GMC Sierra 1500 Finds New Ways to Outclass the Ford F-150

In many ways, full-size trucks are essential to a number of industries, particularly for folks who work in a trade and need a powerful vehicle they can rely on to help them get their job done. That’s one of the reasons these pickups are so popular, and you can see it has guided many decisions by manufacturers as they develop these trucks. It should come as no surprise, then, that one of our favorite trucks out there is the GMC Sierra. We’re so pleased to offer the Sierra 1500 for sale at Snell Buick GMC, as it provides our customers with tremendous value in a rugged, dependable package. And yet, the GMC Sierra is not without its competition.

Among those competitors, the Ford F-150 is one of the biggest names in the auto industry, particularly regarding full-size trucks. We won’t deny that the F-150 is an impressive pickup, but Ford isn’t perfect, and there are many areas where the GMC Sierra 1500 is a clear winner if you’re trying to decide which truck has what you need. Only you can know what features and options will best meet your needs, but we’re happy to help you consider your options and determine which truck will help you get your job done. Let’s look at both and see how they compare!

Consider Your Engine Options

Few things are as important as the engine when it comes to a powerful, hard-working truck. The truck’s frame needs to be built to withstand a lot of weight and handle plenty of work, of course, but that doesn’t matter if the engine isn’t up to the task for whatever you need. Our controversial take today is that the 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 has better engine options than the Ford F-150, even though the F-150 can technically give you more power.

Here’s the thing: just looking at specs, the F-150 seems to compete or even come out on top against the Sierra 1500 in a few places. The starting engine for the 2024 Ford F-150 is a 2.7L EcoBoost Turbo engine that offers 325 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque. Thanks to Ford giving the F-150 an improved starting engine for the 2024 model, it can now keep up with the 2024 GMC Sierra 1500’s starting 2.7L TurboMax engine with its 310 hp and 430 lb-ft of torque. As you can see, Ford’s engine has the edge on horsepower, while GMC gives you more torque. They’re pretty on par so far, depending on what you value more between horsepower and torque.

From there, you can find impressive engines with either of these trucks; for example, the best standard gas engine for the Sierra 1500 is a 6.2L EcoTec3 V8 that delivers 420 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque. That’s nothing to sneeze at, but the Ford F-150 has a 3.5L High-Output V6 engine with 450 hp and 510 lb-ft of torque. We won’t deny that’s more power than you can get in the Sierra—the numbers are pretty straightforward. But the numbers don’t tell the whole story. Why is that? 

The 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 has an available 3.0L Duramax Turbo-Diesel I-4 engine that delivers 305 hp and a very impressive 495 lb-ft of torque. When we look at the diesel engine available for the Ford F-150, we find… well, it doesn’t exist. Ford has discontinued their diesel on the F-150. It’s not an option, not available, nothing. For many of us, that’s a huge deal. We know plenty of truck fans who are only interested in powerful trucks with robust capability. They know that a diesel engine they can count on for hundreds of thousands of miles is the way to go. Now, there’s no denying that the hybrid engines offered on the F-150 can put out impressive power, but diesel engines offer more than just numbers on a page. While the numbers look good for the F-150, we’d much rather be free to choose than be stuck with gas-powered hybrids.

Interior Features and Options

The GMC Sierra 1500 has long been a strong contender for luxury in the pickup truck market, but with the new year, GMC has made the Sierra better than ever. In particular, the Denali Ultimate trim has completely changed what we expect in a powerful truck like this and set a new standard for comfort, tech features, and refinement. Inside the Denali Ultimate, you’ll find a gorgeous 13.4-inch infotainment system with Google built-in, a 12-speaker Bose Premium Series sound system, and a Richbass woofer. The Denali Ultimate has Forge perforated leather seating, including 16-way power front bucket seats with massage functionality. It also has heated front and rear seats, ventilated front seats, a heated leather-wrapped steering wheel, a 12.3-inch Driver Information Center display, a head-up display, and much more.

Looking at the 2024 Ford F-150 Platinum, the highest trim for the F-150 other than dedicated off-road models like the Raptor, we find many similar options. The Platinum has refined leather seating, heated and ventilated front seats, and a B&O sound system that offers a solid audio experience. Personally, we prefer the rich sound quality of Bose systems. Similarly, the 12-inch infotainment display in the F-150 Platinum is good but noticeably smaller than what GMC delivers in the Denali Ultimate, let alone the rest of the Sierra 1500’s trims.

Cargo Space and Storage

Both the 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 and the Ford F-150 offer impressive towing capacities and payload limits, letting you get the most from either truck. The amount of weight you can load onto your pickup is essential, of course, but so is how much room you have in the bed for piling stuff in. Although both of these trucks have three different bed sizes available, which are similar in length, there are dramatic differences in how much room you have for cargo:

GMC Sierra 1500

• 5.8-foot Bed: 62.9 cu.ft. cargo volume
• 6.6-foot Bed: 71.7 cu.ft. cargo volume
• 8.2-foot Bed: 89.1 cu.ft. cargo volume

Ford F-150

• 5.5-foot Bed: 52.8 cu.ft. cargo volume
• 6.5-foot Bed: 62.3 cu.ft. cargo volume
• 8.0-foot Bed: 77.4 cu.ft. cargo volume

The Sierra’s bed is quite a bit wider and designed for optimal storage space, which shows when you see the stark difference between beds of similar lengths on the F-150. There’s no denying that the Ford F-150 has a lot going for it, but the areas where they’ve missed out are pretty substantial once you take the time to look at them.

Why So Many People Choose the GMC Sierra 1500

Now that we’ve checked out both of these trucks, it’s easy to see why GMC has earned so many fans of the Sierra 1500 over the years, and the 2024 model builds on all of that and is better than ever. We’re fans of powerful trucks here at Snell Buick GMC. Of course, we recognize the quality and capability of the Ford F-150, but the Sierra 1500 boasts too many strong points to ignore. Between the available diesel option, larger bed, and superior luxury experience in the Denali Ultimate, GMC still understands the needs of their drivers and once again delivers where other brands fall short.

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