2027 Chevy Silverado vs. Ford F-150 and Ram 1500: There's a New Truck in Town

• What's new: Chevy has a new Silverado that's ready to battle the Ford F-150 and Ram 1500.
• Why they matter: Big trucks are big business in the U.S., high fuel prices be darned.
• Edmunds says: With what little we know about the updated Silverado, it sounds like Chevy will once again be a strong contender in the full-size race.

Power and fuel economy

Two engines will be mostly carry-over for the Silverado. The base 2.7-liter four-cylinder dubbed TurboMax continues on but is "enhanced" and gets an upgrade from an eight-speed to a 10-speed automatic, while the 3.0-liter Duramax diesel returns with few if any changes. That remains the sole diesel engine in this segment.

All we know about the new LS6-adjacent V8s from the Chevy camp is that they're bigger than their predecessors and will be more powerful. (The current 5.3-liter produces 355 horsepower, while today's 6.2 makes 420 hp.) Chevy claims supremacy in naturally aspirated V8 power, which means at least the 6.6 will outdo the F-150's 400-hp 5.0-liter V8. The 6.7-liter LS6 engine in the 2027 Corvette makes 535 hp and 520 lb-ft of torque, so figure on a bit less for the slightly smaller truck-tuned V8.

Ford's four-powertrain menu for the F-150 includes two turbocharged V6s, a hybrid mated to a turbo V6, and an old-fashioned V8. Power maxes out at 450 hp for the high-output 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6.

Ram has three engines, with the newest offered in two strengths. Its naturally aspirated V6 is unique in the segment, as is the twin-turbo Hurricane inline-six that's available with as much as 540 hp. The Hemi V8 recently returned, although it's nowhere as refined or efficient as the Hurricane. Buyers just like V8s.

Chevrolet hasn't announced any fuel economy figures for the 2027 Silverado, but you can expect the Duramax to once again lead the segment; the current version has a combined EPA rating of up to 25 mpg.

Interior and bed

Sadly, we haven't received any interior dimensions for the Silverado. Chevy didn't even say whether the new Silverado will offer a two-door regular cab again or if it will go four-door-only like the Ram lineup.

The current cabin space leader is the Ram 1500, which offers more rear legroom in both of its four-door models than the comparable F-150s. Ford has the edge in front legroom, and a slight advantage in rear headroom, but it's close.

Ford still offers the most bed sizes, something the current Silverado at least matches.

As for materials, the Chevy's High Country trim again gets the fanciest seats, with microsuede inserts available, and Chevy will offer a panoramic sunroof for the first time on a Silverado. The ZR2's interior marks GM's first use of forged carbon fiber, as well as the first carbon trim for any Silverado. The 2027 Silverado also gets a clever Multi-Flex center console that can be reconfigured to cater to your needs.

Technology and safety equipment

Chevy rights a bit of a wrong with the 2027 Silverado by giving all trim levels the same dashboard layout with a pair of screens — a 16.3-inch center touchscreen next to a 12.2-inch digital gauge display. (Base trims of the current Silverado make do with an older interior layout from before that truck's midcycle refresh.) GM also ups the ante with an available 11.5-inch passenger touchscreen, something Ram also offers. It's nice to see that Chevy preserved some hard controls for things like volume and various climate functions.

Ram's screen setup includes either a 12-inch or a 14.5-inch center display, while a 12-inch driver display is available. The Ram's optional passenger screen measures 10.3 inches, so Chevy wins that fight.

Every F-150 comes with a pair of 12-inch screens, one for the driver display and another in the middle of the dash for infotainment duties. Your passengers will have to busy themselves with a handheld screen of some sort.

Ford offers some things the others don't, however, such as the Pro Power Onboard system that turns the truck into a generator when parked, feeding power to outlets in the bed. It's available in three different strengths.

On the driver assistance front, all Chevy has committed to is continued availability of Super Cruise hands-free driving, which works even when towing a trailer. We expect the usual variety of advanced systems — adaptive cruise control, lane centering assist, blind-spot warning, 360-degree camera systems — to be available.

The F-150 and Ram 1500 both offer the usual driver assist suspects along with their own hands-free systems — BlueCruise from Ford and the imaginatively named Hands-Free Active Driving Assist from Ram.

Trims and pricing

The 2027 Silverado 1500 is scheduled to go on sale later this year. Seven trims will be offered: Work Truck, Custom, Silverado (previously the LT, because that wasn't confusing enough), ZR2, Trail Boss, Custom Trail Boss and High Country. Pricing is among the many details that haven't been announced, but you can expect at least a small increase from today's base MSRP of $39,695 for a regular-scab Work Truck. 

Ford sells the F-150 in seven trims of its own: XL, STX, XLT, Lariat, King Ranch, Platinum and Tremor. The least expensive XL regular cab starts at $40,085. On the other end of the spectrum — a Platinum with the biggest cab — starts at $71,595.

Ram's lineup starts a bit higher but comes with more doors as standard equipment; the basest Tradesman Quad Cab costs at least $44,620, while the crew-cab Tungsten starts at an eye-watering $91,395.

Our results are so far inconclusive, but what Chevy has shared about its new Silverado seems promising. A new small-block V8 doesn't come around too often, and if the other features are anywhere near as modern, we have a real full-size battle here.