Chevrolet has improved the Silverado 1500, with increased payload and towing capacities as well as giving it an improved powertrain and better fuel economy.
The Silverado’s biggest change is in the powertrain. Its 5.3-liter V8 engine is now paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, and the combination provides better throttle response and quicker acceleration, answering one of our chief criticisms of the dull, flat-footed previous generation. The eight-speed transmission and the loss of about 300 pounds help the Silverado achieve 17 mpg overall, a 1-mpg gain over the previous truck. We also tested a version equipped with a 3.0-liter six-cylinder diesel engine paired to a 10-speed automatic, which returned an impressive 23 mpg.
Drivers can’t escape the Silverado’s huge size when taking corners, but for a full-sized pickup truck it has responsive steering and little body lean. The Silverado’s ride was stiff and choppy for 2019 models but it improved for 2020. Road and engine noise are impressively muted. The optional power-opening tailgate is a nice touch; high-end trims have one that can even be closed remotely. We recommend adding running boards because it’s a tall climb up into the spacious cab.
The front seats are fairly basic, very firm and flat with only a minimal amount of support, but we appreciate the two-way lumbar adjustment. The backseat is huge, giving passengers plenty of room to stretch out.
Overall, the interior of our LT trim is unimpressive for a $50,000 truck, with cloth seats, cheap-looking controls, and a clunky old-school column-mounted gear selector. Things get better in higher trims. Either way, the infotainment system is easy to use and comes with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility.
Active safety equipment, such as forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, and lane departure warning, are standard for 2022.
Our test results for the Silverado also apply to the essentially similar GMC Sierra 1500.