Overview & Reviews

Like its rivals, today's Chevrolet Silverado 1500 is available with a wide variety of body styles, powertrains and trim levels. Thanks to this flexibility, the half-ton Silverado pickup is just as adept at serving as the weekday family car as it is at transporting home-improvement supplies or towing a boat on the weekends. And if you want something fancy, there are always loaded-up versions that come complete with a rumbling V8, flashy wheels, bucket seats and high-tech infotainment options.

Older versions of the Silverado 1500 pickup have been praised for their strong work ethic but criticized for having bland cabins of questionable quality. The current version, however, exhibits greatly improved fit and finish. Where there was once an abundance of hard panels and uneven gaps, the Silverado now features richer materials and precise fitments while maintaining its hard-working nature. Of course, there are other compelling choices in the full-size pickup truck market, but the half-ton Chevrolet Silverado is a solid pick no matter what it's used for.

Current Chevrolet Silverado 1500
The current Chevrolet Silverado 1500 debuted for the 2014 model year. It offers a number of improvements relative to its predecessor, such as upgraded interior trim, new technology features and engines that are both stronger and more fuel-efficient.

Under the hood, the base V6 engine has gone from zero to hero. Although it shares its 4.3-liter displacement with the previous-generation V6, that's all they have in common, as the current V6 makes 285 horsepower -- a 90-hp gain. Also, the new V6 is available across the lineup, whereas the old one was limited to basic work-truck models. The other engines have hit the gym as well: the 5.3-liter V8 now makes 355 hp, while the 6.2-liter V8 trots out 420 horses. All three engines use a six-speed automatic transmission that yields more frugal fuel economy, particularly from the overhauled V6.

As usual, the Silverado is available in a variety of body styles. There are three cab configurations (regular, extended, crew) and three bed lengths (5.75 feet, 6.5 feet, 8 feet). Available trim levels, depending on which combination you choose, include Work Truck, LT, LTZ, High Country and Z71. The Work Truck is better equipped than it used to be, providing full power accessories, USB connectivity and optional Bluetooth along with the expected vinyl upholstery. The LT steps up to a chrome grille, an "E-Z" lift/lower tailgate, alloy wheels and cloth upholstery. The premium LTZ throws in more chrome, a power sliding rear window, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, a rearview camera, heated power seats, leather upholstery, dual-zone automatic climate control and an 8-inch touchscreen with MyLink smartphone integration.

The luxurious High Country trim gets niceties like Bose audio and fancier power seats, while the Z71 boasts an off-road-ready suspension and other heavy-duty components, plus some mean-looking styling tweaks. Silverado options include a rear-seat Blu-Ray entertainment system, a navigation system and multiple towing packages.

In reviews of the current Chevrolet Silverado 1500, we've remarked that its subtle styling changes conceal serious progress under the skin. Tops on that list is the capable new V6, which finally makes Chevy a viable six-cylinder player in this segment. But we've also noticed significant refinements in the Silverado's ride and handling, thanks in part to a more robust structure that's less prone to surface-induced shuddering. Not that this truck has gone soft; on the contrary, its towing capacity exceeds 11,000 pounds with the 5.3-liter V8 and hits a mind-boggling 12,000 pounds with the brawny 6.2.

Inside, the current Silverado is a whole new ballgame. Ingress and egress have been streamlined in the redesigned extended cab (double cab), which comes with crew-cab-style conventional doors in place of the old reverse-opening rear doors. Materials quality is appreciably higher across the board, so buyers of lower-trim models are no longer stuck with substandard plastics and the like, while nicer models have it better than ever. The attractive, easy-to-use 8-inch touchscreen with mobile-app functionality makes Chevy's workhorse as high-tech as some luxury sedans. Bottom line: This Silverado is the complete package.

Used Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Models
The previous-generation Silverado 1500 was produced for the 2007-'13 model years. It was available in three cab styles (regular, extended and crew) and trim levels ranging from no-frills "Work Truck" to plush LTZ. The most popular trims were the midlevel LS and LT, which provided many popular features as standard, including air-conditioning, full power accessories and a CD player. Significant options included a variety of towing packages, the Z71 Off-Road package and a navigation system.

Powertrain choices encompassed everything from a workaday 4.3-liter 195-hp V6 to a muscular 6.2-liter V8 with 403 hp, but most Chevy Silverados of this vintage were fitted with either a 295-hp 4.8-liter V8 or a 315-hp 5.3-liter V8. A four-speed automatic transmission with a tow and haul mode was standard on Silverado pickups with the base V6 and 4.8-liter V8. The 5.3-liter and 6.2-liter V8 received a six-speed automatic toward the end of this production run.

