Chevrolet has been a staple of the domestic auto market, with cars like the Camaro and Corvette, to workhorses like the Suburban, and the Chevy Silverado. All of these vehicles have been around in some form for decades and have become key players of the automotive landscape of our country.
While the Silverado technically has been a stand-alone model for just 20 years, its name comes from one of the most popular trim levels of its predecessor, the C/K pickup, Chevrolet and GMC’s full-size pickup truck line from October 1959 until 2000 in the U.S. and Canada.
This year, for its 20th birthday, the 2019 Silverado has been redesigned from the ground up and what it brings to the table is, in one word, impressive.
When it comes to trucks, it is all about the numbers and what it can do. With the shortbed option, the Silverado can still haul almost 70 inches of whatever you need, and the standard bed can handle even more, at just a hair under 80 inches.
The new Silverado also can tow up to 12,200 pounds and has a payload capacity of 2,500 pounds in certain configurations. I had the LT Crew Cab with the 5.3 Ecotec3 V8 with Dynamic Fuel Management which meant I could have towed up to 11,600 pounds and hauled 2,190 pounds of material in the bed. This engine produces 355 horsepower and 383 foot pounds of torque, all while achieving 17 mpg in the city and 23 on the highway.
Driving the 2019 Silverado made me feel like the king of the road. Its high seating position and imposing size truly gave me an idea of what it’s like to feel invincible. On smaller streets it was able to still corner and navigate adeptly despite its size. Parking this 20-foot-long beast wasn’t as difficult as I first expected. And with the safety package on my Silverado, it made reversing into tight spaces a breeze with its vast array of sensors.
The interior of the new Silverado certainly isn’t what anyone would call spartan. As soon as you climb inside, you cannot help but notice the huge center console with all of the controls. In the middle of that you get the 8-inch touch screen display with both android auto and CarPlay.
The interior materials feel durable and the seats are comfortable with the motorized adjustments and heat and cooled options. It feels like a nice place to relax after a long day of hard work just as much as it’s a great place to be when you and your buddies are gearing up for another hunting and camping trip.
Starting at $29,795 you get a great truck, albeit one without any functionality, and the options are sure to tempt you into a higher price. The top of the line trims with options can easily push $70,000.
Mine was the LT Crew Cab. It was well equipped and will probably be one of the more popular trim levels with a sticker price of $47,470. Not bad for Chevy’s darling pickup and a status symbol all in one. All this leads me to think is how far pickup trucks have come in the last 20 years — right up to the running board of the 2019 Chevy Silverado.
Grant Miller is the publisher of Miami’s Community Newspapers. He may be contacted by calling 305-662-2277 or via email at Grant@CommunityNewspapers.com.
