Chevrolet Silverado 1500: GM’s Most Popular Pickup Truck

The Chevrolet Silverado is a popular model of General Motor’s Silverado family of pickup trucks. Although GM has been manufacturing full size pickup trucks since the 1930s, the first Silverado badging appeared only in 1975. The Silverados have shared the same platform and design with GM’s other company, the GMC Sierra. Although these cousins have been identical in more ways than one, there are several add-ons and variants that separate one vehicle from the other.

Design

The Chevy Silverado 1500 features high-strength steel body offering high dependability. The company also puts forward various customizations for buyers ranging from engine options, boxed frames to cargo beds. This flexibility makes the Silverado proficient for various things like moving packages for home décor, towing other vehicles or taking kids to school taking the boat to the river. One must not judge the vehicle by its blue collar design as the pickup features high quality leather, snazzy wheels and various high tech features. The older half ton Silverado models have their hallmark in their durability. Further, the newer editions have displayed much-improved finish with richer materials.

Interiors

The third generation Silverado 1500 (2014 onwards) provides excellent space and comfort. Whether the truck is used to drive to a weekday job site or a weekend cabin, it offers convenience in every aspect. The new dual-resilient foam seats have been improved a lot to offer lasting comfort to passengers. Also, there are plenty of cup holders and USB ports to keep all your devices charged and in place.

Performance

The previous generation (2007-13) half-ton Silverados featured 4.3L V6 (195 hp), 4.8L V8 (295-302 hp), 5.3L V8 (315 hp) and a 6.2L V8 (403 hp). The base V6 and 4.8L V8 came with a four-speed automatic transmission as standard, while the 5.3L and 6.2L V8 had a six-speed automatic.

The current generation of Silverado 1500 has three engine options – 4.3L V6 (285 hp), 5.3L V8 (355 rpm) and 6.2L V8 (420 hp).

On a rear-wheel drive, the 5.3L V8 six-speed has a fuel efficiency of 19 mpg combined (16 city/23 highway). Meanwhile on a 4WD, they have a mileage of 18 mpg combined (16/22). A 2WD Silverado 1500 LT Z71 Crew Cab with the 5.3L V8 and six-speed went from 0 to 60 in an impressive 6.8 seconds!

GM has claimed a fuel efficiency of 18 mpg in city and 24 mpg on highways for the 4.3L V6. For the 6.2 V8 model, the EPA rating is 17 mpg combined (15 city/21 highway). A 4WD LTZ Z71 Crew Cab made the 0-60 run in just 5.9 seconds, a blazing time for a truck of this size.

Safety

The latest generation of 1500 comes with plenty of standard features like anti-lock disc brakes, front and rear seat side airbags and side curtain airbags, traction and stability control, remote door unlocking, automatic crash notification, roadside and stolen vehicle assistance.

Payload & Towing

In the current generation, the maximum payload for the V6 is 1,960 lb, the 5.3L V8 carries up to 2,260 lb, while the 6.2L falls to 2,140 pounds. Further, the base 4.3L engine variant has a towing capacity of 7,600 lb, the 5.3L can tow up to 11,100 lb and the 6.2L model tows 12,500 lb.

Moreover, General Motors offers a variety of payload and towing options with each model such as 5’8″, 6’6″ and 8′ box lengths; 4 standard lower tie-downs; an easy lift & lower tailgate on LT and above; a Corner Step rear bumper and pocket hand grips.

Buying pickups is a tricky business. Some go for style, while some opt for features. The Chevrolet Silverado offers plenty of performance and work capacity to suit multiple purposes ranging from daily commuting to long weekend trips. While driving normally, it is confident and well-weighted. Its trademark durability comes into play when going off road.

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