Calling cards of this Silverado included no-nonsense performance, a reasonably refined and quiet ride (even with the heavy-duty towing package) and a comfortable cabin that admittedly looks a little old compared to some contemporaries. We mentioned a few other downsides in reviews, including minor interior ergonomic issues, underwhelming performance from the base V6 and the hesitant responses of the four-speed automatic transmission while downshifting. The excellent six-speed automatic, however, is hard to fault with its smooth, on-point performance.

During its lifespan, the 2007-'13 Silverado remained largely the same, but keep in mind that the initial top-of-the-line engine was a 6.0-liter V8 rated at 367 hp; the 6.2-liter V8 didn't replace it until the 2009 model year. That same year, the six-speed automatic transmission was introduced as an option for the 5.3- and 6.2-liter V8s, and it became standard with those engines for 2010.

The previous Silverado 1500 was produced from 1999-'06. Although Chevrolet has produced a pickup truck since 1918, this generation marked the debut of "Silverado" as the big truck's formal name instead of a trim-level designation (which it had served as since the 1970s). Underneath the handsome new styling, a fresh family of V8s debuted, ranging in size from 4.8 to 6.0 liters. They offered output running from 255 hp with the smallest 4.8-liter to 345 hp from the high-output 6.0-liter V8 in the Silverado SS. A base V6 was also available, but as expected, most of these Chevy Silverados came fitted with one of the V8s. (Buyers looking at the heavy-duty series Silverado 2500HD and 3500 of this generation could also get a 6.6-liter turbodiesel V8 or an 8.1-liter gasoline V8.) A unique four-wheel-steering option (called QuadraSteer) came online about midway through this generation and cut the truck's turning circle down to 37.4 feet -- around 10 feet less than a typical full-size pickup. Unfortunately, QuadraSteer was discontinued for '06, as buyers were put off by the high cost of this option.

Consumers more interested in function than flash should be happy with a used half-ton Silverado from this era. The truck offered plenty of performance and work capacity, though it was hampered by a dated cabin design fraught with cheap materials and below-average fit and finish.

The previous generation of full-size Chevrolet pickups -- the last of the so-called "C/K" line -- ran from 1988-'98 and comprised three distinct versions: 1500 (half-ton), 2500 (3/4-ton) and 3500 (1-ton). Standard cab and extended cab body styles were offered, as was a crew cab, though the latter was actually from the previous 1981-'87 generation. Although six-cylinder and diesel V8s were offered, chances are strong that most Chevy trucks from these years will have either a 5.0- or 5.7-liter V8 mated to a four-speed automatic. In keeping with tradition, one could choose either rear-wheel drive (indicated by a "C", e.g. "C1500") or four-wheel drive (indicated by a "K"). Trim levels for these C/K trucks include the base Cheyenne, midlevel Scottsdale and top-line Silverado. Strengths include strong, durable powertrains, while weaknesses center on sketchy build quality and materials within the cabin.

User Reviews:

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  great - 2000 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By lukacs - December 15 - 2:00 am

  love the trcuk,roomy, and great features and the truck could fit at family of 6, which we usally couldnt find one to fit our family,,just sorry the deal didnt go thru

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  2005 Chevy Work Truck 5 speed Manual - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Jim - December 14 - 1:06 am

  A review 3 years down the road for my 2005 Silverado. The old warrior has done great 24-25 MPG highway. Dependable. Comfortable. I drove this truck on 2 500 mile trips non stop with no driver fatigue. This truck was the bottom end 13206 price leader back in 05 when they couldnt give them away (like now) It had 3 issues- the steering shaft- finally got fixed free at 60000 miles/ the heater control assembly, at 36000 miles, and the recirc emissions valve on top of the gas tank at 36000 miles. The truck still has its original tires , brakes and shocks, all in good working order. Clutch works fine. Now its trade in time. Again, Silverado

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  25,000 mile review - 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Stephen - December 10 - 8:29 pm

