The Chevy Silverado 1500 pickup’s work ethic is ingrained in its family’s DNA and is inherited. Chevy’s full-size pickup truck has been lugging boats to lake cottages, working on farms, and getting dirty at construction sites for centuries, and that tradition hasn’t altered.
The current generation Silverado 1500 has a broad selection of powertrain options to handle both work and play, including a Duramax diesel, two V-8s, and a turbo four-cylinder. The Silverado’s ride can seem a little too harsh at times, even with the bigger gas V-8 engine, which is a standard and probably one of the smoothest available.
The Ram 1500 packs on more luxury than the Silverado 1500, despite having a larger touchscreen inside. The Silverado 1500 has a towing capacity that is literally tons greater than that of the GMC Sierra 1500 and Ram 1500. The jacked-up Silverado 1500 ZR2 (reviewed separately) is an option for mud enthusiasts, but it won’t go you as far into the woods or as high as more adventurous off-road vehicles like the Ford F-150 Raptor and Ram TRX.
What’s New for 2024?
There are a few minor, yet significant, upgrades for the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 in 2024. Lakeshore Blue and Slate Gray are the two new metallic color options that Chevy has added. When in performance mode, Silverados with the 420 horsepower 6.2-liter V-8 engine now have an active exhaust system, which makes the truck sound meaner.
The High Country trim level of the Midnight Edition is now accessible. Now available on Custom, Custom Trail Boss, RST, and LT Trail Boss models is the Blackout look option. Standard features on all Silverados, including the base Work Truck, include OnStar, wireless Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. Chevy finally renames its 2.7-liter, four-cylinder, 310-hp engine as “TurboMax.”
Pricing and Which One to Buy
Depending on the specification and extras, the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 might cost anywhere from $37,445 to $64,695.
For tradespeople and those on a tighter budget, the entry-level Work Truck and Custom trims are excellent choices; but, the LT model, with its more opulent interior, is the one we believe should be purchased. For the greatest amount of luggage and passenger room, we would also outfit our Silverado with a crew cab and a standard-length bed.
The 5.3-liter V-8 engine is faster and less expensive than the available diesel engine, so we’d go with it. In contrast to the normal turbo-four, the V-8 also allows us to choose the Z71 Off-Road package, which comes with a ton of improved gear to make playing in the mud and dirt more enjoyable and easy.
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
There is a Silverado 1500 powertrain for every task or adventure thanks to a variety of engines, including a 3.0-liter inline-six Duramax diesel, two V-8s, and a turbocharged four-cylinder. With 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque, the 6.2-liter eight-cylinder engine is the fastest, enabling the Silverado High Country we tested to reach 60 mph in just 5.4 seconds.
In contrast, the smaller 5.3-liter with 355 horsepower required 6.1 seconds. 420 pound-feet of torque are produced by the four-cylinder, turbocharged 2.7-liter engine. Although the diesel-powered Silverado we tried had the worst acceleration of the group, we were nonetheless pleased with how quiet and smooth the engine ran. Now producing 495 pound-feet of torque, the 3.0-liter inline-six Duramax turbocharged for 305 horsepower.
We thought that every Silverado we’ve drove was smaller than its actual dimensions. The brake pedal offers solid and comforting feedback, and the vehicle handles with surprising agility. The Trail Boss model is ideal for those seeking a more rugged half-ton Silverado. Gnarly tires, a 2.0-inch raise, and other improvements make choosing the less-traveled route easier and more enjoyable. The most serious off-road vehicle is the new ZR2, which we assess separately.