2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 vs 2021 Honda Ridgeline

The 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 boasted a wide range of design details, allowing for a distinctive appearance across its different versions. Buyers had the luxury of choosing various grilles and finishes, wheel sizes and styles, and bumpers in black, body-color, or shiny finishes. With available styles including Regular Cab, Double Cab, and Crew Cab, and trim levels spanning from WT (Work Truck) to High Country, it catered to diverse tastes and needs. For the off-roading enthusiasts, Chevrolet offered a Trail Boss treatment for the Custom or LT trims.

Our review truck was the Silverado LT Trail Boss, featuring a 6.2-liter V8 engine along with four option packages—Midnight Edition, Convenience Package II, Leather Package, and Advanced Trailering Package—bringing the total to $59,185. This trail-oriented beast, adorned with black paint, wheels, and trim, had a custom appearance but required significant upkeep to stay clean, especially if used for its intended muddy escapades.

Interior styling, though functional, left much to be desired. While it expressed a raw architectural strength with silver plastic trim and a busy, layered aesthetic, it felt dated compared to competitors like the Toyota Tundra. Despite the high price tag, apart from the leather seats, the interior didn't scream luxury. The design failed to strike a balance between durability and a modern cohesive look, featuring loose and uneven panel seams.

Comparatively, the 2021 Honda Ridgeline underwent a design refresh, focusing on making the truck look more like, well, a truck. It featured a redesign forward of the windshield and front doors, a new rear bumper with exposed dual exhaust outlets, and more aggressive tread on the tires. New wheel designs in black, dark gray, and bronze added to its visual appeal, and the Honda Performance Division (HPD) Package introduced bronze wheels, oversized fender trim, a unique grille, and bold decals.

The Ridgeline was available in Sport, RTL, RTL-E, and Black Edition trims, with prices ranging from $36,490 to $43,920. Our test truck in Sport trim, costing $41,039 with extras like Radiant Red Metallic II paint and the HPD Package, looked sharp and functional. The seats in black cloth were comfortable yet functional, albeit prone to attracting pet hair. The interior, based on the Honda Pilot SUV, emphasized utility—offering generous storage and easy-to-clean hard plastic surfaces. This focus on practicality made it a top contender in terms of functionality.

The 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 presented a choice of five engines and three transmissions. New for the year was a 3.0-liter turbodiesel 6-cylinder engine, producing 277 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque, with impressive highway fuel economy of up to 27 mpg. This engine added up to $6,705 depending on the trim. The LT Trail Boss variant we tested featured a potent 6.2-liter V8 generating 420 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque, accompanied by a commanding exhaust note. This powertrain, costing an additional $2,495, delivered substantial thrust, and the Autotrac 4WD system ensured robust acceleration across various surfaces.

On rugged trails, the LT Trail Boss showcased its capabilities but was hindered by its size and length. The off-road suspension with Rancho shocks, a 2-inch factory lift, skid plates, locking rear differential, and hill descent control proved effective. The truck's performance on-road, however, felt limited due to the all-terrain tires, which affected its grip and steering response. Despite these constraints, the ride quality was impressive, offering a smooth and stable experience over long distances. Fuel economy for the 6.2-liter V8 averaged 16.8 mpg, slightly under the EPA rating of 17 mpg in combined driving.

For the 2021 Honda Ridgeline, there was a singular but well-refined gasoline V6 engine producing 280 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. With the cancellation of the front-wheel-drive version, all Ridgelines came standard with all-wheel drive equipped with Intelligent Variable Torque Management (i-VTM4), which could direct up to 70% of power to a single rear wheel.

Intelligent Traction Management (ITM) offered settings for Snow, Sand, and Mud, enhancing the Ridgeline's versatility. Although it lacked rock-crawling capabilities, its 7.64 inches of ground clearance and modest approach angles made it suitable for flat terrain. The Ridgeline demonstrated quick acceleration and an athletic driving experience, thanks to its unibody architecture, independent rear suspension, and torque-vectoring AWD system. Despite a maximum towing capacity of 5,000 pounds, which was lower than some competitors, its payload capacity of 1,583 pounds remained competitive. The Ridgeline performed exceptionally well in controlled off-road environments, highlighting its balanced capabilities.

The Silverado's interior, equipped with leather upholstery and a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, provided comfortable long drives. However, the lack of a height adjuster for the front passenger's seat was a drawback. The cavernous Crew Cab's back seat offered impressive thigh support, USB ports, and air conditioning vents. Our test truck also featured a power sliding rear window for added ventilation.

Storage was ample, with dual glove compartments, a large center console bin, and hidden rear seatback compartments. The Silverado 1500 had a payload of 2,170 pounds and a towing capacity of up to 11,300 pounds with the Max Trailering Package. Its cargo box, with high sides, provided more storage room than competitors.

In contrast, the 2021 Honda Ridgeline prioritized comfort and functionality. The Sport trim featured manually adjustable front seats with inboard armrests and height adjustment for the driver. The Ridgeline's rear seat was the roomiest in its class, paired with standard triple-zone automatic climate control. Higher trims offered leather seats, heated front seats, and ambient cabin lighting.

Utility was the Ridgeline's strength. It had a large center storage console, various storage solutions throughout the cabin, and a composite cargo bed that was dent- and scratch-resistant. The bed held 33.9 cubic feet of cargo and allowed flat-stacking of building materials. Additionally, the dual-action tailgate and a 7.3 cubic-foot weatherproof trunk with a drain plug, for easy cleaning or use as an ice chest, enhanced its practicality.

The 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 came with either a 7-inch or 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, featuring Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Chevrolet Connected Access services, and a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. Upgrades included a high-definition display, navigation, SiriusXM 360L satellite radio, wireless charging, and a 7-speaker Bose sound system. However, the 8-inch display felt outdated, and the Bose system struggled with high-frequency sounds. The advanced trailering system offered up to 15 different camera views, enhancing towing visibility.

The 2021 Honda Ridgeline featured an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a seven-speaker sound system. Higher trims added SiriusXM satellite radio, HD Radio, navigation, voice recognition, traffic information, a premium sound system, and wireless charging. Our Sport trim test truck lacked these upgrades, but Apple CarPlay sufficed for music streaming and navigation. The Ridgeline's technology offerings remained minimal compared to competitors, maintaining a largely analog feel.

The 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 included standard features like a rear-seat reminder system and Teen Driver technology. However, advanced safety features like forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and lane-keeping assistance were limited to LTZ and High Country trims. The Silverado's crash-test ratings were subpar, receiving a 4-star overall rating from the NHTSA and a Marginal rating from the IIHS for front passenger protection in a small overlap frontal-impact collision.

Conversely, the 2021 Honda Ridgeline came standard with Honda Sensing, a suite of advanced driving assistance systems including adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, and lane-centering assistance. The Ridgeline's multi-angle reversing camera, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic warning, and automatic high-beam headlights enhanced its safety profile. Built to Honda's Advanced Compatibility Engineering standards, the previous Ridgeline earned high safety ratings from the NHTSA and IIHS.