and are made to last. Over time, their competition has extended beyond engineering to consumer loyalty and market dominance. Most times, the F-150 dominates over the Silverado, but what truck was made first?

F-150 vs Silverado: history of the rivals

Ford and Chevrolet have been going toe-to-toe since a century ago. When the First World War ended, America had massive economic growth. The automotive industry was also experiencing immense growth. Henry Ford had the vision to turn the military pickup truck into an everyday vehicle, and in 1917, he made what is considered the first pickup truck in the country.

Chevrolet wasn’t too far behind, coming out with the Model 490 a year after Ford had done so. In 1948, Ford released a new line of pickups called the F-Series, which became one of its top-selling cars. By the late ’50s, Ford had built the F-100 and F-250 models, but a major shakeup occurred in 1975 when the company introduced the F-150, created as a midway for its predecessors. The F-150 quickly became a best seller and has held on to the title of bestselling truck in America for over four decades.

By the time Ford created the F-150, Chevrolet was still making one of its long-running model lines, the C/K. As the ’90s rolled around, General Motors decided to revise its truck ranges and, in 1999, dropped the nameplate C/K, introducing the Silverado as a successor to the C/K model line.

F-150 vs. Silverado: Sales dominance

When it comes to market share, the F-150 holds a significant piece of the pie, seemingly always outdoing the Silverado in sales. According to Jalopnik, Ford sold 787,422 F-Series trucks, while Chevy sold 584,094 units of the Silverado. A 2023 sales report by Ford shows that the automaker continues to have a lead in the truck market.

According to the report, the F-Series truck sales increased 34% in the second quarter, with 382,893 units sold, widening its lead over the Chevy Silverado by 118,000 trucks. It’s easy to see why the F-150 continues to dominate the truck industry. For starters, the F-150 has had over 40 years to establish itself as a reliable car, so people identify with the brand more.

Its continued presence in the market has resulted in generations of loyal customers. Many businesses and families have a history of owning and passing the truck down, which creates trust and satisfaction that, in turn, creates a powerful ripple effect in sales. Additionally, Ford has consistently updated the F-150 incorporating new safety features and technology to keep up with the ever-changing consumer demands and market.

For instance, features such as automatic braking for the highway and city are standard in the F-150. However, the Silverado only offers automatic braking for the city. Other safety features such as rear cross-traffic warning, anti-lock brakes, daytime running lights, and traction and stability control are available in both vehicles. However, the F-150 has an edge over the Silverado because of additional safety features like forward collision warning and pedestrian detection.

Which truck should you buy?

This is a question almost as old as time. Most drivers find themselves in a dilemma over which truck to buy; the F-150 or the Silverado. The Silverado is available in 9 trims and ranges in price from $33,750 to $67,600, while the F-150 comes in 8 trims and costs between $30,495 and $76,595.

If comfort and safety are a priority for you, the Ford F-150 is the right choice, but if you’re looking for an affordable vehicle with the most efficiency and a large truck bed, you may find the Chevy Silverado ideal.