The Ford vs. Chevrolet rivalry has been raging for a century. Fans of each brand love to have arguments over which is the best in each category of product, quality, and service. For more heated rivalry comparisons check out our article on what to look for in a vehicle.
About Ford and Chevrolet:
- Ford is headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan and began in 1903.
- Ford is defined with the public by the popularity of its Ford F-Series pickup and Ford Mustang.
- Chevrolet, known as Chevy, is the largest brand by sales volume within General Motors.
- Chevrolet, based in Detroit and GM’s biggest brand, began in 1911. It’s strongest products are the Chevy Silverado pickup, the Corvette and Suburban and Tahoe SUVs
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Which has better prices and value, Ford or Chevy?
- These two brands are very competitive with one another in price and value.
- Depending on current rebates from the factory, plus discounts dealers offer, it becomes a wash almost every time when consumers compare price. What does that mean for the consumer? If you are shopping for a pickup truck or family sedan, you will be within a few dollars either way if you are shopping for comparably equipped models.
Price and Value: Ford and Chevy tied.
Ford vs. Chevy: which is more reliable?
- Reliability is defined in the automotive industry two ways–short term and longer term. J.D.Power and Associates, measures it over the first 90s days of ownership, as well as over three years in its Vehicle Dependability Study
- Chevy dominates Ford with just 115 problems per 100 vehicles
- Ford’s score is 146 problems per 100.
- This is a significant difference between the brands because of the large number of vehicles they sell.
Reliability: Chevy wins
Which has better interior design, Ford or Chevy?
Averaging the interior scores earned in our reviews gives Chevrolet’s lineup a slight advantage.
- Chevy’s lineup earned a score of 8.1 out of 10.
- Ford’s lineup score came in at 7.9.
- Chevrolet, the subcompact Spark, had the lowest interior score: 7.5.
- The Suburban full-size SUV topped the interior scoring range with an 8.7 score.
- At Ford, the lowest score of 7.0 was given to the subcompact crossover EcoSport, while the top score of 8.7 went to the Expedition, a full-size SUV.
Interior Quality: Chevy wins
Which brand, Ford or Chevy, has a better safety record?
Ford and Chevy both need to up their game in crash safety and features. Asian brands dominate here.
- In the 2019 ratings for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, neither brand has even one Top Pick or Top Pick+.
- When the brands are compared, looking at both sets of safety ratings: Ford Ecape bests Chevy Equinox; Chevy Cruze beats Ford Fiesta; Ford Fusion and Chevy Malibu are tied.
- Chevy Impala beats Ford Taurus handily; Ford Mustang beats Chevy Camaro; Chevy Trax beats Ford EcoSport; Chevy Traverse beats Ford Explorer; Chevy Blazer beats Ford Flex.
Safety: Chevy wins
Which is the better compact pickup, Ford Ranger or Chevy Colorado?
- Ford Ranger and Chevy Colorado start out at virtually identical base prices.
- Chevy Colorado has an optional diesel engine that achieves 30 mpg.
- Ford’s interior is better and towing and off-roading is better except when compared with Colorado diesel.
Compact Pickups: Ford wins.
Full-size Pickup Truck: Ford F150 or Chevy Silverado?
- Ford bests the Chevy Silverado in sales.
- Ford beats the Silverado for a combination of towing, on-road handling, off-road capability.
- Ford F-Series is a better turner on the corners.
- Ford’s fuel economy is a smidge better than Silverado. And it beats the Ram pickup. But all three pickups are very close.
Full-Sized Pickup Trucks: Ford wins
Which brand has the best Sub-compact Crossovers, Ford or Chevy?
Sub-compact crossovers is an increasingly important category in the auto industry because they are supplanting small affordable sedans as entry-level vehicle.
- Ford’s EcoSport is disappointing on several levels. Its interior is cheapish, and its MPG, despite the name, is disappointing.
- The Chevy Trax has a pleasing interior despite its value pricing.
- Trax has a useful cargo area, and is often sold at a great price because of heavy discounting in the category.
Sub-compact Crossovers: Chevy wins.
Which brand, Ford or Chevy, sells the best Compact SUVs?
- The Ford Escape is one of the top sellers in this popular category for very good reason. It’s a great design and package for everyday life.
- Escape’s handling is superior, and it has an attractive interior.
- Escape has a hybrid version, and will soon offer a plug-in hybrid.
- The Chevy Equinox is no slouch, with good road manners and very good seating. But the interior is dull.
- Chevy Equinox has less storage than Escape.
