Is Ford Better Than Chevy?
Two American automotive titans go head-to-head in our Ford vs. Chevy smackdown. Click here to learn why Ford comes out on top.
Written by Pat Roache
Reviewed by Jessica Barrett
Ford and Chevy have been going head to head since the early 1900s. Today, they offer competing lineups of SUVs, trucks, and muscle cars, but Ford is typically favored for higher quality, better value, and marginally improved performance.
Both are industry leaders with origins dating back to the birth of the automotive industry in
Detroit
. We love them for their highly capable work trucks, family-oriented SUVs, and engine-revving sports cars. But which manufacturer comes out on top in the century-long smackdown between Ford and Chevrolet?Here to get to the bottom of whether or not Ford really is better than Chevy is
Jerry
, the licensed car insurance
broker and super app for car owners. We’ll cover everything from costs and design to safety and reliability, and we’ll even take a look at how to save money on Ford and Ford insurance costs
(or insurance for any other vehicle)!Ford vs. Chevy: how do they stack up?
Ford and Chevy are neck and neck in many ways, but Ford tends to be favored by consumers when it comes to quality and value. Let’s take a look at how these two manufacturing leaders compare when it comes to affordability, safety, reliability, and design.
Price
Ford and Chevrolet cater to the same market of buyers, so their prices appeal to a similar economic demographic. However, the real question is which brand offers better value for its price?
Here’s a side-by-side comparison of the base prices of some of the brands’ most popular SUVs and sports cars:
Ford model | Starting price | Chevy model | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|
2022 Ford Escape | $28,660 | 2022 Chevy Equinox | $27,695 |
2022 Ford Edge | $39,440 | 2022 Chevy Blazer | $36,495 |
2022 Ford Mustang | $28,845 | 2022 Chevy Camaro | $26,395 |
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Chevy looks like it has Ford beat when it comes to dealership prices, but there are a few key differences between the two brands to keep in mind:
- Ford models are regularly rated better than their Chevy counterparts.
- Ford powertrains consistently outperform those of their Chevy rivals when it comes to horsepower, speed, and refinement.
- Fords tend to come with more standard convenience and driver assistance features than Chevrolet includes in their comparable trim levels.
While Chevy may seem like a clear winner for affordability at first glance, you’ll likely get better upfront value from Ford.
Don’t forget to compare long-term costs of ownership like your car insurance expenses, too. Your exact costs will depend on your model, age, location, and more, but we can at least compare some overall averages. The average
cost of Chevrolet insurance
is $2,473 a year, or $206 a month. The average cost of Ford insurance is much lower at $1,671 a year, or $139 a month. Considering Chevy and Ford have a similar lineup of vehicles, it’s easy to see that Chevrolet insurance will likely be much more expensive than Ford insurance on a comparable model.
Insurance providers use factors like risk and reliability to determine rates, so these numbers give us a clue that Ford is likely safer, more reliable, or both. Let’s take a closer look to see if that assumption holds up.
Key Takeaway Chevrolet models tend to cost less than their Ford competitors, but Ford offers more value and less expensive long-term costs like car insurance.
Safety record
Ford has considerably stepped up its reputation for safety in recent years—more so than Chevrolet, unfortunately. Let’s take a look at how both fare when it comes to ratings and recognitions from the International Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Ford received Top Safety Pick+ awards (the highest recognition from the IIHS) for the 2022
Ford Bronco
and Ford Explorer
. Ford also earned five Top Safety Picks for certain configurations of the 2022 Escape, Edge, Mustang Mach-E, and F-150. Chevy only received one Top Safety Pick+ for its 2022 Chevrolet Trailblazer
.Ford also has a better track record of 5 out of 5-star ratings than Chevrolet when it comes to
NHTSA safety ratings
. Take a look at the table below to see how models from both brands performed in various crash tests for the 2022 model year:NHTSA crash test | 2022 Ford 5-star ratings | 2022 Chevy 5-star ratings |
|---|---|---|
Overall ratings | 20 out of 37 rated models (54%) | 13 out of 28 rated models (46%) |
Frontal crash ratings | 22 out of 47 rated models (47%) | 9 out of 29 rated models (31%) |
Side crash ratings | 47 out of 47 rated models (100%) | 31 out of 32 rated models (97%) |
Rollover ratings | 3 out of 54 rated models (6%) | 9 out of 43 rated models (21%) |
Ford introduced its Ford Co-Pilot 360 driver assistance technology back in 2020, which has definitely helped this brand’s safety ratings. Chevrolet offers a similar driver assistance technology suite called Chevy Safety Assist, but it’s not as developed or widely available. Compare the standard safety features between the two below.
Driver assistance feature | Ford Co-Pilot 360 | Chevy Safety Assist |
|---|---|---|
Forward collision warning w/ pedestrian detection | Standard | Standard |
Automatic emergency braking | Standard | Standard |
Lane departure warning | Standard | Standard |
Lane keeping assist | Standard | Standard |
Automatic high-beam headlights | Standard | Standard |
Blind-spot warning | Standard | Available |
Rear cross-traffic warning | Standard | Available |
Reversing camera | Standard | Available |
Following distance indicator | Available | Standard |
Upgraded driver assistance features like adaptive cruise control are available from both makes.
