Towing, Tailgates, and Torque: 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 vs 2024 Ford F-150
There are all kinds of trucks for sale these days, from midsize models perfect for getting around town to heavy-duty pickups that can take on the toughest jobs. But full-size light-duty trucks are the most popular in the country, thanks to their mix of strength and versatility. Even within that category, you can find plenty of models, both foreign and domestic. Today, we’re going to look at a model that has long been a bestseller, the Ford F-150, and see how it stacks up against the more premium GMC Sierra 1500. Since trucks have a lot to offer, these comparisons can get complicated. So, for this one, we’re going to keep things simple and look at three categories that are important to almost all truck drivers: towing, tailgates, and what’s under the hood.
Powertrain Options
Power is probably the first thing most truck drivers think of when looking for a model, so we won’t make you wait around for it. One of the best things about pickup trucks is how configurable they are, and that means that each of these models has several different engines for you to choose from. First up, we’ll look at the most affordable engine for each. The 2024 F-150 comes standard with a 2.7L V6 that produces 325 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque. The base engine on the 2024 Sierra 1500 is a 2.7L TurboMax that delivers slightly less horsepower at 310 hp but makes up for it by providing 430 lb-ft of torque, a force that makes a big difference when it comes to towing.
If you want to step things up to the power of a V8, the F-150 has a 5.0L engine that produces 400 hp and 410 lb-ft of torque, while the most powerful option for the Sierra 1500 is a 6.2L V8 engine that produces 420 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque. Each truck also has a powertrain setup that uses alternative fuel to give you better fuel economy. On the F-150, that’s a PowerBoost hybrid that uses a V6 engine and electric motors. Together, they produce 430 hp and 570 lb-ft of torque but can only manage a towing capacity of 11,200 lbs. The GMC 3.0L Duramax turbo-diesel engine may look less powerful if you focus on its 305 hp and 495 lb-ft of torque, but it unlocks the Sierra 1500’s top towing capacity of 13,200 lbs while also getting you an estimated 29 MPG on the highway (the hybrid F-150 only manages 24 MPG).
Towing Features
There’s more to towing a big trailer than just power. Many drivers won’t come close to those towing capacities that are north of 13,000 lbs. However, they will still have to deal with the difficulties that arise when you’re pulling heavy loads at high speeds and are dealing with compromised visibility thanks to having a bulky trailer on your tail. Both the F-150 and Sierra 1500 have a wide variety of towing features on board, including an integrated trailer brake controller to help you come to a halt efficiently, a blind zone monitor that has trailer coverage built-in so you can stay aware of your surroundings even when visibility is compromised, and camera views with guidelines that help you hook up to a trailer without a spotter. Both trucks are also available with an active suspension system that monitors road conditions and adjusts accordingly. This can make for a more comfortable ride even when you’re not towing, but it is extra helpful for staying in control when a heavy trailer is hooked up.
Ford goes above and beyond when it comes to tech that helps you hook up to a trailer. Dynamic Hitch Assist gives on-screen guidance, Pro Trailer Backup Assist lets you use a small knob instead of the truck’s usual controls, and Pro Trailer Hitch Assist can even automatically steer, accelerate, and brake to guide your truck into place with a conventional trailer. The F-150 also has scales built in to measure a trailer’s tongue weight. But once you’ve gotten that trailer loaded up and hitched up, you’ll find that the Sierra 1500 has more to offer.
The Sierra 1500 also helps you out with hitching a trailer up––the many available camera angles include a hitch view, a bed view with zoom, and hitch guidance to make lining things up easy. There’s a trailering app available both on the truck’s touchscreen and on your mobile device that lets you check your trailer’s lights and gives you a pre-departure checklist to make sure you don’t forget anything. The app also helps you monitor your trailer’s tire pressure and provides maintenance reminders. You can create up to five custom profiles for your trailers to make switching between them easy. With the available Smart Trailer integration, you can also monitor details like water tank levels and control HVAC systems and power slide-outs on compatible trailers.
Once you’re on the road, the Sierra 1500 has even more handy tech to help you drive safely. In addition to the camera views that help you hook the trailer up, there are also views that let you “see through” the trailer to traffic behind you, check your rear side views, and even see inside your trailer to monitor any issues that may arise during the trip. Having camera views available on the touchscreen is nice, but it’s not always the best option. That’s why the rearview mirror on the Sierra 1500 can switch between a traditional view and a camera view that’s wide and unobstructed.
There’s one more trick that the Sierra 1500 has up its sleeve when it comes to towing tech. When glancing over the features of the F-150 and Sierra 1500, you’ll notice that both have a cutting-edge hands-free driving system that allows an advanced version of cruise control to take over on compatible roads. Ford’s BlueCruise and GMC’s Super Cruise have a lot in common, but there’s one big difference between the two: only Super Cruise can be used while a trailer is hooked up. This relieves stress on long journeys so you can stay alert longer and enjoy the ride.
Tailgates
If you want something more versatile than a traditional open-and-shut tailgate, you’re in luck. Both of these trucks have available upgrades that open up more possibilities. Ford’s new Pro Access Tailgate can open like a regular tailgate but also has an integrated swing gate that opens out to the side. This makes it easier to access cargo in the bed while a trailer is hooked up and brings you 19 inches closer, whether there’s a trailer present or not, putting your cargo within easier reach. And, well…that’s about it.
GMC’s MultiPro Tailgate is a completely different design that can do a lot more. Inside the large tailgate is an inner gate that can fold down independently. This setup can be reconfigured in multiple ways: the inner gate can move aside while the main gate is open to provide a cutout so you can get closer to your cargo, the inner gate can fold out into a full-width step for easy access to the bed, and the inner gate can fold down while the main gate is closed, acting as either a comfortable work surface or a load stop for long cargoes. You can also opt to get step lights integrated into the tailgate for extra visibility at night, and you can even get a weatherproof tailgate sound system for easy access to your tunes at a worksite, campsite, or wherever you go.
The Sierra 1500 Is a Cut Above
There’s no denying that the F-150 is a great truck that’s popular for a reason. Instead of trying to battle this perennial bestseller head-on, the Sierra 1500 gets clever, offering several unique features that make it stand out. While having a slightly higher towing capacity may give the F-150 bragging rights, having a more versatile tailgate, a suite of advanced trailering tech, and a variety of capable powertrains (including a diesel option) gives the Sierra 1500 a range of strengths that come in handy for drivers in all kinds of common situations. The Sierra 1500 is a unique combination of brains and brawn that’s simply a cut above the competition.
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