2015 Ram 1500 vs Chevrolet Silverado

2015 Ram 1500 vs Chevrolet Silverado

Posted on September 24, 2015

Competing in one of the most brand biased segments in the
automotive industry the Ram 1500 has an uphill battle against long time leading
competitors like the Chevrolet Silverado. With sales on the rise the Ram 1500
looks to capitalize on its previous success and start to chip away at Chevy’s
market share.

Crosstown Chrysler Jeep Dodge has a large selection of new Ram 1500’s.

The biggest difference between the 1500 and the Silverado is
the suspension. The Ram 1500 sports an adjustable air suspension compared to
the Silverado’s conventional leaf spring suspension. When hauling loads over
1000 lbs the Ram 1500’s ride seems unchanged and the bed doesn’t sag at all
under the weight of the load. The adjustable air suspension makes for a velvety
ride smooth even while towing. So smooth in fact, it’s almost easy to forget
you are towing. The Silverado on the other hand suffers from a firmer bouncier
ride with a trailer hooked up. Ram’s air suspension also has some other tricks
up its sleeve. When loading cargo the truck can “kneel” to drop the height by 2
inches for easier loading. This also comes in handy when you need to hook up a
trailer. Instead of spending a “truck load” of time cranking a jack, the air
suspension allows you to lower and raise the ball hitch as needed. Lack of
trailer hook up features and low resolution backup camera makes attaching the
Silverado to a trailer extremely cumbersome. Ram 1500’s active leveling four
corner air suspension is a key differentiator in the segment.

Check out all used Ram 1500’s in stock.

Rams engine, transmission and overall performance make it a
standout as well. It is again the only model in its class with an 8 speed automatic
transmission. The Chevrolet Silverado’s 6 speed transmission does not even seem
fair to compare against the Ram. We had similar findings in our Ford F-150 model comparison. Chevy’s powertrain software makes the
Silverado lag behind the Ram 1500. The transmission always wants to be in 6th
gear and the lethargic throttle response makes the Silverado considerably less
speedy during city driving. Hauling is another category with the Silverado
lacks. When hauling cargo over 1000 lbs the Silverado engine seems to work
harder and every move requires a little more throttle. The Ram’s ride however
seems unchanged when while hauling loads over 1000 lbs.

The class exclusive features like the adjustable air
suspension and 8 speed automatic transmission make the Ram 1500 a serious
contender in this competitive pickup truck segment. The uphill climb for Ram
may have suddenly got a heck of a lot easier. You can read more model comparison pieces to continue to learn why the Ram 1500 is our top pick.