2020 Ford F-250 Super Duty vs 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD

The 2020 Ford F-250 Super Duty received some subtle updates that were noticeable to keen Blue Oval fans. The front bumper featured more black painted areas and less bling, while the massive grille swapped its large two-bar design for a more restrained look. The altered grille shape made the headlights sleeker without changing their overall shape, resulting in a truck that showed some styling restraint without a complete redesign. The F-250 was available in various trims, from the basic XL with its black grille and bumpers to the luxurious Limited with a satin-chrome grille and twin-panel moonroof. Inside, the F-250 had a function-first cabin with a logical layout and plenty of storage, though it felt cold and mechanical due to the extensive use of hard plastics.

The 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD had a polarizing design, with a front end and grille that resembled a vintage furnace or a freight train. Despite its unconventional exterior, the cabin was more conventional and spacious, prioritizing quantity over quality. The Silverado 3500HD was available in several trims, from the basic W/T with vinyl seat trim and a 7-inch touchscreen to the luxurious High Country with heated and ventilated front seats, a Bose premium sound system, and a spray-in bed liner. The Silverado also featured helpful bed steps integrated into the corners of the rear bumper and additional step-ups along the side of the bed for easier access.

The 2020 Ford F-250 Super Duty came standard with a 6.2-liter gasoline V8 engine producing 385 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque. Ford also offered a 6.7-liter Power Stroke turbodiesel V8 with 475 hp and an impressive 1,050 lb-ft of torque. A new 7.3-liter gas V8 option was introduced, delivering 430 hp and 475 lb-ft of torque. The gas engines were paired with a new 10-speed automatic transmission, while the diesel V8 used a six-speed automatic. The F-250 could tow up to 30,000 pounds when equipped with the diesel engine, 3.55 axle ratio, and High Capacity Tow Package. The truck's suspension was well-sprung for heavy loads, but it resulted in a bumpy ride when not loaded down. The available FX4 and Tremor off-road packages added upgraded shocks, skid plates, and off-road tires for enhanced off-road capabilities.

The 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD offered two engine options: a standard 6.6-liter V8 with 401 horsepower and 464 pound-feet of torque, and an optional Duramax turbodiesel 6.6-liter V8 with 445 hp and 910 lb-ft of torque. The gas engine was paired with a six-speed automatic transmission, while the diesel engine used an Allison 10-speed automatic. Both powertrains could be configured with rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive with low range. The Silverado 3500HD could tow up to 36,000 pounds with the diesel engine, single-cab/long-bed/dually configuration, and max trailering package. It also had a payload capacity of 7,442 pounds. The diesel engine's 10-speed automatic transmission kept it in the ideal gear for optimal performance, making the truck feel lively despite its size.

The 2020 Ford F-250 Super Duty was available in Regular Cab, extended SuperCab, and full four-door Crew Cab configurations, with either a 6-foot-9-inch or 8-foot bed. The cabin was spacious and functional, with deep cup holders and cubbies designed to hold large items. The center console was massive, capable of storing files, tools, or even a laptop. The rear seats on the SuperCrew and Crew Cab folded up to reveal a load floor for large items, providing secure storage for equipment like a generator.

The 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD was available in regular cab/long-bed, double cab/long-bed, crew cab/standard bed, and crew cab/long-bed configurations. The single cab had one row of seating, while the crew cabs provided two rows of spacious seating with ample headroom and legroom. The Silverado featured helpful bed steps integrated into the corners of the rear bumper and additional step-ups along the side of the bed for easier access to the vehicle.

The 2020 Ford F-250 Super Duty's base XL trim came with four speakers, an AM/FM/MP3 radio unit, Bluetooth connectivity, and a USB-C port. The XLT trim added five speakers for the regular cab and seven speakers for the SuperCab and Crew Cab, along with SiriusXM satellite radio, an additional USB-C port, and the SYNC 3 infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. FordPass Connect was standard across the lineup, providing a WiFi hotspot and remote vehicle control via a smartphone app.

The 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD came standard with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, while upgraded trims featured an 8-inch touchscreen, and the High Country trim added navigation. The infotainment system was user-friendly, with hard buttons and dials for easy operation. The Silverado offered numerous trailering features, including backup camera guidelines and additional camera angles for trailering, as well as a trailering app with a pre-trailering checklist and critical status updates.

The 2020 Ford F-250 Super Duty came standard with front- and side-impact airbags, trailer sway control, hill start assist, and AdvanceTrac traction control with roll stability control. Optional safety features included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, rear parking sensors, and a 360-degree camera system. The F-250 had not been tested by the NHTSA or IIHS.

The 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD came standard with a backup camera and a full array of front- and side-impact airbags. Optional safety features included forward collision avoidance, lane-departure warning, automatic emergency braking, automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, front and rear parking sensors, and a 360-degree parking camera system.