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Engines and transmissions

There's only a bit of overlap in powertrains on the Ram 1500 and Chevy Silverado. Each has a V8 for the top engine. The Ram's is a 5.7-liter Hemi V8 making 395 horsepower and 410 pound-feet of torque. The Silverado will once again use a 6.2-liter V8. Though Chevy hasn't revealed specs on the engine, we imagine it will be close to the current model's 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque.

While the Chevy makes more power and torque, the Ram's V8 boasts an optional 48-volt mild-hybrid system that can provide up to 130 pound-feet of torque right off the line.

While the F-150 still offers a 5.0-liter V8, the real range-topping engine is a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6. That engine makes 375 horsepower and tops the three trucks with 470 pound-feet of torque.

The Ram and Chevy' powertrains diverge with the lower-end gas engines. Ram offers a 3.6-liter V6 making 305 horsepower and 269 pound-feet of torque, and it comes standard with the 48-volt hybrid system, though in that application it only produces up to 90 pound-feet. Chevy has not announced a gasoline V6 for the new Silverado yet, meaning the low-end gas engine for it is a 5.3-liter V8. Output hasn't been given, but the 5.3-liter engine in the current model produces 355 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque, and we don't expect that to change much. Below the F-150's 3.5-liter rests the 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6. That engine makes 325 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque.

Diesels are a bit of a mystery for these two trucks. Chevrolet announced it would offer a 3.0-liter inline-six diesel, and gave no details other than it will outperform the competition. Ford's Powerstroke 3.0-liter makes 250 horsepower and 440 pound-feet of torque, so expect the Chevy engine to be in that ballpark. Ram says that the EcoDiesel 3.0-liter V6 will return, but no details were given. The current model makes 240 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque, so the new version will probably be close. Ford just announced the F-150 will get that 3.0-liter V6 turbodiesel.

Finally, all Rams will use eight-speed automatics, with a different one for V6 than for V8. The Silverado will get a 10-speed automatic with the 6.2-liter V8 and the diesel. Though no transmission was announced for the 5.3-liter V8, the current model uses an eight-speed automatic, so we would expect the same for the new one. Like the Silverado, the F-150 uses a 10-speed automatic. In fact, the transmissions are nearly the same, thanks to a development partnership between GM and Ford.

Off-road versions

For the 2019 model year, Chevrolet has created a tough off-road variant to match the Ram Rebel. It's called the Trailboss. It goes a step beyond the regular Z71 off-road package, but includes that package's features. It comes with a locking rear differential, skid plates, Rancho shocks, a two-inch lift, and off-road tires. And of course, the Trailboss looks more aggressive with a black front fascia.

The Ram 1500 Rebel continues for 2019. In contrast to the Chevy Trailboss, the Rebel only gets a one-inch suspension lift. But like the Trailboss, it has a locking rear differential, skid plates and off-road tires. The Rebel also gets hill-descent control and upgraded shocks, but from Bilstein instead of Rancho. The Rebel can come with air suspension, too. And the Rebel will continue to get a unique black grille and bold Rebel badging. Between the two, it's probably up to your preference of style and brand.

Still, neither of those really stack up against the Ford F-150 Raptor, the king of full-size off-roaders. The Raptor is powered by a high-output version of the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6, good for 450 horsepower and 510 pound-feet of torque. In addition to the bump in power, the Raptor gets beefy tires and wheels, Fox shocks, wide fenders and more.

Cargo options

Ram has had a death grip on the lockable in-bed storage market with its RamBox, and that feature continues on the new model, but sees new competition from Chevrolet. The RamBox continues to work the same as it always has, fitting storage containers into the bed sides with lockable lids on the tops of the bed sides. On the Silverado, there are now available in-bed cargo boxes. They sit above the wheel arches and seem to take up similar space as RamBox, but they appear to be removable and not to require a special bed. The F-150 doesn't come with any lockable storage in the bed.

The Silverado seems to be the king when it comes to cargo capacity. The new truck bed is 6.75 inches wider than before and, thanks to taller fenders, is deeper, too. Still, it's not like the Ram or F-150 lag behind. It's small differences between the three models, though we'll have to wait for full specs to really compare.

Interior

All three trucks feature spacious, well-appointed interiors. For a while, the F-150 was the clear class leader, but it was also the newest. Now it seems like a tossup. For 2019, the Ram and Silverado appear to be an evolution of what came before. The design is clean and rugged, with large controls that should be easy to use while wearing work gloves. There are plenty of small pockets and cargo bins throughout the cabins. The Ram in particular stands out with a truly massive center console.

The infotainment is a tossup between the three, but once again Ram takes the cake on size. Upper trim models get a new 12-inch infotainment display that would give Tesla a run for its money. Still, the new Silverado and F-150 run on the latest iterations of Chevy MyLink and Ford Sync. All three have a number of USB ports for both charging and connectivity sprinkled throughout.