Chevrolet's Silverado 2500, and its cousin over on the GMC side of the house, have been redesigned as part of GM's overhaul of its line of trucks and SUVs that began last year. The fit, finish, exterior, and interior design of the Chevrolet HD is certainly in line with the GMT900 platform vehicles, and the Silverado probably has the most refined look of the heavy-duty pickups inside and out. It's wide, blocky dimensions are eased by rounded corners and uncluttered grille.
Our truck was appointed with the top trim level that is clearly the "nicest" of the interiors available to pickups on the market right now. Chevrolet is going for what you could call a broad interpretation of luxury that would look good in a car, truck, or SUV. It's very appealing without being polarizing. This can be good in that anyone slipping into a Silverado is likely to get the "hey, this is nice," feeling. But, it may not grab them in the same way that the Ford does by conveying a strong sense of identity, a sense of "Silverado-ness;" whatever that might be. The resulting interior is less polarizing than, say, a King Ranch Ford, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Meanwhile, it stands head and shoulders above the Dodge.
We think a good move for GM was copying Ford's integrated trailer-brake controller. Yes, the new HD has an integrated trailer-brake controller that allows finer control of a trailer's braking system without having to hang an ugly and heavy-handed aftermarket piece from the bottom of the dash. We wish Chevrolet had taken a cue from Ford and Dodge when it came to devising a way to make room in the second row for cargo. The rear seats in the Silverado flip up against the seat backs, and you put your stuff on the floor. We think the solutions offered by Ford and Dodge provide a flatter, more stable surface for things stowed in the back of the cab.
Let's face it, all three of the trucks we evaluated have strong enough powertrains to get the job done. But the Detroit three have never been known to be satisfied with an "I'm OK, you're OK" approach to competition. They would rather eek out a single horsepower more than their competitors, in order to achieve a quantitative-albeit minuscule-edge that can be trumpeted from the tallest mountains. That said, the Chevrolet did manage to beat the pants off of Dodge and Ford on the dyno, and on the track; a result that was similar to what we experienced with the dualies we reviewed last year. One difference, though, is the Silverado's beefed up powerplant was residing in a somewhat tired platform in '06. Now, the Chevrolet has a new physique to go with its heart.
Our Chevy tester has what is probably the most useful cargo-management system of the bunch. Where the other trucks offered solely fixed tie downs in the bed for cargo, the Chevy had a rail system, on which tie downs slide to and fro to better position themselves for securing cargo of various sizes. We have this on our Silverado 1500 long-termer, too. Although, we wish it came with more than four of these sliding tie downs, we suppose you can buy more if you need them. Granted, the Ford has the nifty stowable bed extender and the tailgate step, but Chevy's solution is likely to prove more practical for most people.
Price (as tested)
$49,839 without destination (base $37,595, options $12,244)
Warranty
Bumper-to-Bumper: 3 years/36,000 miles with towing assistance Powertrain: 5 years/100,000 miles (Rust: 6 years/ 100,000 miles
Engine
6.6L V-8 Duramax diesel
Horsepower
365 at 3,200 hp SAE 303.37 at 3,200 rpm at the wheels as tested
Torque (lb-ft)
660 at 1,600 rpm SAE 507.33 at 2,720 rpm at the wheels, as tested
Transmission
Six-speed Allison automatic
Drivetrain
4WD
Final Drive Ratio
3.73
Suspension
Independent with coilovers (front), leaf springs (rear)
Brakes
Four-wheel disc: 12.8-inch rotor (front and rear), power-assisted, four-wheel ABS
Turning (curb-to-curb)
47.6 ft
Curb Weight
6,609 lb
GVWR & GCWR
9,200 lb and 22,000 lb
Max Trailer Weight
13,000 lb (weight distributing)
Payload
2,591 lb
Cargo Bed
78.7x50.6 in
Seating
5
Acceleration (0-60 mph)(corrected) 7.85 sec (without trailer), 14.65 sec (with trailer)
Quarter-Mile (corrected)
15.74 sec at 87.64 mph (without trailer), 19.84 sec at 71.06 mph (with trailer)
Braking (60-0 mph)
261.52 ft (without trailer)
Options As Tested
LYZ Equipment Group, Safety Package (adjustable foot pedals, rear parking sensor), EZ Lift Tailgate Package (locking, EZ lift tailgate), Off Road Suspension Package (skid plates), 6.5L diesel, navigation head unit, XM Satellite Radio, Allison six-speed automatic transmission, power-sliding rear window, integrated brake controller, cargo-management system (sliding tie downs), radiator cover, fifth wheel's trailer wiring, 9,200 GVWR, 3.73 axle, dark-blue metallic body paint, and a light-cashmere/ebony interior.