2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500

Overview: When it comes to domestic pickup trucks, the Ricky Bobby life mantra “if you ain’t first, you’re last” need not apply. Together with its slightly more suave GMC Sierra sibling, the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 seems to be in perpetual pursuit of the Ford F-series, which has topped the sales charts for decades. Despite lacking segment-shaking new features such as turbocharged engines or aluminum body construction, Chevrolet has locked down second place in the sales race, and, if GMC and Chevy sales are combined, General Motors actually sells more pickups than does Ford in most years. This pickup clearly isn’t the first loser and deserves a hard look.

Silverado choices begin with regular (two-door), double (four-door), or crew (really big four-door) cab configurations, all of which can be ordered with rear-wheel or four-wheel drive. Regular cabs are available with 6.5-foot or 8.0-foot boxes, the double cab is restricted to the 6.5-foot cargo bed, and the crew cab offers 5.8-foot and 6.5-foot boxes. Trim levels include WT (work truck), LS, Custom, LT, LTZ, and High Country. Power comes from one of three engines: a 285-hp 4.3-liter V-6, a 355-hp 5.3-liter V-8, or a 420-hp 6.2-liter V-8. (All of these wear the EcoTec 3 and Active Fuel Management labels, which means they shut down cylinders at times for maximum fuel economy.) The 4.3-liter and 5.3-liter engines come with a six-speed automatic transmission, while an eight-speed automatic is standard with the 6.2-liter engine and optional with the 5.3-liter mill.

Two-wheel-drive double-cab or crew-cab Silverados offer up to 12,500 pounds of towing, with rear-drive regular cabs able to tug up to 9800 pounds. The rear-drive double cab offers the maximum payload of 2250 pounds, while a crew cab is good for 2180 and the two-wheel-drive regular cab can handle 1980—so these “half-ton” trucks generally can tote one ton or better. The model we drove for this review was a Silverado LTZ Z71 crew-cab 4x4 with the shorter cargo box and the 6.2-liter V-8; the list price was $58,565.

What’s New: This seventh-generation truck (dating to 1960 when the Silverado name first appeared as a trim level on the C/K pickups) was all-new in 2014 and refreshed last year. Aside from some juggling of the paint colors and a new Jet Black and Medium Ash Gray interior combo on the High Country, the changes for 2017 are mostly in the deployment of technology.

A rearview camera is now standard for LT models, Android Auto is available for the first time (joining Apple CarPlay that came in 2016), and the standard Teen Driver mode lets owners monitor the behavior of other drivers using the truck. The top-of-the-line High Country package has added standard equipment: a heated, leather-wrapped steering wheel; power-adjustable pedals; and the Enhanced Driver Alert package, which includes forward-collision alert, lane-keeping assist, low-speed automated emergency braking, automatic high-beams, and a seat that vibrates if the vehicle is in danger of crashing.

Small capability upgrades include bumping up the towing capacity from 12,000 pounds to 12,500 pounds on trucks equipped with the 6.2-liter V-8, as well as a new P265/65R-18 all-terrain tire offered as an option on the 1LT trim.

What We Like: Coming into its own before our eyes like a young Michael B. Jordan going from Wallace in The Wire to Adonis Johnson in Creed, the 1500 has a newfound element of handsomeness. The frontal restyling for 2016 gave the traditional rectangular face a bit of smooth flair with slimmer headlights and slotted LED running lights while maintaining the macho face expected in all pickups. The sides display muscle with linked, angular wheel arches that could have been inspired by Dig Dug. It certainly looks the part of a proper truck.

In conjunction with its physical maturity comes a surprising calmness on the road. The ride motions are gentle, the cabin is serenely quiet, occupants don’t sway and bounce all over inside as they did in days of old, and the controls are not overly complicated. Even the infotainment system is straightforward and responsive.

Although the 1500 hews to a classic formula for the segment, small bits of luxury and modern tech have seeped in. Options include heated and ventilated seats, a heated steering wheel, power-adjustable pedals, an 8.0-inch touchscreen display running Chevy’s MyLink infotainment system (a 7.0-inch screen is standard), plenty of plugs (USB, 12-volt DC, 110-volt AC), 4G LTE Wi-Fi connectivity, and wireless phone charging. That sounds more like a near-luxury sedan than a work truck.