Reliability
While Ford comes ahead in safety, Chevrolet takes the lead in reliability—ever so slightly. They both offer similar 3-year/36,000-mile limited warranties and 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranties.
Both Ford and Chevrolet receive 3.5/5 ratings for reliability from RepairPal, but Chevrolet ranks 20th out of 32 car brands while Ford ranks 21st. It’s a tight lead, but Chevrolet comes out on top nevertheless. Here’s why.
The average cost of repairs and maintenance for a Chevy is $649. Ford, on the other hand, sees average repair and maintenance costs of $775. Moreover,
Ford models tend to last around 200,000 miles
, but your Chevrolet could last up to 300,000 miles
so long as you stick to the recommended basic car maintenance schedule
.Interior design
Generally speaking, Chevrolet’s interiors are criticized for lagging behind most of its competitors—Ford included.
Both Ford and Chevrolet offer standard infotainment touchscreen setups—Ford Sync 3 and Chevy Infotainment 3—with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and available in-car navigation. Overall, Ford tends to offer more standard interior features than Chevrolet and just a little bit more cubic feet of storage across comparable models.
If you’re not too concerned about tech or convenience features, then you may just have to take a few test drives to see which interior better fits your style.
Fuel efficiency and mileage
Fuel economy is a toss-up between Ford and Chevrolet as it varies widely by model. Take a look at the models we compared earlier to get an idea of fuel efficiency between the two brands.
Ford model | Fuel economy (city/highway/combined mpg) | Chevy model | Fuel economy (city/highway/combined mpg) |
|---|---|---|---|
2022 Ford Escape | 28/34/30 | 2022 Chevy Equinox | 26/31/28 |
2022 Ford Edge | 21/28/23 | 2022 Chevy Blazer | 22/29/25 |
2022 Ford Mustang | 21/29/24 | 2022 Chevy Camaro | 19/29/22 |
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The
Chevrolet Bolt
took the electric vehicle (EV) market by storm, but Ford’s electric vehicle lineup is quickly catching up. Take a look at how the 2022 EV offerings from both brands compare in terms of efficiency with the table below.Model | Electric driving range | Charging time with a 240V outlet |
|---|---|---|
2022 Chevrolet Bolt | 259 miles | 7 hours |
2022 Ford Mustang Mach-E | 247 to 314 miles | 11 hours |
2022 F-150 Lightning | 230 to 300 miles | 14 hours |
Are Ford trucks better than Chevy trucks?
While the battle between Ford and Chevy cars can easily boil down to a point of preference, the same can’t be said for their pickup trucks. From compact trucks like the
Ford Ranger
and Chevy Colorado
to full-size pickups like the F-150 and Silverado, Ford has Chevy beat on upfront costs, engine options, fuel efficiency, and safety.Let’s take a quick look at the pickup titans from both brands to get a clear idea of how their trucks compare.
Ford F-150 vs Chevrolet Silverado 1500
The 2022
Ford F-150
starts at $33,315 and has an immediate advantage over the 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
: the daily driver-oriented LT trim starts at $45,945. The entry-level 2022 Silverado Work Truck trim is a cheaper option if you just need the basics, but it’s still more expensive than the F-150 at $34,845.The Silverado’s base 2.7L four-cylinder engine puts out 310 horsepower and 430 lb-ft of torque, which beats the F-150’s 290-horsepower 3.3L V6 with only 265 lb-ft of torque. However, the Ford F-150 offers more powertrain configurations with increasing might.
The F-150’s towing capacity maxes out at 14,000 pounds with the 400-horsepower 3.5L V6. The Silverado tops out at 13,300 pounds.
The Ford F-150 Raptor is the best option for off-roading—unparalleled by any of the Chevy Silverado 1500’s available trim levels. And while the Silverado’s diesel engine is the most economical choice between the two trucks—with 23 mpg city/31 mpg highway—the F-150’s gasoline engines get better mileage than their Chevy equivalents.
A hybrid Ford F-150 is also available. The Silverado, meanwhile, offers no hybrid powertrain.
How to find cheap car insurance (no matter the automaker!)
The comparison shopping isn’t over yet! Once you’ve decided which make is right for you, it’s time to compare your
car insurance
options. Skip the hours of research and form-filling by downloading the Jerry
app to do it for you.Let’s review how Jerry works: complete a 45-second sign-up, then our
licensed insurance broker super app
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Is Ford more reliable than Chevrolet?
Technically no—Chevrolet ranks one place ahead of Ford on both RepairPal and J.D. Power’s assessments for reliability.
Do Fords last longer than Chevys?
Fords and Chevys can both last up to 200,000 miles if properly maintained, but certain Chevys can exceed that lifespan and last up to 300,000 miles.
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