2018 GMC Sierra vs. 2018 Ford F-150

Take for example the 2018 GMC Sierra - not only is a great truck with an upscale cabin and fantastic safety ratings, but it also isn’t the same truck that everyone you know drives. Ultimately, if you’re considering purchasing either the 2018 GMC Sierra or the 2018 Ford F-150, you can rest assured that you can’t go wrong with either pickup - although you’ll definitely get a few more interested and longing stares when you pull up to the tailgate party in your brand new 2018 GMC Sierra.

First things first: deciding to buy a new pickup truck is just not as simple as choosing the 2018 GMC Sierra over the 2018 Ford F-150. There are a slew of choices that have to go into your truck--purchasing decision - from deciding on cab styles to different bed sizes. Lest you think that those decisions don’t matter, just remember that your truck’s passenger capacity is dictated by the cab style you choose, so you’ll want to consider just how many people you’ll need to make space for.

Luckily, both the 2018 GMC Sierra and the 2018 Ford F-150 can seat up to six people when configured correctly - and not only can they seat six, they can seat six comfortably. Actually, depending on the trim you choose, the trucks can seat six luxuriously - although it’s worth noting that while the 2018 Ford F-150 certainly offers some high-quality interiors in its pricier trim levels, the 2018 GMC Sierra has been much-praised for having one of the most well-designed and highest-quality cabins in the pickup truck class.

Possibly the hardest part of choosing the perfect pickup is deciding what level of trim not only meets your needs but also your wants. For those who choose to drive the 2018 GMC Sierra, you’ll have your choice of four trims: the GMC Sierra, the GMC Sierra SLE, the GMC Sierra SLT, and the GMC Sierra Denali. Now, compare that to the 2018 Ford F-150, which offers your choice of over six trim styles. Unless you feel like driving yourself crazy by nitpicking small little amenities and finding slight package differences, head right for the 2018 GMC Sierra and save yourself the annoyance of having to examine and choose between so many trims.

Of course, you’re probably a little curious to see how the 2018 GMC Sierra and the 2018 Ford F-150 stack up against each other when it comes to trim and price, so let’s go ahead and check out the base model offerings for both trucks. Bring home the base model 2018 GMC Sierra if you’re interested in having a six-speaker sound system, a seven-inch touchscreen display, a USB port, Bluetooth connectivity, a rearview camera, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and the option to add in Onstar 4G LTE, satellite radio, and a built-in WiFi hotspot. Bring home the base model 2018 Ford F-150 XL if you’re interested in having a rearview camera, AM/FM radio and manual air conditioning. 

We weren’t kidding about the 2018 Ford F-150 XL being basic - but here’s the shocking part… the 2018 Ford F-150 XL has a starting MSRP of $27,380, while the 2018 GMC Sierra starts at $28,705. For just slightly over $1,000 you get top-quality amenities in a base model truck, as opposed to having a truck that is so bare-bones it’s really only practical if you’re using it as a work truck.

Now let’s go ahead and explore the top trims: the 2018 GMC Denali and the 2018 Ford F-150 Limited. The 2018 GMC Denali comes equipped with a heated steering wheel, heated front seats, leather upholstery, dual-zone automatic climate control, a seven-speaker Bose sound system, HD radio, forward collision alert, lane keep assist, forward automatic braking, front and rear parking sensors, a safety alert seat, ventilated front seats, wireless charging, and finally remote start and keyless entry - just to name a few amenities.

In the top-of-the-line 2018 Ford F-150 Limited, you’ll also find many of the same features such as heated and ventilated front and rear seats, satellite radio, navigation, and leather upholstery. The two biggest differences between the Denali and the Limited? The 2018 Ford F-150 Limited comes with a twin-panel moonroof and a much heftier price tag - it starts at $60,250 compared to the Denali’s $52,605. That sure is one expensive hole in the Ford’s roof.

It’s easy to see that no matter if you’re trying to watch your budget or if you’re ready to splurge, the 2018 GMC Sierra offers a much more well-appointed interior at a price that won’t leave you suffering from sticker shock.

They say all cliches are based in truth, and nowhere is this more apt than when we say “you can’t put a price on safety.” Luckily for truck drivers, both the 2018 GMC Sierra and the 2018 Ford F-150 offer drivers a slew of available advanced safety features… in fact, both GMC and Ford offer teen driver settings, just to add another layer of protection to newly licensed drivers.

Still, nothing is more reassuring than hard, factual data, which is why when you’re considering which pickup truck to bring home, you can rest easy knowing that the 2018 GMC Sierra has a five-star overall safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The 2018 Ford F-150 has yet to be rated, but considering the 2017 model did well in the NHTSA overall testing, it’s reasonable to assume the new model will as well.

Interiors are important, and safety is paramount, but that doesn’t mean you’re going to be happy driving a truck with a weak powertrain. Fortunately, you’ll be spoiled with choice if you purchase the 2018 GMC Sierra. It comes with four engine options, starting with the base model 4.3-liter EcoTec3 V6 that gets 285 horsepower. Then there is also a line-up of powerful V8s: the 5.3-liter EcoTec3 V8 (355 horsepower), the 5.3-liter EcoTec3 V8 eAssist (the hybrid option), and finally the 6.2-liter EcoTec V8, which gets 420 horses galloping out from under the hood of the truck.

You’ll find one V8 engine hidden amongst the engine options for the 2018 Ford F-150; however, it’ll only get you going to 395 horsepower. Aside from that, there are four additional engine options to consider, although one is only found on the speciality Raptor trim.

What’s the point of owning a truck if you can’t use it to tow and haul things around, right? With the 2018 GMC Sierra, you’ll be able to tow up to 12,500 pounds and haul to to 2,250 pounds when the truck is properly equipped. The 2018 Ford F-150 is able to tow and haul slightly more with its maximum towing capacity of 13,200 pounds and its maximum payload of 3,300, but it will cost you more to properly equip your pickup to do the heavy duty work, so unless every single pound really matters to you, save your money and shop the Sierra.