I've been doing my research lately on the various half ton trucks on the market as I getting ready to pull the trigger on a new truck in the next few months.
I narrowed my selection down to the f150 crew cab, the Chevy Silverado/ GMC Sierra and the Toyota tundra. This week, I was able to test drive both a Chevy and an f150. Both very similar in specs. Before I begin, let me say that I have been a Chevy guy for a long time. Here's my take for what it's worth.
engine- The ford I drove had the 5 liter engine. The Chevy had the 5.3l. I was very impressed with the low end torque of that 5l in the ford. Smooth. Quiet. Plenty of power. The 5.3l had torque and power too but not as much as the ford.
Ride- both trucks rode nice. The ford was a bit smoother.
Interior- I always liked the Chevy interior. The navigation screen was almost twice the size of the Ford. But the seats were harder in the Chevy. Which brings me to my biggest complaint about the Chevy.
Seating position- I'm a taller guy and have to drive with the seat all the way back. Both trucks were comparable in legroom. But with the seat all the way back, the Chevy steering wheel is a far reach being only a few inches from the dashboard. The ford steering wheel felt way more comfortable. Another thing that I noticed is when sitting in a ford, the steering wheel is pretty much right in front of you. Not so much with the Chevy. I found that sitting center in the driver's seat, the steering wheel doesn't line up but is rather about 2" to the right. Over a long drive, that combined with the steering wheel being so far forward makes for a more tiring drive.
Box- So it seems that if you want a full size crew cab, you have to sacrifice close to a foot of box space with the Chevy 5.8ft vs the ford with a 6.5ft box. But why does the ford have to have such high sides on their box? They've always been like that. I get the whole thing about more cargo space but try putting a truck camper in the box. I had to put 8 inches of blocking under my truck camper so it would clear the side of the box. And the new ones are even higher. I don't have to put any blocking when loading it up into a Chevy. So it's a toss up on what's more important to you.
Overall, I ruled out the Chevy based solely on interior seating and comfort. The ford has a feel of being a comfortable drive over the long haul. And I had gone to the dealership with my heart set on a Chevy.