Off the line, the 1500 with the 6.2-liter V-8 is one of the quickest of its kind. Stopping distances are long, but braking performance is still among the better half-ton pickups.

What We Don’t Like: The Silverado suffers the usual afflictions of today’s oversize, overcapable full-size pickups, from awkward tight-quarter maneuverability to its leaf-sprung rear axle’s deficiencies over rough pavement. Although axle hop and sideways tramping are remarkably well controlled compared with earlier generations, the coil- or air-sprung five-link-suspension Ram simply rides and handles better.

Competitors offer more fuel-saving or power-boosting options, such as Ford’s twin-turbo EcoBoost V-6 and the Ram EcoDiesel. The Silverado sticks with naturally aspirated gasoline engines that can shut off half of their cylinders. (In California, GM also offers eAssist hybrids, although they’re sold in very low numbers.) With 285 horsepower and 305 lb-ft of torque and 18/24 mpg city/highway ratings, the V-6 Silverado—Chevrolet’s most efficient offering—has either lower power or worse fuel economy than equivalent Fords or Rams.

Seat comfort isn’t sufficient for longer rides. While simplicity is good for controls, the interior design goes too far in that direction; it can be plain and boring, and none of the materials are particularly enjoyable to look at or touch. The Silverado is spacious, but the interior design is unimaginative.

As mentioned, low-speed automated braking is available in the Silverado, but the pickup doesn’t offer adaptive cruise control or an engine stop/start system like the F-150 does. Some might expect those features at a price bumping $60,000.

Small annoyances: The cellphone holder in the center console is a nice touch, but devices have to be inserted sideways in order to charge, which eliminates the purpose of the holder when using an app that doesn’t automatically rotate. And while there are plenty of power outlets, they’re mostly up front: the rear seating area lacks USB ports and AC plugs.

Verdict: What you see is what you get, but it’s more refined than you’d expect.

BUILD YOUR OWN | RANK IN SEGMENT

Specifications >

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, rear- or rear-/4-wheel-drive, 3-, 5-, or 6-passenger, 2- or 4-door pickup

BASE PRICES: WT, $28,780;
WT 5.3, $29,975;
LS, $30,805;
LS 5.3, $32,000;
WT 4WD, $32,720;
WT 5.3 4WD, $33,915;
Custom, $34,640;
LS 4WD, $34,745;
Custom 5.3, $35,835;
LS 4WD 5.3, $35,490;
LT, $37,710;
LS 4WD, $38,535;
Custom 4WD, $38,620;
Custom 5.3 4WD, $39,815;
LT 4WD, $41,160;
LT 5.3, $41,375;
LT 5.3 4WD, $42,355;
LTZ, $42,785;
LTZ 6.2, $45,480;
LTZ 4WD, $46,010;
LTZ 6.2 4WD, $48,705;
High Country, $52,545;
High Country 6.2, $55,040;
High Country 4WD, $55,820;
High Country 6.2 4WD, $58,315

ENGINE TYPES: pushrod 12-valve 4.3-liter V-6, 285 hp, 305 lb-ft; pushrod 16-valve 5.3-liter V-8, 355 hp, 383 lb-ft; pushrod 16-valve 5.3-liter V-8, 355 hp, 383 lb-ft + AC motor, 13 hp, 44 lb-ft (combined power rating, 355 hp, 0.5-kWh lithium-ion battery pack); pushrod 16-valve 6.2-liter V-8, 420 hp, 460 lb-ft

TRANSMISSIONS: 6-speed automatic with manual shifting mode; 8-speed automatic with manual shifting mode

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 119.0–153.0 in
Length: 205.5–239.5 in
Width: 80.0 in Height: 73.5–74.0 in
Passenger volume: 73–136 cu ft
Curb weight (C/D est): 4500–5300 lb

FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city/highway driving: 15–18/20–24 mpg

C/D TEST RESULTS FOR:
2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Z71 5.3L 8AT 4x4 Crew Cab
Zero to 60 mph: 7.2 sec
Zero to 90 mph: 15.4 sec
Rolling start, 5–60 mph: 7.7 sec
Top gear, 30–50 mph: 3.9 sec
Top gear, 50–70 mph: 4.9 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 15.4 sec @ 90 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 99 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 184 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.74 g
C/D observed fuel economy: 15 mpg