Chevy Silverado 1500 Review

First things first: No matter if your pickup truck will be called into duty for business or pleasure, it needs to equip a powerful engine. After all, whether you’re towing cargo or heading into the wild for a healthy dose of adventuring, you’ll want to know that your truck’s powertrain can deliver the necessary amount of “pickup” to get up and go.

1 Truck, 4 Engines

In the case of the Chevy Silverado 1500, you’ll have four engine options to choose from, enabling you to decide how much oomph your pickup needs to have on a daily basis.

With up to 420 horsepower and 495 lb-ft of torque, your Silverado 1500 is ready to take on whatever the day has in store.

Its standard 2.7L TurboMax™ engine is paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission with overdrive. A similar transmission with 10 speeds is also available. In either case, standard Tow/Haul mode adjusts shift points when you’re pulling a trailer or a heavy load. Available 4-wheel drive will aid in towing and provide more grip when you venture into rough terrain, like gravel, mud, or sand.

The Power Principle

Equipping the right engine is worth a lot, but it’s just the beginning. Being named the “Best Pickup for Light-Duty Towing” by Cars.com, as the Chevy Silverado 1500 was, is priceless! Its max towing capacity of 13,300 pounds makes it possible to hitch up:

• Horse or Livestock Trailer
• Dump Trailer
• 25-foot Boat
• 35-foot Travel Trailer
• 5th Wheel Camper

If you have tools and gear to transport to a jobsite or lumber for your latest home reno, the Silverado 1500 is up for the job. It can carry a payload of 2,260 pounds.

The Chevy Silverado 1500 gives you the power of choice, or rather choices. In addition to its powertrain, you’ll also be able to select your preferred cab size, bed size, and more. Plus, a palette of eight exterior paints and a variety of packages, such as the Rally Edition and the Midnight Edition, enable you to fully customize its appearance so your Silverado 1500 is truly your Silverado 1500.

Thinking Inside the (Cargo) Box

The Silverado 1500’s Durabed means business, even if you use it strictly for pleasure. It’s made of high-strength steel with 12 standard tie-downs and up to a best-in-class 89.1 cubic feet of cargo volume. Based on your individual needs, you can opt from three bed sizes: Short, Standard, and Long.

Regardless of which trim and which size bed you choose, loading, unloading, and accessing that cargo is made easier with the available 6-function Multi-Flex Tailgate. Whether you’re loading up tools, lumber, or fishing gear, need a makeshift desk on the go, or even just want to lay out a spread for the ultimate tailgate, there’s a function that will help—and make you wonder how you ever lived without it:

• Primary Gate
• Primary Gate Load Stop
• Easy Access
• Full-Width Step
• Inner Gate Load Stop
• Inner Gate with Work Surface

With the Multi-Flex Tailgate, the Silverado 1500 can fully flex its muscles.

Superior Interior

Once you’re done marveling at the impressive exterior of the Silverado 1500, slide inside the cab. There, enjoy the available heated or perforated leather seating and available heated steering wheel for those chilly early-morning departures or late-evening returns. Speaking of the cab, you’ll be able to choose from three cab sizes. The Regular Cab has a seating capacity of three, while the Double Cab and the Crew Cab each accommodate six.

These cabs pair with certain bed sizes so you can precisely configure the truck you need.

Seating within is versatile too, so you can arrange it to suit that particular day’s itinerary. The 40/20/40 split-bench front seat offers under-seat storage so you can stow and go, keeping extra tools or other items organized, concealed and tucked away securely. The 60/40 split-folding rear bench likewise enables you to carry extra-long items inside the cab when necessary, without sacrificing passenger comfort.

Whether you need to stay connected to your crew at the jobsite, your friends at the campsite, or even with your trailer, the Silverado 1500 has the tech on board to make it possible. Beyond being well-equipped, this truck makes sure everything you need to remain in touch is right at your fingertips.

Infotainment Central

Want to find out how a job’s progressing or touch base with the fam when you’re on the road? You can easily do so through the standard Chevrolet Infotainment 3 System that includes:

• 7-inch touchscreen (13.4-inch screen available)
• Bluetooth®
• Wireless Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™
• Wi-Fi® hotspot capable
• Inner Gate Load Stop
• Voice command

Every trip, whether for work or pleasure, deserves its own soundtrack. Your preferred on- or off-road playlist will be enhanced through the available Bose® Premium Sound System. Seven expertly crafted speakers are strategically placed throughout the cabin, offering high-quality audio that will make you think you’ve scored front-row tickets to your favorite band.

Trailering Tech: Safety Comes Standard

Of course, when you’re behind the wheel, the most important technologies are those that help keep you safe. The Silverado 1500 provides plenty of protection with its standard Chevy Safety Assist that includes these six features:

• Automatic Emergency Braking
• Forward Collision Alert
• Front Pedestrian Braking
• Following Distance Indicator
• Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning
• IntelliBeam®

As you well know, towing involves far more than just hitching up a trailer and going. That’s why Chevy offers a variety of available driver-assistance systems. Among them are Trailer Side Blind Zone Alert, cameras with up to 14 views, and the Trailering App that includes pre-departure checklists, tire pressure monitoring, and more.

Additionally, Hitch Guidance helps line up the hitch and lets you check the trailer with the Rear Vision Camera view. Once you’ve hit the highway, Super Cruise™ hands-free driving is available on over 400,000 miles of compatible roads and handles speed and steering when those miles have taken their toll.