It's a good time to be a truck owner. Trucks are selling better and boast better reviews than ever before. Ford moved more than a million F-150s last year. The Silverado and the mechanically identical GMC Sierra together sold almost as many. The horsepower and torque of these work machines continues to smash records--and that's not to mention their multiplying creature comforts and tech options, which has led to a dizzying array of options. As the options multiply, it grows harder with each passing year to wade through them all to find your next truck. We do some of that work for you here. In this head-to-head, we'll compare two of the best-selling pickups in America and show which one is better at what.

2018 Ford F-150 vs Chevy Silverado 1500

Power

The Ford/Chevy rivalry only helps consumers as each manufacturer tries to outdo each other. Take horsepower, one of the stats that measures how powerful a vehicle is. The numbers continue to climb due to the rivalry. As it stands now, the Ford F-150 gets 290 horsepower with its standard options, but with an upgraded engine can boast 395 and even up to 450 horsepower. By comparison, the Silverado musters 355 horsepower with its base engine or 425 with an upgrade. Time will only tell how high they can go, but for now Ford is king.

Towing and Hauling

A real truck shouldn't just look pretty or make a big noise; it should haul. The Ford F-150 wins again, towing up to 13,200 pounds when properly equipped and a maximum payload of 3,270 pounds. The Silverado does well but not as well with a towing capacity of 12,500 pounds and payload of 2,250. Ford also takes the cake for bed/crew configurations, giving more options about how you haul. The Silverado has only five configurations while the F-150 has nine.

Reliability

It's no big secret that pickup trucks retain their value better than other vehicles. There is no official word from J.D. Power about the 2018 models, but the 2017 F-150 and Silverado give us some sign. This time Silverado ekes out a win. While the F-150 earned an average rating in reliability, the Silverado won an above-average distinction with a half point more.

If you want a truck that powers through, doesn't buckle under the weight, and gets the job done day in and day out, these categories are most important. And in this head-to-head, Ford beats out Chevy. With superior acceleration, towing and hauling, Ford is the better truck. It may not have the reliability of a Chevy, but even in that category it's not far behind.