Shopping for a full-size pickup truck can be confusing. There are some great choices out there, with plenty of variables to consider in their configurations – from cab size to bed size to engine specs. When making your decision, you’ll need to take into account what you’re planning to use your truck for, and then take a closer look at similar configurations within the right ballpark to meet your needs.
If you haven’t been in the market for a truck recently, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the available options. Pickups aren’t just basic transportation and towing anymore. Most manufacturers now pack even their base models with stylish designs, plenty of tech, and a host of luxury items.
While full-size trucks are still going to give you lower gas mileage than mid-size or compact trucks, and certainly less than what you’ll find in cars today, the numbers have improved significantly over the years.
With that in mind, let’s check out the Chevy Silverado and the Toyota Tundra.
The Chevy Silverado 1500
Tale of the Tape
Payload: Up to 2,250 lbs
Towing: Up to 12,500 lbs
Redesigned for 2019, the Silverado will use lighter materials, reducing vehicle weight by 400 lbs while keeping both durability and strength.
The Chevrolet Silverado 1500 has three engine choices:
- 4.3 Liter V6 – 285 hp, 305 ft lb of torque
- 5.3 Liter V8 – 355 hp, 383 ft lb of torque
- 6.2 Liter V8 – 420 hp, 460 ft lb of torque
The Toyota Tundra
Tale of the Tape
Payload: Up to 1,620 lbs
Towing: Up to 10,100 lbs
The Toyota Tundra has two engine choices:
- i-Force 4.6 Liter V8 – 310 hp, 327 ft lb of torque
- i-Force 5.7 Liter V8 – 381 hp, 401 ft lb of torque
The base engine for the Tundra is powerful enough for everyday use, but you’ll want to consider the larger engine if you’re doing regular towing and hauling.
Styling & Seating
Toyota offers three styles: the Regular Cab, Double Cab, and Crew Max body styles. While the Tundra's base SR model has seating for six, the base Silverado Regular Cab model seats three. A split bench comes standard in the Silverado, but you can add front bucket seats for two. The Silverado can also seat six in its Double and Crew cab configurations.
Towing Strength
Which engine and options you choose will determine the capacity of your full-size truck. In all categories, however, the Silverado has an edge in towing capacity as well as payload.
The Chevy Silverado 1500 has a maximum towing rating of 12,500 lbs while the Tundra has a maximum tow capacity of 10,100.
Remember, towing capacity is a trade-off with both price and fuel efficiency, so the real question to ask yourself is how much you plan to tow, and how often you’re going to do it.
Payload Capacity
The Silverado payload is 2,250 lbs, while the Tundra boasts a respectable 1,620.
Payloads are influenced by engine, axle ratio, and transmission. You get what you pay for, but that doesn’t mean you should pay for more than you need. Before jumping in to load up your new truck with the maximum payload and towing capacity, give careful thought to whether you’ll use it often enough to justify the price difference.
The Toyota Tundra comes in 5’5”, 6’5”, and 8’ beds. The Chevy Silverado 1500 comes in 5’8”, 6’6”, and 8’ beds.
Fuel Rating
The 4.6 Liter V8 standard on the Toyota Tundra gets 15 city/19 highway miles per gallon. The 5.7 Liter V8 gets an EPA estimated mpg of 13 city/18 highway.
The 4.3 Liter V6 is the most efficient engine for the Silverado 1500. It is EPA rated at 18 mpg city and 24 mpg highway for the two-door. The 6.2 Liter V8 clocks in at 15 city/20 highway mpg for the four-wheel drive version.
Tech, Safety, and Innovation
Both full-size trucks have an impressive assortment of safety features:
- Forward collision mitigation
- Lane departure warnings
- Blind spot monitors
- Backup cameras
- Cross traffic alerts
- Tire pressure monitoring
- Brake assist
The Silverado also has lane-keeping assist and automatic emergency braking while the Tundra includes integrated trailer brake controllers, accessible from the multi-information dashboard display.
Head to Head Pricing
The 2018 Silverado starts at $28,285, not including destination freight, tax, title, license, and dealer fees. The 2018 Toyota Tundra is a little pricier, with an MSRP of $31,120, not including destination freight, tax, title, license, and dealer fees.
When you start adding in some of the more popular trim levels and packages, price can shoot up into the $40,000 to $50,000 range.
The top limited trim level for the High Country Silverado 1500, Chevy’s priciest truck, has a price tag of $55,000. The Platinum Tundra is Toyota’s priciest truck, with a price tag of $47,000.
Changes for 2019
The Chevy Silverado 1500 has been redesigned, starting with the 2019 models. Unveiled at the 2018 Detroit Auto Show, the Silverado 1500 features a stronger but lighter-grade steel alloy than previous models. Doors, hood, and tailgates are made of lightweight aluminum while the frame is 80% high-strength steel.
Chevy says these changes allow a reduction in total weight without sacrificing durability. Altogether, the redesign reduces weight by 450 lbs.
Other Changes for the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 in 2019 Models
- Industry-first power tailgate will open and close automatically
- Increased number of tie-downs
- Double the maximum capacity of the 2018 model
- New lockable storage bins
- Updated versions of the 5.3 Liter V8 and 6.2 Liter V8 engines
- New safety and tech packages
The 2019 Tundra will make few substantive changes to its base models and only some minor updates to its TRD Pro model, adding Fox off-road shocks and Rigid Industries LED fog lights, LED headlights, a hood scoop, and all-terrain options.
Toyota Tundra or Chevrolet Silverado?
Which vehicle you pick depends on which features you want and what capabilities you need. The more you need, the more you’ll pay. If you’re choosing between the Toyota Tundra and the Chevy Silverado 1500, check out the specs, the style, and the price tag. Then go take a test drive! While this is by no means an exhaustive shopping guide, we hope we have covered the most common concerns of shoppers looking for truck backup cameras.