Compact SUVs: Ford wins
Which brand has the best Midsize SUVs
Ford’s crossovers and SUVs are the stars and center of the Ford showroom these days.
- Ford has three midsize SUVs–the Edge, the Explorer and Flex. The Edge and Explorer are better in every way over the Chevy Traverse. The new Explorer edges out the all-new Chevy Blazer for towing, a hybrid package, and interior.
- Ford’s engine offerings are more fuel efficient.
- Explorer and Edge interiors are superior to the Traverse.
- The Ford Flex is the oldest between the two brands, but still offers a very solid experience for those who enjoy its retro design.
Midsized SUVs: Ford wins
Which brand has the better Large SUVs, Ford or Chevy?
- The Ford Expedition was all new for the 2018 model year and rates higher than the Chevy Tahoe and Suburban for interior design, content and features.
- The Ford Edge has a fuel-efficient twin-turbo V6, a better three-row seat configuration than the old model, and the ability to get two versions of different lengths.
- The Tahoe comes close to the big Expedition, but its snug third row and below-average cargo space gives the Expedition, big enough to carry a little-league soccer team, an edge. For people who tow, the Tahoe and Suburban have greater brand loyalty and recognition, but those people should test-drive the Expedition.
Large SUVs: Ford wins
Which has the best entry-level vehicles, Ford or Chevy?
- Ford has gotten out of the entry-level-vehicle business for now, as Focus and Fiesta have gone out of production.
- For the 2020 model year, Chevy will continue to sell Spark and Sonic. And they are still selling down the 2019 Cruze. The Sonic is roomy for a small car, and the seating is comfortable too. The Chevrolet Spark is small, with limited rear-seat and cargo room, but it occupies an important niche for budget buyers.
- We think it’s a shame Ford has gotten out of the business of selling new Focus and Fiesta models. They are still abundant on the used car market, and we’d almost recommend finding one with low mileage rather than buying a new EcoSport or Chevy Spark. We also recommend finding a low-mileage Chevy Cruze.
Entry-level vehicles: Ford and Chevy tied.
Which brand is better for Midsize Sedans?
- Ford is not making another Fusion sedan despite the four-door being a top contender in the category, but you can still buy the current model for this year and next.
- The Fusion is better stem-to-stern in styling and interior, by comparison, than the Chevy Malibu.
- The Fusion has a terrific hybrid that achieves above 40 mpg in combined driving. And it has a plug-in hybrid version with a 25-mile range when using only battery power.
- The Chevy Malibu is uninspiring in every way, from exterior styling to interior appointments to sub-par seats.
Mid-sized Sedans: Ford wins.
Ford or Chevy for Large Cars?
- Not many car buyers purchase a full-sized sedan, but those that do should appreciate the styling and quality of the Chevy Impala.
- The quality of the Impala interior makes it feel like a luxury car.
- The Ford Taurus feels tight inside despite its large size and has poor handling and fuel economy.
- Both the Taurus and Impala are phasing out. If you like this style of car, you better hurry up. It’s an endangered species.
Large Sedans: Chevy wins
Which is the better sports car, Ford Mustang or Chevy Camaro?
Buying a sport coupe usually means you have extra money and want to reward yourself.
- The Ford Mustang is better styled and a better performing sports car than the Chevy Camaro.
- Mustang has better 0-60 second times and is better in driving performance and cornering.
- Mustang achieves better fuel economy with a smaller, more fuel efficient engine option than Camaro.
Sport Coupes: Ford wins
Charge! Which brand, Ford or Chevy, has better hybrids and EVs
Both companies are in transition here when it comes to hybrids and electric vehicles. Ford is phasing out the Focus EV and and Fusion Energi , as well as the hybrid and EV C-Max, and making way for new hybrids and EVs.
- The Chevy Bolt is the best affordable EV on the market with the longest electric range.
- The Chevy Volt plug-in Hybrid has had two editions, while the Ford Fusion Energi has had one and is being phased out.
- Chevy has had a Hybrid Tahoe since 2007, establishing leadership in the SUV segment long before Ford, which is introducing an Explorer Hybrid.
Hybrid and EVs: Chevy wins
Conclusion
For more than 100 years, Ford and Chevy have competed in the showroom and racetrack. For all of that time, consumers have cross-shopped the vehicles in both stables. Each brand in the Ford vs. Chevy rivalry has a legion of very loyal buyers. In our grading and ratings, Ford won one additional category over Chevy, while they tied in two categories. Overall Decision: Ford wins!