Competition: Looking At The 2020 Chevrolet Silverado HD:

Chevrolet has released details about their upcoming 2020 Chevrolet Silverado HD lineup, two months ahead of the actual debut of the truck in February. However, we are also getting a good look at the 2019 Ram Heavy Duty’s biggest competition.

Now while the 2020 Chevrolet Silverado HD looks to share most of its body with the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Chevrolet says the new HD only shares only the roof with its Silverado 1500 and that every other piece of sheet metal is exclusive to Silverado HD. 

Ram has gone a different route. Ram is using its 4th generation body for its heavily updated 2019 Ram Heavy Duty lineup, giving the truck a completely different front end over the 2018 models. Depending on the trim level, things like fender flares, badging, lighting and trim pieces are all-new for 2019. 

While Chevrolet hasn’t posted pictures of the interior of the all-new 2020 Chevrolet Silverado HD, Chevrolet has said this… “The interior benefits from similar architectural changes made to the all-new Silverado 1500, including an additional 3 inches of legroom on crew cab models and a taller, more comfortable seating position.” We are going to assume that the Silverado HD will share the Silverado 1500 interior layout. The Silverado 1500 has been criticized about its interior more so than anything else with its design not being different from the last generation Silverado as well as its materials that are used.

The all-new 2019 Ram 1500 on the other hand, has had its interior praised by the media world. While some might think that the 2019 Ram Heavy Duty is just a slight update of the 4th generation Ram Heavy Duty, they will be sadly mistaken. The 2019 Ram Heavy Duty has been completely re-engineered to allow the best technology from the all-new Ram 1500, to be used in the updated Heavy Duty models. We showed you interior shots of the 2019 Ram Heavy Duty’s interior, and there are only slight differences on the dash layout between it and the 2019 Ram 1500. The 2019 Ram Heavy Duty will feature a column shifter instead of a rotary dial and the toggle switches from the Ram 1500 have been replaced with six customizable AUX  buttons.

Chevrolet has released some details about the 2020 Silverado HD’s powertrain. There will be two new powertrains available, an all-new gasoline engine with direct injection mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission, or the Duramax Turbo-Diesel V-8, which delivers 910 lb-ft of torque through an all-new, Allison 10-speed automatic transmission.

While Ram hasn’t released any information on it’s updated 2019 Ram Heavy Duty. Our sources have been telling us that 6.4-liter HEMI V8 will return for 2019. We aren’t too sure just yet about the 5.7-liter HEMI V8 returning to the lineup in the Heavy Duty. An all-new 6.7-liter CUMMINS I6 diesel engine will make its debut under the hood of the updated Heavy Duty trucks. This new CUMMINS engine will be using a Compacted Graphite Iron (CGI) engine block. It is said to produce 400 horsepower and 930 lb-ft. of torque for the 2500 models and 430 horsepower and 980 lb-ft. of torque for the 3500 models.

The 2019 Ram Heavy Duty will feature a new range of TorqueFlite 8-speed automatic transmissions. We also believe we will see the 66RFE and 68RFE dropped for the 2019 model lineup. We have been getting many questions about if the 6-speed manual transmission will return for the 2019 model year. Right now we can’t say for sure, but we wouldn’t put it past Ram to bring it back for the upcoming trucks.

Since making its internet debut, the 2020 Chevrolet Silverado HD has been hit pretty hard about its new bold styling. The front styling reminds us of the 1st generation compact Chevrolet Colorado pickups. We still aren’t sure what to think about the plastic side steps behind the cab, for access into stepping up and over the pickup bed. While the truck does have a bold presence up front, the rest of the truck looks like your run of the mill 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500.

Ram, on the other hand, has kept its “big-rig” styling for the 2019 model year and blending the 2018 Heavy Duty styling with that of the all-new 2019 Ram 1500. If you love chrome than the Laramie Longhorn and Limited are for you. While we have gotten a lot of feedback since posting the pictures of the non-camouflaged Ram Heavy Duty models, a lot of you do not like the chrome trim around the bottom of the headlamps and grille. Good news is that if you aren’t a fan of chrome, Sport options will be available for most of the model lineups. Aggressive new LED headlamps, seem to be a “thumbs up” from everyone we have talked to. 

But for the most part, feedback has been largely positive. While there are a lot of people who don’t seem to like the chrome based models, almost everyone we have talked to loves the new 2019 Ram 2500 Power Wagon we posted.

While Ford continues to lead the truck market by several hundred thousands of units, Ram has one goal for 2019. That goal is to surpass Chevrolet as the #2 truck manufacturer in the United States. Since the debut of the all-new Ram 1500, the new Ram has pushed sales north of the Silverado for the past several months. While the Heavy Duty truck market is only a fraction of the half-ton segment, Ram and Chevrolet are putting forth what they believe is their best piece of work for the real “hard-working” pickup segment.