The Chevy Silverado 1500 is currently the only full-size pickup truck with a four-cylinder turbocharged gasoline engine. It’s the high-output 2.7L Turbomax I4. Can it tow the same or better than a traditional Ford F-150 with a 5.0L Coyote V8? Let’s put these two trucks on the Ike GauntletTM – the world’s toughest towing test – and find out!
This comparison towing test would not be possible without our friends at Weigh Safe hitches. These are the toughest, lightest, and smartest hitches on the market. They offer a built-in weight scale, so you can dial in your trailer weight distribution.
Ike GauntletTM
This is the world’s toughest towing test because it’s an 8-mile stretch of dangerous interstate highway I-70 with a 7% grade that climbs all the way up the Rocky Mountain continental divide at a maximum elevation of 11,158 feet above sea level.
The competitors are…
| Chevy Silverado 1500 RST | Ford F-150 Tremor | |
| Config | Crew Cab Std Bed 4×4 | Crew Cab Std Bed 4×4 |
| Engine | 2.7L Turbo I5 | 5.0L V8 |
| Power | 310 hp | 400 hp |
| Torque | 430 lb-ft | 410 lb-ft |
| Transmission | 8-speed Auto | 10-speed Auto |
| Rear Axle Ratio | 3.42 to 1 | 3.73 to 1 |
| — | — |
We are pulling a trailer with a total weight of 8,000 lbs. It’s our 20-ft BigTex tilt car hauler trailer with a 1st-gen Honda Ridgeline on top of it.
Capability Rating
| Chevy Silverado 1500 RST | Ford F-150 Tremor | |
| Max Payload | ~1,800 lbs | ~1,600 lbs |
| Max Towing | 9,000 lbs | 9,900 lbs |
The Chevy Silverado 1500 completes the Ike Gauntlet downhill with 13 brake application. This is less than impressive result, as we expect less than 8 brake applications for a “great result” for a half-ton pickup truck.
The Ford F-150 performed great with 6 brake applications. We attribute this performance to the larger displacement engine and a more aggressive rear axle ratio.
Both trucks completed the climb in just under 8 minutes, which is a perfect benchmark result. However, the F-150 V8 registered a significantly better MPG result on its trip meter.
In the end, both truck will pull your trailer with confidence. However, if you tow trailers in mountainous terrain – the Turbo-4 is simply not as capable as the larger V8 engine.
Please join Kase and I in the video below.
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