We're not afraid to admit it - size matters. At least when it comes to the size of your pickup truck bed. Whether you need to haul cargo for work or play, you should make sure the bed of the truck you're looking to buy will fit all your gear. There are many top-rated pickup trucks out there with short, standard and long boxes from automakers like Chevrolet, GMC, Ford, and Ram. We'll compare them to see how much construction equipment (or how many dirt bikes) these full-size truck beds will fit. We'll also look at how their new and improved bed and tailgate features make the space more user-friendly.
1. Chevrolet Silverado 1500
The Chevrolet Silverado 1500 got a big upgrade to its bed for the 2019 model year. Chevy is so proud of the usability and space of the Silverado's new bed that they graced it with its own name, the "Durabed". Every truck bed option from short to long got supersized for 2019. From 2018 to 2019, the short box gains 10 cubic feet of cargo space, growing from 53 to 63 cubic feet. The standard box gains 10 cubic feet going from 62 to 72 cubic feet and the long box grows from 75 cubic feet to 89 cubic feet.
Other noteworthy features of the Silverado's bed include 12 fixed tie-downs which have doubled in strength to hold 500 lbs of force. Along with 9 movable tie-downs, the Silverado offers the most tie-downs among full-size trucks. Additionally, the Silverado gets available in-bedLED lighting and a 110/120-volt power outlet. Going with the LTZ or High Country trims also gets you a power-up/down tailgate.
- Chevrolet Silverado Short Box Volume:63 cubic feet
- Chevrolet Silverado Standard Box Volume:72 cubic feet
- Chevrolet Silverado Long Box Volume:89 cubic feet
Find Local Discounts on a Chevrolet Silverado 1500
2. GMC Sierra 1500
Just like its cousin, the Chevy Silverado, the 2019 GMC Sierra is also well-endowed when it comes to its bed size. It matches the cargo space for the short, standard and long boxes of the Silverado and Sierra’s available 5'8 pickup box actually offers more cargo volume than Ford or Ram’s 6.4' long standard boxes.
An important feature that complements the GMC's large bed is the new Multipro tailgate. With numerous configurations, it makes loading and unloading items of any shape and size easier. The configurations of the Multipro tailgate include user-friendly options like a "Primary Gate Load Stop" tokeep long items from sliding, "Easy Access" which folds down the inner gate to easily reach into the box, "Full-Width Step" which folds the inner gate to form a sturdy step to help load and an "Inner Gate With Work Surface" which allows second-tier loading for long items or a handy workspace.
- GMC Sierra 1500 Short Box Volume: 63 cubic feet
- GMC Sierra 1500 Standard Box Volume: 72 cubic feet
- GMC Sierra 1500 Long Box Volume: 89 cubic feet
Find Local Discounts on the GMC Sierra 1500
3. Ford F-150
Although lagging behind GM's full-size trucks, the 2019 Ford F-150 still offers up plenty of space in its 5.5', 6.5' and 8' beds. The F-150 short bed offers 53 cubic feet of cargo space, the standard bed gives you 62 cubic feet and the long bed gets you 77 cubic feet of space.
In addition to the generous size of the F-150's cargo area, its materials offer a good choice for all the tough jobs you throw at it. TheFord F-150's frame and bed are made from high-strength, military-grade, aluminum-alloy that is unique to its class. The lighter aluminum-alloy body and bed produce a higher power-to-weight ratio and maximum payload ratings that are best in class.Available features to make loading the bed easier include stowable loading ramps, integrated tailgate step with lift assist, remote tailgate release and deployable box side steps.
- Ford F-150 Short Box Volume: 53 cubic feet
- Ford F-150 Standard Box Volume: 62 cubic feet
- Ford F-150 Long Box Volume: 77 cubic feet
Find Local Discounts on the Ford F-150
4. Ram 1500
The 2019 Ram 1500 is a well-rounded full-size truck that won't let you down when it comes to cargo space. Unlike its competitors, Ram only offers two bed sizes instead of three, including a 5'7" and a 6'4" bed for 54 and 62 cubic feet of volume, respectively. Although the Ram 1500 doesn't lead the pack in terms of total space, it makes up for it with its brand new Multifunction tailgate.
The new Multifunction tailgate keeps the standard open-flat functionality while adding a 60-40 split swing-away tailgate for three additional configurations. These include opening just the left door, just the right door, or both together. Each door opens individually to 88 degrees. Benefits of the Multifunction tailgate include improved cargo management, easier access to step up to load heavy or bulky items and simpler unloading and washout.
- Ram 1500 Short Box Volume:54 cubic feet
- Ram 1500 Standard Box Volume: 62 cubic feet
Find Local Discounts on the 2019 Ram 1500