  I have not been pleased with my new Chevy Silverado. Ive had a couple of Chevy trucks before and had positive experiences. My truck required replacement of the front differential at around 10,000. It was replaced and the truck ran fine, like it did when it was new. But within one long ski trip it was whining again upon return. My second time in, the service manager claimed they couldnt hear the whine but also conlcluded that I was driving too much in AWD. (Auto mode) and that that was breaking the front diff. My argument that that in the Pacific Northwest, you need to drive in AWD a lot was deemed invalid. Anyway, my service experience has continued to decline. Electronic gremlins with the nav/infotainment system and parking sensors have persisted. The service departments dont want to take the keys if its not malfunctioning in their service bay. Came in after a road trip where my nav/radio was crashing every 5 minutes, for a full day. Had it on video malfunctioning. My new dealership service dept actually laughed at me and said that if it wasnt doing it now , that he didnt know why I had a problem with it. Ive taken the truck to several different dealerships for different issues both in Oregon and now in North Carolina and have had consistently bad experiences. Plus, I feel the truck is too new to have multiple, potentially expensive issues. Ive vowed to get rid of the truck, not because of its failings but because of the consistently horrible service. On the good side, when everything is working, its a great truck. The nav is difficult to use when alone and the voice recognition cant recognize anything I say. Always use OnStar now. But its very comfortable and incredibly quiet despite having off road tires. The gas mileage is much better than I expected. Better than anything Id replace it with, I think. If you were getting a basic model, fewer electronics, especially with 2WD, I think it would probably be a decent vehicle.

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  False advertisement on gas mileage - 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By STAN - December 10 - 3:46 pm

  The truck does not get 16 and 20 mpg as stated . This fuel management engine is worse than my last Chevy. The truck makes a grinding or rubbing noise at between 40 and 45mph. GM says this is a exhaust noise. Dealership says they can muffle the noise a little. Paid $35 grand to listen to a noisy exhaust. Very disappointed in the truck. fales advertisement by GM on the gas mileage. Will purchase a Honda next time

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  Great truck - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By mxboy614 - December 6 - 3:40 am

  I have driven this truck everywhere. I race motocross for a living so it has gone all across the country and never let me down. I also tow a 22ft enclosed trailer with me for races and the truck never lets me down. Always has enough power to tow up hills.

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  Robbie - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Allie - December 4 - 10:00 am

  I originally bought a 2wd with the V6 and then traded it in for a 4x4 4dr ext cab 5.3 It has an endless supply of power and feels more like a hotrod than a truck. It is the quietest of the the big three that I tested. I bought from Rob Milliken at Courtesy Chevrolet in Poulsbo, Washington. If your looking for star treatment and rock bottom prices, this is where you need to go.

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  New Model Year - Unreliable - 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By pclay - December 3 - 10:08 pm

  Our new 2014 Silverado is good looking, very comfortable and fun to drive. Unfortunately it has been plagued with several problems which detract from the good points. For example, the truck has had starting problems during cold weather which would make us very hesitant to drive very far from home during winter months. Also, if you were used to, say, a 2010 Silverado and used remote start, the 2014 acts very differently. Our 2010 would quickly warm the cab and heated seats but the 2014s seats will not feel ward to the touch although Chevrolet says that they do come on. Features advertised such as blue LED lighting behind the radio knobs do not work.

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  I love my Chevy - 2000 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Nick K. - December 3 - 8:06 pm

  i bought my Chevy in May 05 with 125,600 miles on it. It now has 140,000 on it. Let me just start by saying that this is an awesome truck, and I get compliments on it all the time. It might not sound like it after you read this, but it is very reliable. One thing I would say needs to be taken care of is the fuel sending unit. It was done at 110,000 and then I had to do it again at 135,000... not cool. The part alone is $400. One day #1 on my A/C fan stopped working, next day, #2 stopped. so its Off, or 3, which is too much, such a pain. Power steering pump went the same day as fuel pump #2, at 135K.

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  chevy silerado 1500 5.3 LT - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Thom - November 28 - 9:23 am

  a tough truck - 16-17 mpg ongoing, problems : brakes abs system repeatedly , Poor design causes the abs to light up on the dash which so far has always beed associated with the wheel hubs area. Many owners Ive talked with have had same problem. these brakes will fail. brake pads have to be modified when installed new - if not - theyll wear unevenly . design problem again . brake shops aware of this . other wise a great truck

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  Awful! - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By jessicaw1 - November 27 - 10:29 am

  Ours has been nothing but a problem! They dent VERY easily. The engine light comes on for no reason that the dealer can find. The cd player broke at about 30,000 miles. The console broke at 40,000. All the gauges stopped working at 45,000. When we are in neutral, it read 50 mph, when driving at normal speeds it maxes out. The glove box fell out. The 4 wheel drive got stuck on. It was stuck on for 3 days and was making an awful noise. We finally got it back in 2 wheel drive and the noise is still there. For its age, it has low miles and is not used for anything out of the ordinary. Not even driven everyday. Horrible truck, WOULD NOT RECOMMEND!