Chevrolet Silverado

Chevrolet Silverado Models

The Chevrolet Silverado comes in two and four-wheel-drive, with standard-length and extended cabs, and with short (6-1/2-foot) and long (8-foot) bed lengths. Three trim levels are available: base, LS, and LT. Full-width Fleetside beds are standard on all models, but short-bed buyers can choose a stylishly retro Sportside instead, for $795-$895, depending on trim level.

Various payload capacities are offered as well. The "half-ton" range includes both the 1500 series, with actual payloads ranging from 1593 to 2334 pounds (depending on bed, cab, and drive configuration), and the heavier-duty 2500 series with payloads in the 2612-3224-pound range. Just to make things as confusing as possible, there's also a 1500HD model with a crew cab body.

Silverado 1500 models are available with a 4.8-liter V8, a 5.3-liter V8, and a 4.3-liter V6. The 2500 is powered exclusively by a 6.0-liter V8.

Three-quarter-ton Silverados are badged 2500HD and 3500, and offer payloads up to 6089 pounds. Look for those in a separate nctd.com test drive.

Driving the Chevrolet Silverado

The Chevrolet Silverado LT drives like a luxury car and is supremely smooth and quiet. That smooth, quiet, unified feel is largely due to the new chassis, which provides a 23-percent increase in stiffness. New mounting and isolation hardware reduces noise and vibration. A cast magnesium beam behind the instrument panel and a lateral steel beam between the magnesium beam and the right side of the dash further reinforce the stiff body. Squeaks and rattles have been eliminated. This is one strong truck, and its chassis rigidity allows the suspension to soak up and manage bumps and ruts and tar strips so well that its overall ride behavior is near luxury. A long, 143-inch wheelbase improves the ride further and enhances high-speed stability.

A big four-spoke steering wheel connects to a rack-and-pinion steering system on 1500 4x2s; other models have recirculating ball steering. Even the rack-and-pinion system has a fairly wide dead spot in the center when cruising, which Chevrolet says is designed to minimize steering corrections on the highway. The steering feels a bit too light, but Silverado still tracks beautifully and handles well on pavement, loose dirt, deep dirt and off road.

Although the 4.8-liter small-block V8 is the most popular engine for this truck, our Silverado LT had the optional 5.3-liter (324 cubic-inch) engine, rated at 285 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque. That's enough to smoke the rear tires at will. The fat torque curve is useful for light towing and hauling, but it's also a lot of fun for commuting and touring. The new engine is a much better small-block than before, and we recommend the 5.3 over the smaller 4.8-liter version.

The brakes are substantially improved over the old C/K brakes, and it's a welcome improvement. The four-wheel disc brakes are huge and powerful and come standard with ABS. Braking force comes into play only an inch into the pedal travel, a welcome improvement over the mushy pedal on the previous pickup. A new feature called Dynamic Rear Proportioning improves stability under heavy braking, whether the truck is loaded or empty. Chevrolet promises huge improvements in fade resistance, pad life and heat dissipation; we worked the brakes on our truck very hard and experienced no fade.