The Chevrolet Silverado is a full-size pickup that is
offered in a variety of styles and trims that range from work trucks to the
more luxurious. With a redesign for 2014 with its GMC Sierra brother, it’s one
of the best-selling cars in the U.S. It competes with the Ford F-150, Toyota
Tundra, Ram 1500, and the Nissan Titan. See our 2014 Chevrolet Silverado
preview and our full review of the...
The Chevrolet Silverado is a full-size pickup that is
offered in a variety of styles and trims that range from work trucks to the
more luxurious. With a redesign for 2014 with its GMC Sierra brother, it’s one
of the best-selling cars in the U.S. It competes with the Ford F-150, Toyota
Tundra, Ram 1500, and the Nissan Titan.
The Silverado has been on sale since 1999, when GM gave the
name to its C/K pickup trucks developed under the code name GMT800. In that
first generation, the Silverado carried on with the rugged look and capability
that GM's trucks used to battle the Ford F-150, their sales arch rival. From
the 1999 to the 2006 model year, the Silverado was sold in hundreds of
configurations--nearly all of them powered by a V-8 engine, teamed to a
four-speed automatic transmission. A five-speed automatic came late in life, as
did GM's first hybrid--which in this case, was a very "mild" hybrid
which simply stored some recouped energy to charge electrical systems,
including a power point in its pickup bed.
In 2007, GM introduced the first of the "GMT900"
trucks were put into production--accelerated as GM hoped strong sales would
lift it back into profitability. While that didn't quite pan out, the GMT900s
were an instant success, and were well-reviewed for their more upscale styling,
rich interiors and improved drivetrains. This second-generation Silverado 1500
is still on sale today, with minor changes over its product life thus far.
It remains one of the best full-size trucks for its
seemingly endless variety of configurations: three body styles offer seating up
to six, in front of a bed that comes in short or long variants. The Silverado
also offers a plainer and a quite nice interior design; a choice of four gas
engines, or a Hybrid model; and rear- or four-wheel drive. The most powerful
403-hp V-8 Silverado drinks fuel at the rate of 12/19 mpg, but the Hybrid
edition earns an estimated EPA rating of 20/23 mpg. Towing tops out at more
than 10,700 pounds, and while the Silverado's rear seats can seem a little too
vertical, the interior's as comfortable as the competitors, save for
TheCarConnection's favorite full-size pickup truck, the Dodge Ram. Features
range from a trailer-sway mode in the stability control system, to
dealer-installed wireless internet access.
Changes were minimal going into 2012 and 2013. Powertrain
Grade Braking--to improve stability on hills, when towing--was included for
2013 in all models with the six-speed automatic.
The Silverado shares its running gear with many vehicles
across the GM brands. The Silverado, Avalanche, Suburban, and Tahoe all are
related, as are the heavy-duty versions of the Silverado and Suburban. GMC's
Sierra, Suburban, and Yukon are almost identical; the Cadillac Escalade lineup
borrows its mechanicals from the same architecture. There's also the
now-defunct HUMMER H2, a more distant cousin of these so-called
"GMT900" trucks and sport-utility vehicles.
For 2014, the Chevy Silverado will be extensively refreshed,
and fitted with a new generation of GM V-6 and V-8 engines, all with a common
architecture, direct injection, cylinder deactivation, and continuously
variable valve timing. Gas mileage, power, and torque are all improved.
Inside the new Silverado trucks get several active-safety
features, in addition to available MyLink connectivity with natural-language
voice commands, a Pandora app, Bluetooth streaming audio, and an eight-inch
touch screen. Extended cab models get new front-hinged rear doors, while Crew
Cab models have larger doors and easier entry. Added cargo features include a
new cargo-bed step, LED bed lighting, and a damped tailgate.
Article Credit: www.thecarconnection.com
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