The standard-bearer of the Chevy truck line, the Silverado 1500 appeals to the legions of buyers who want a pickup that's equally adept at taking care of people and tackling light-duty work. You can tailor the Silverado to either of those two ends without spoiling its rugged, all-American character.
What's New for 2015
Following last year's complete redesign, the Silverado gets detail changes only.
Choosing Your Chevrolet Silverado 1500
Like most pickups, the Silverado is available with three cab styles: Regular, Double and Crew. The Double Cab features a rear seat and narrow rear doors, while the Crew Cab is a bona fide four-door with adult-size legroom in the back. Regular and Double Cabs come with a 6.5-foot bed; an 8-foot bed is optional on the Regular Cab only. As for the Crew Cab, the standard box is slightly shorter than the others at 5.75 feet, but the 6.5-foot bed is available as an upgrade.
The engine roster starts with a 285-horsepower 4.3-liter V6. Beyond that, there are two V8s: a 5.3-liter with 335 horsepower and a 6.2-liter that makes a stout 420 horsepower. Towing capacity maxes out at 7,600 pounds with the V6, 11,500 with the 5.3-liter, and an even 12,000 pounds with the 6.2-liter. Every engine is matched to a six-speed automatic transmission, and four-wheel drive is available across the board.
The Silverado is available in no less than five trim levels:
The LT and LTZ are eligible for the Z71 off-road package, which adds special shock absorbers, a heavy-duty air cleaner, hill descent control, skids plates and styling tweaks throughout. There are also three available special editions (All Star, Texas, Custom Sport), which are essentially style packages with a few pieces of extra equipment.
All things considered, the LT is the most appropriate choice for civilian use and can be equipped up or down to suit your taste. No wonder it's the best-selling Silverado by a mile.