Pickup trucks are expensive. The way Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis justify the prices of their new trucks is by packing as much new technology, luxury, and power between the bumpers – often copying each other’s homework in the process. However, there isn’t much more the rhinestone-studded luxury variants can do on a job site that the bare-bones workhorses can’t.
American truckmakers have increasingly expanded their lineups to build pricey, off-road-capable versions of their pickups. The Ford F-150 Raptor was alone on the dunes for over a decade, ushering in an era of turn-key monster trucks available straight from the factory. Chevrolet held out from building one of these pickups for as long as possible. However, its most expensive flavor of the Silverado 1500, the ZR2, is built to bail out all other Silverados stuck on the trails.
At roughly $80,000 a pop, these two trucks are priced to do more, so we wanted to find out just how much more they could do and crown a winner.
What’s New (And What’s Not) For 2027?
Both trucks have received new life for the upcoming model year. GM is making headlines with its pair of brand-spanking-new V8 engines, launching them in the 2027 Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500. They’re arriving in 5.7 and 6.6 liters of displacement (that’s a satisfying 350 and 400 cubic inches for those who speak truck talk).
Tucked away in the new Silverado ZR2 is either GM’s new pushrod 6.6-liter V8 or 3.0-liter Duramax turbo diesel inline-six carried over from previous models. The diesel engine produces up to 305 horsepower and 495 pound-feet of torque, good for 12,000 pounds of towing capacity in certain cab/bed configurations. An available 34-gallon fuel tank gives diesel trucks a range of nearly 900 miles of highway cruising. The 6.6-liter V8 makes 481 hp and 501 lb-ft with help from a revised intake manifold, port and direct fuel injection, and high-velocity intake ports to swirl air into the combustion chambers.
Ford Raptor RFord
The Ford F-150 Raptor retains its 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 for 2027, producing 450 hp and 510 lb-ft of torque. The Raptor R remains on the menu with its supercharged 5.2-liter V8, which kicks out 720 hp and 640 lb-ft of torque. This really is the cherry on top of the F-150 lineup, especially now that each new F-150 for 2027 comes with an available V8 engine. All get access to Ford’s 10-speed automatic, just as Chevrolet gives each Silverado 1500 the same 10-speed co-developed with Ford.
Chevy brings the Silverado ZR2 closer in competition with the F-150 Raptor, a segment of the truck market historically dominated by Ford and later Ram. Though Chevy is still apprehensive of building something ready to sail the seas of sand dunes in the southwestern US or even the Empty Quarter in southern Saudi Arabia—where these spongy rally trucks really feel at home. Either way, the 2027 ZR2 is still the closest competitor to the brawny Raptor that Chevy has produced in the 16 years it’s been missing out on going toe-to-toe with its cross-town rival, and we’re here for it.
No Rhinestone Cowboys Here, Only Daredevils Allowed
2027 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 ZR2
2027 Ford F-150 Raptor
Engine
3.0-liter inline-6 turbocharged diesel,
6.6-liter V8
3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6
Transmission
10-speed automatic
10-speed automatic
Drivetrain
4WD
4WD
Payload
1,870 lbs.,
1,510 lbs.*
1,405 lbs.
Max Tow
12,000 lbs.,
9,700 lbs.*
8,200 lbs.
MSRP
$79,995
$77,800
*3.0-liter I6 diesel & 6.6-liter V8 values not yet confirmed for ZR2 grade
“All Raptor models are insane,” started one of our writers when questioned about Ford’s race-bred truck and its abilities in stock form. The Raptor really is the complete package, and we recognize how hard it is to build a truck like that. Chevrolet is upping its game this year, hoping to hit Ford where it hurts with pricing and engine availability.
The Silverado ZR2 has a base MSRP of $79,995 after destination, which would have undercut the F-150 Raptor’s starting price of $81,800, but Ford slashed the entry price down to $77,800 with the addition of the 800A pack that removes the power-adjusted steering column, power-adjusted passenger seat, head-up display, and 14-speaker sound system for an 8-speaker system. No different than before, both are exclusively available as a crew cab with a 5’6″ bed.
Ford anticipated some newfound competition from Chevy this time around, and it made sure to bite back on pricing. Chevy’s next move against Ford is what’s inside. Both trucks are plenty luxurious, though the new Silverado is the most tech-focused it’s ever been. Open the door, and you’ve stumbled directly into a Best Buy. There are acres of screens perched on the dashboard, but not in the obtrusive way so many new vehicles do.
The F-150 received no interior changes for 2027, still pushing on with its dual-screen setup: one for the instrument cluster and a separate center infotainment system. It’s old school, but it works, and it’s just what the doctor ordered for less time parked in front of the TV. After all, these were made to be enjoyed in the great outdoors.
Silverado ZR2 models are raised 2 inches and fitted with meaty 35-inch mud-terrain tires, to say nothing of the front and rear lockers, AEV bumpers on Bison Edition models, and optional 18-inch beadlock-capable wheels. Multimatic’s DSSV passive dampers bounce the Silverado ZR2 over sand, dirt, and pavement, rivaling the Fox racing shocks, which have the same duties in the F-150 Raptor. Ford offers 35-inch tires as standard, as well as 37-inch rubber on two different sets of aluminum bead lock-ready wheels. The Raptor comes with a rear locking differential and a limited-slip differential up front rather than utilizing a front locker.
This ZR2 is the roughest and rumble-est (have you heard the new 6.6 at idle?) of the ZR2 Silverados to date, finally giving the Raptor a run for its money. With the V8-powered ZR2 costing the same as a V6-powered Raptor, those who want a throaty grumble with their desert runner no longer have the Ram TRX as their only option. Chevy is also making the ZR2 work double-duty as the high-speed desert racing machine and the trail happy off-roader that doesn’t won’t get stuck between the trees. It’s the perfect blend between two worlds that aren’t as far apart as we think.
And The Winner Is …
We haven’t taken a spin in the new Silverado just yet, and the last Raptor we drove was the supercharged V8-powered R, so we can’t make a direct comparison just yet. The Silverado is the truck we’re most excited to get our hands on, but we’re not convinced it will kick the Raptor from its perch as the king of the monster trucks. The Silverado ZR2 is the only truck to offer a diesel engine in its top-tier racing truck, propelling it ahead of all others in terms of economy, but the Raptor’s V6 can really put the power down with help from those turbos stepping in for displacement.
Ford will stay perched atop the growing mountain of purpose-built trucks by delivering the most value and performance for the money. We’re shocked by the Silverado’s new interior and has us wondering what the GMC Sierra will bring to the table with its slightly different layout. For around $80,000, the Raptor and the ZR2 are the biggest cannons in Ford and Chevy’s arsenal of pickups, and they both deliver on their purpose of hosting all the latest off-road racing technology used by each to zip across extraterrestrial-looking landscapes faster than a Falcon Heavy rocket can leave the atmosphere.
The ZR2 blends its two personalities together a bit better this time around, managing to be both a keen mud-slinging rock crawler and a high-speed dune runner, but the Raptor knows its purpose and plays the only tune it knows almost flawlessly. The new Silverado is here to pressure Ford to refine the Raptor even more, and that’s something Chevrolet should worry about.
Sources: Chevrolet, Ford, GM Authority
