Ford’s trucks are always impressive with their towing and handling capacities, not to mention their additional luxury and technology features. The full-size Ford F-150 pickup truck is no exception with its toughness, yet modern look, making it one of the most versatile trucks available. The new 2020 GMC Sierra 1500 is also an option when looking for a full-size truck. Let’s look at the comparisons
Design and Style
The 2020 Ford F-150 is an excellent full-size pickup truck that provides plenty of roomy head and legroom for everyone. The Regular Cab models seat up to three people. In the SuperCab and SuperCrew models, capacity jumps up to six. The Ford-150 front seats have comfortable and supportive seating while the SuperCab has adequate seats for adults and the SuperCrew models have plenty of room for back-seat passengers. The Ford F-150 doesn’t disappoint with its attractive features in their interiors. It offers plenty of soft-touch material in the cabin, especially in the higher trims. Cloth upholstery is standard as well as convenient flip-up rear seats in the SuperCab and SuperCrew models. There are plenty of available luxury features including vinyl or leather upholstery, massaging front seats, a heated steering wheel, heated and ventilated front seats and heated rear seats. There are trims to meet everyone’s needs. The Ford F-150 is offered in seven trims; the XL, XLT, Lariat, King Ranch, Platinum, Limited, and Raptor.
The GMC Sierra 1500 took on a whole new look in 2019; and just one year after the redesign, changes for the 2020 are minor. The Sierra seats three in Regular Cab models and five or six in Double and Crew Cab models. Despite its recent redesign, we’re not really impressed with the cabin of this full-size truck. Cabin features include dual glove compartments, angular air vents, chunky HVAC knobs, and a bold steering wheel; but the extra-large center stack takes up a lot of cabin space. The GMC Sierra trims are offered in six trim levels: Sierra, Sierra SLE, Sierra Elevation, Sierra SLT, Sierra AT4, and Sierra Denali.
New for the 2020 Ford F-150 is a 10-speed automatic transmission that is standard with all engines. Ford offers several powerful engine options. It comes with a 3.3-liter V6 engine with 290 horsepower and 265 pound-ft. of torque. This is plenty of power for the city and highway, but if you’d like some more power, Ford has you covered. Options include a 5.0-liter V8 that makes 395 horsepower and 400 pound-ft. of torque, a turbocharged Eco-Boost 2.7-liter V6 that produces 325 horsepower and 400 pound-ft. of torque, and a turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 that puts out 375 horsepower and 470 pound-ft. of torque. There's also a 3.0-liter turbodiesel that puts out 250 horsepower and 440 pound-ft. of torque. All of these engines give the F-150 better towing and hauling capabilities than the base engine. They also help deliver better acceleration. The 375-horsepower turbocharged V6 provides the F-150’s highest towing capacity. When properly equipped, it can tow up to 13,200 pounds and has a maximum payload of 3,270 pounds. With its base engine and rear-wheel drive, the F-150 gets an EPA-estimated 19 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway. Those are some of the best ratings for full-size pickup trucks.
The 2020 Sierra 1500 starts with a 285-horsepower 4.3-liter V6 engine. Another option is the 2.7-liter turbocharged four-cylinder unit with 310 horsepower. A V8 comes with two 5.3-liter units that deliver 355 horsepower each or a 6.2-liter with 420 horsepower. The top of the lineup is a 3.0-liter turbo-diesel inline-six engine with 277 hp with 460 pound-feet of torque. It feels stable and composed around turns, but it can be a bit cumbersome in some driving situations. The GMC Sierra 1500 has a considerably lower towing capacity than the Ford F-150. When properly equipped, the Sierra can tow up to 12,100 pounds and haul up to 2,240 pounds. With its base engine, the Sierra gets lower fuel ratings than the F-150: 16 mpg in the city and 21 mpg on the highway.
Safety and Tech Features, Price
Standard safety and tech features in the F-150 include an AM/FM radio, Ford’s impressive Co-Pilot 360 suite, including a rearview camera, with dynamic Hitch Assist, forward collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, and curve control. Available features include the easy to use SYNC 3 infotainment system, voice-activated SYNC connectivity system, an 8-inch touch screen, a Bang & Olufsen audio system, satellite radio, Bluetooth, a USB port, navigation, Wi-Fi hotspot, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Starting price for the F-150 is an affordable $28,495 for the XL trim to $53,205 for the Raptor trim.
Safety is not the Sierra 1500’s specialty, with the F-150 offering more standard driver assistance features than the Sierra. A rearview camera and a Teen Driver system is what comes standard in the GMC Sierra. Other available driver assistance features include automatic high-beam headlights, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, lane change alert, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, front and rear parking sensors, forward collision warning, low-speed forward automatic braking, pedestrian detection, a surround-view camera system, a rear camera mirror, a head-up display, and a safety alert seat. Base price of the Sierra starts at $30,000 and ranges to $54,700 for the trim-topping Denali.
Overall
Two full-size trucks to choose. Both have some quality features, but the Ford F-150 offers just enough more to make this a clear choice. The higher starting price, and lower numbers on towing and power of the GMC Sierra 1500, makes the Ford F-150 a smart choice.