Chevrolet Silverado 1500 - What the Auto Press Says

The Chevrolet Silverado has comfort and practicality in a rugged package.

It's hard to find a bad review of the Chevrolet Silverado, and most reviewers say it's hard to find a competitor with a better combination of ruggedness, capability and comfort. "There are no bad full-size pickups now, but the Silverado quietly excels in every area," says Car and Driver, adding, "Let's just agree that a perfect truck is hard to find, and we'll drive the Silverado till we find it."

Chevrolet feels so strongly about that they're offering a 60-day money-back guarantee.  The promotion allows buyers to return a 2009 or 2010 Silverado (or any other Chevrolet) that they're unhappy with for a full refund up to 60 days after purchase

Since its last redesign in 2007, the Silverado 1500  has won a number of awards, including recognition as Car and Driver's "Best Pickup," Motor Trend's "Truck of the Year," and Motor Week's "Driver's Choice." The 2010 model still offers a staggering number of engines, trim levels, bed lengths, suspension configurations and other options. 2009 saw the introduction of a giant 6.2 liter V8 engine, and a six-speed automatic transmission for V8 equipped extended and crew cab models. For 2010, flex fuel capability is now offered on all engines.   

The Silverado 1500 is available with two-wheel or four-wheel drive; with a short, standard or long bed; with a regular, crew or extended cab, and in Work Truck, LT and LTZ trim levels. Reviewers enjoyed the Silverado's capabilities and comfort regardless of which combination of the award-winning truck they drove. Buyers should appreciate the Silverado's gas mileage, which is among the best in the class.

Silverado-1500 Performance

The 2010 Silverado 1500 is rugged but nice enough for everyday cruising, and reviewers love its powerful engine options, especially now that they can be paired with a six-speed transmission "The V8 is as smooth as we've come to expect from General Motors; if there's one thing the Detroit automaker knows how to do, it's create a smooth and powerful V8. GM's new Hydramatic six-speed slurps its way through the gears and always seems to be in the right place, especially when in tow/haul mode," says Left Lane News.  

The Silverado 1500 offers a number of engines, from the base V6 to the top-end 6.2-liter V8. Most reviewers focus on the V8 lineup and were pleased with it. The Silverado 1500's base engine is a 4.3-liter V6 that creates 195 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. The entry-level V8 is a 4.8-liter Vortec that creates 295 horsepower and 305 pound-feet of torque. Another step up are the two 5.3-liter V8 engines -- one with an aluminum block and the other with an iron block -- both of which create 315 horsepower and 338 pound-feet of torque. The top-line engine is the 6.2-liter Vortec MAX V8, which makes 403 horsepower and 417 pound-feet of torque. 

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the V6 gets 15 miles per gallon in the city and 20 on the highway with two-wheel drive, and 14 mpg in the city and 18 on the highway with four-wheel drive. With the 4.8-liter V8, those numbers dip to 14 mpg in the city and 19 on the highway with two-wheel drive and 14 mpg in the city and 18 mpg gallon on the highway with four-wheel drive. The iron-block 5.3-liter gets 15 mpg in the city and 20 on the highway, and the aluminum block -- available only with four-wheel drive -- gets 11 mpg in the city and 15 on the highway when using E85 fuel. The 6.2-liter V8 gets 13 mpg in the city and 18 on the highway. 

Silverado-1500 Exterior

The Chevy Silverado's styling is angular, upscale and handsome, with some reviewers saying it looks better than its competitors. Left Lane News says, "There's a simple elegance to the Silverado's cleanly-chiseled lines. The Silverado is available in several different configurations. There are three cab sizes: a two-door regular cab; an extended cab, which adds a small rear-seat area accessed by two rear-hinged doors; and a four-door crew cab. The truck bed is also available in standard, long and short lengths. Standard bed length is 78.7 inches, while the long length is 97.6 inches. The short bed length is 69.3 inches. All beds are 61.9 inches wide (50.6 inches at the wheel wells).   

Silverado-1500 Interior

Interior quality and comfort have long been spore spots for pickup trucks, but that isn't the case with the 2010 Chevrolet Silverado. The Kansas City Star says "Seams are few and gaps are small" inside the truck. "The front seats are exceptionally comfortable, and the back seat folds flat for extra load space." For 2010, a USB port is available, allowing drivers to play music from an MP3 player through the Silverado's radio. The 2010 Chevrolet Silverado has a well-built and comfortable interior. Buyers can choose from two basic interior packages. The base Work Truck (WT), or "pure pickup" interior has few features but durable materials that are easy to clean. Chevy also offers a Luxury Truck (LT) or "luxury inspired" interior, which has the option of luxury accents like leather seating and a Bose stereo. Both basic interior packages can be enhanced with individual options as well as option packages, though some reviewers say the competition offers more day-to-day livability in its interiors.

 Silverado-1500 Safety

The 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 does very well in federal government crash tests. The 2010 Silverado earned five out of five stars for driver and front passenger protection in front impact crashes and top five-star scores for front- and rear-seat protection in side crashes. Both 2WD and 4WD models get four-star rollover ratings.

All Silverados come standard with four-wheel disc anti-lock brakes. StabiliTrak, GM's stability control system, which monitors driver inputs and vehicle response to help the driver retain control of the truck, is standard on all V8 models. StabiliTrack also reacts when it detects that the truck is out of control by applying brake pressure on individual wheels or reducing the engine's torque to get the truck back under control.  A backup camera is available.

The 2010 Silverado offers crash protection features that are similar to other vehicles in its class, including front, side and side-curtain airbags.

 Silverado-1500 Reliability

The 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 reliability score shown is the Predicted Reliability rating provided by J.D. Power and Associates. This score is based on trending the past three years of historical initial quality and dependability data from J.D. Power's automotive studies, specifically the Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) and the Initial Quality Study (IQS). The 2010 Chevrolet Silverado is backed by a three-year/36,000-mile basic warranty. It also gets a five-year/100,000-mile transferable powertrain warranty.