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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  Shouldve bought a Tundra - 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By dinger82 - November 18 - 7:24 am

  American truck built in Mexico! Drives great; I put a 5" lift on mine goes anywhere.

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  Just breaking it in... - 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By jmdc648 - November 17 - 12:50 pm

  I traded my 2004 Chevrolet Silverado Z- 71 due to poor transmission and rear end issues. I love the way it drives. It is a very smooth and quite ride and extremely comfortable. The interior is nicely designed. The exterior is sharp and no doubt turns heads when it passes by.

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  steering knock - 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By jim upstate ny - November 10 - 10:00 am

  I have a 1994 ck pu that had a steering knock and after a year of complaining (to Detroit) the dealer replaced the steering gear box which solved the problem.

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  Love it! - 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Kip - November 3 - 4:00 am

  I actually bought this truck used but was the first owner. The dealership used it for parts deliveries so it already had 56000 miles on it in 2002. I test drove several other used trucks with a lot less mileage but they felt ragged out. Before I got off the lot I knew I was going to buy this one. It was very smooth, quiet, did not have one rattle and felt as if it had 0 miles on it. This is the longest I have ever owned a vehicle because I usally get the the "itch" after 1.5 years. Not with this one. It has nearly 130000 miles on it and after some new tires and shocks, it feels brand new again. Still no rattles. Still gets 18-22 mpg on the highway.

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  bad mpg - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By MCRIDER - November 1 - 8:36 am

  Anyone else with a 08 chev silv. 1500 v6/4.3l reg cab 4x4 8 ft bed, have terrible gas mileage? I only have 3400 mi. On truck. Normal driving between city/hwy I get 10-11 mpg. Definitely not good!

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  So far.....great - 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By freeflowin - October 31 - 3:36 pm

  I bought this new in 2009. My very first new vehicle ever. I bought it during Chevys big rebate program and it was well worth it. I have the LT2 with leather bench seats. I truck rides down the highway so unbelievably comfortable that I forget Im in a truck. It is smoother then my moms Cadillac and way smoother then my BMW or my wifes Liberty. I have 38k miles on and the tires are still almost new and it hasnt burnt a drop of oil. Working in the oil fields it has been dependable on ALL road conditions from the mountains of CO and UT to the ice sheets of ND, it has been great. When I had a company Ford F-150 XLT, after my 1100 mile drive to the rig,my back killed the next day, not this

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  Best Truck I ever owned - 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By tahoegirl - October 31 - 10:00 am

  This is the best truck I ever owned. No major problems except for air conditioning belt, and replaced brakes at 7,000 miles now have 52,000 miles and no problems. Captian chairs excellent heated seats are great in winter time. Only problem with interior, is the back seat does not give enough leg room for my growing kids.I pull a 5,000lb horse trailer in the MT, and I cant tell its there. I look forward to up grading to the 2500HD crew cab on day.. If you want a good family truck get the silverado...

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  Good, reliable truck - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By robis - October 30 - 11:23 am

  I have had my truck for about 55,000 miles. I purchased it certified used about 3 yrs ago. I am about to turn 100,000 miles and the only problems I have had with it is a dead battery and a broken power window motor. The truck runs well and is ultra reliable. I wish the fuel economy was better (I think I get around 14 mpg). I feel like I will get another 100,000 miles out of it before it needs to be replaced. "American" car companies build trucks well...its what they do best in my opinion. I wouldnt hesitate to buy another Chevy or GM truck again, but I would aim for an extended cab for the extra room and convenience. Overall, I have been very happy with my purchase & recommend it.

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  Love My Silverado - 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By history2 - October 10 - 10:44 pm

  I have a 2010 Silverado 1500 WT. Bought it with the 4.3 V6, black with black interior, power windows/locks/mirrors/cruise and keyless entry. Its a regular cab tho with not a lot of space behind the seat. It starts up and runs every morning. Ive had it since 9miles and now Im up to 9,000. No problems. Check the oil every 3k. Its quiet on the highway, pulling less than 2,000 rpms at 70 mph. It gets about 16 in town. That could be better but the truck does weigh over 2 tons. Great visibility at night. I wanted a reliable truck that could take me past 200k miles and Im on my way. I wanted the 4.3 V6. I had that motor before in another vehicle and i like it. Great Truck.

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  boring exterior - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By jeffrety - October 6 - 10:00 am

  should of been more flair to the exteior of this vehicle. no fog lamps and no real contour to the sides of the vehicle. should of put 19s int he front and 20s in the back for a better angle of the trucks appearance... overall a great vehicle fun to drive and head snapping power a little lite on the top end though top speed is 110mph a little boring for us that dont care anout spped limits.