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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  Amazing Truck! - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By iTAPout - September 21 - 10:30 pm

  I just got my Z71 extended cab Silverado 2 weeks ago. Coming from a Chevy Equinox, I was used to a car-based SUV feel and didnt particularly like the disconnected steering I found in most trucks and large SUVs. This vehicle handles great, and I dont feel akward driving it.

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  GREAT TRUCK - 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By SKYBOHOBO - September 20 - 7:26 pm

  THIS HAS TO BE THE MOST COMFORTABLE TRUCK I HAVE EVER HAD....AND I HAVE HAD MANY......USED TO BE A FORD MAN....MAYBE I WAS MISSING SOMETHING ALL THESE YEARS.....I WILL DRIVE THE WHEELS OFF OF THIS ONE!!

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  Happy owner - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By dhooper - September 18 - 10:00 am

  It really leaves nothing more to ask for

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  Happy to be Chevy Truck Driver! - 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Tom - September 8 - 3:56 am

  I was first looking at Tundra, but the dealer wanted too much. After several weeks of researching, I am happy to have Blue Granite Silverado. Color looks great. It was my first time to buy full pickup truck. Only have this truck for several weeks and now running at 2000 miles. Good view of driving. Glad to have running board, even Im pretty big, my knees going bad. Turn ratio needs to be better. Good power for a 4.8 engine. Impressed to see driving under 2000 rpm at 70 - 75 mph. Need to improve hauling weight. Weight is limited to 4800 lbs. Dashboard layout is great. Nice to have seat built for 6 people. I like the idea of raising the backseats to make room for Home Depot stuffs.

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  GMC (Garbage Makers Corp.) - 2000 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By suckysilverado - September 6 - 3:47 pm

  I was very excited to purchase a truck that was suppose to be reliable and tough. True story....within 5 minutes of leaving the lot the gas probe was faulty, the driver side power window regulator cable snapped, and the glove compartment fell right off the dashboard when opened. It was test drove by the way. I called and in typical American dealership fashion, "sorry all sales are final"......I was thinking more of "wow really, well see what we can do since you just spent 1,000s of dollars with us". Its completely turned me off to American cars/trucks in general now because of the terrible service I received. I now have to replace the transmission, only 90K miles on it. JUNKY DONT BUY

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  My Steel Horse - 1999 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By cowboy22 - September 6 - 2:23 pm

  This truck has been great, and it runs as strong as they day it was taken off the lot. I will never change my view of Chevy, LIKE A ROCK!!!

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  Improved - 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By kurb - September 4 - 11:46 pm

  I am very pleased with the smooth ride in the 06 crew cab. I had a 2000 Silverado and it wasnt nearly as smooth of a ride. Very strong engine. Sound system is great. Very comfortable seating.

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  Built Like a Rock - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Chevman2004 - September 4 - 10:00 am

  I own a 2004 Chevy Silverado LS 4x4 ext cab, and it drives better than most of the luxary cars I have driven. This truck can haul-a$$. It bought the 2004 for a work truck. I soon found out that I can press the padal and beat the corvette in the next lane. the top speed is electronicaly limited to 95MPH but it could get up to 130 easily. It does guzzle Gas. I would not recomend it to the person that wants a fuel effecient truck. If you want a fun to drive truck this is the one. I have taken this truck off roading and it has been twisted and turned in ways no vehical should. I checked out the vehical later, every part was still stong. BUILT TO LAST

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  the ss silverado - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By mel mel - September 4 - 10:00 am

  i bougtht this truck new and i was just so excited buying this and driving it i just didnt like paying for it but after a few months i realized it was well worth it. i was really suprized how much i could tow. i hauled a hummer hi from maine to washinghton state with no problem. i was amazed. and this truck has just about everything in it for options and very comfortable to.

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  2007 LT 4.8L Silverado - 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By laline - September 3 - 3:23 pm

  I had an 04, when the new style was out, had to get it! Looks great, beautiful ride, and the new warranty isnt too bad either. Fuel economy could be better, the 5.3 on my old one got just as good MPG. Overall I love it, the pros outweigh the cons.