2025 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 evaluate

In case you go to an American restaurant, you desire a massive, greasy burger or ribs drenched in sauce, proper?

Likewise, if you would like an enormous American pickup truck, you desire a V8.

At the very least that’s what a vocal contingent on-line appears to say. However as quickly as subsequent yr, the Chevrolet Silverado may very well be the one factory-backed right-hand drive pickup obtainable in Australia with a V8.

Common Motors could also be investing closely in electrical automobiles, however in 2023 it additionally introduced it was pouring US$854 million (A$1.2 billion) into small-block V8 engine manufacturing.

In the meantime, Ford doesn’t deliver any V8-powered F-150s right here (the V6s outsell them within the US, anyway), whereas the up to date Ram 1500 is ditching its Hemi V8 for brand new Hurricane inline sixes and the costlier Toyota Tundra comes solely with a V6 hybrid powertrain.

WATCH: Paul’s video evaluate of the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 ZR2

GM hasn’t ignored downsizing solely. You’ll be able to really get the Silverado 1500 within the US with a 2.7-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, however GM Specialty Automobiles (GMSV) has proven no want to deliver this right here.

Not solely that, however we get the bigger of the 2 V8s provided within the Silverado 1500.

Following its 2023 facelift, GMSV provides solely two extremely specified variants in Australia, that are developed and remanufactured in right-hand drive by Walkinshaw Automotive Group.

In an more and more aggressive pickup truck phase, is the Silverado too old-school? Or is it precisely what native pickup truck consumers are after?

How does the Chevrolet Silverado examine?

View an in depth breakdown of the Chevrolet Silverado in opposition to equally sized automobiles.

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Silverado

How a lot does the Chevrolet Silverado price?

GM Specialty Automobiles has but to substantiate any pricing or specification adjustments for 2025.

To see how the Silverado strains up in opposition to the competitors, try our comparability device

What’s the Chevrolet Silverado like on the within?

Chunky aspect steps help you simply clamber up into the Silverado, with seize handles on the A-pillars offering help.

The doorways really feel somewhat mild, and don’t shut with fairly as satisfying a thunk as rival pickups. There’s additionally a little bit of a lag with the proximity entry at instances.

When you step inside although, you discover an inside that’s properly and really on par with rivals by way of design and materials high quality.

Smooth-touch trim – full with stitching particulars – is utilized to a lot of the dashboard and doorways, offsetting the exhausting plastic trim discovered on this stuff.

There’s somewhat little bit of piano black trim, but it surely’s mercifully saved to areas you’re unlikely to the touch, whereas metallic accents add some welcome distinction to what’s a really black inside.

Alas, we don’t get the good-looking gray inside provided in US-market LTZs; if you would like a extra vibrant inside right here, you’ll have to go for the extra off-road centered Silverado ZR2.

Round 10 years in the past, GM in North America grew to become obsessive about overly glossy-looking pretend wooden trim. Within the Silverado, you’ll discover this on the perimeters of the centre console and on the sprint and doorways. I personally don’t thoughts wooden trim, however these items isn’t fooling anybody.

The Silverado thoughtfully activates the heated steering wheel and seats upon startup if it detects it’s chilly, or the ventilated seats if it’s scorching. The heated steering wheel will finally flip off, whereas the climatised seats will progress down the levels of depth earlier than switching off, too. It’s a intelligent and genuinely luxurious operate we discovered spectacular.

We like the way in which the LED inside lighting steadily illuminates the cabin, whereas the animation that performs throughout these screens upon startup has spectacular graphics and units the tone for a satisfying tech expertise.

Different considerate touches embody illuminated surrounds for the USB retailers and a button that drops all 4 energy home windows directly (although oddly, in the event you alter them independently the rear home windows don’t have an auto up operate).

Along with a extra trendy dashboard design, the Silverado additionally obtained a big tech improve with its 2023 replace, headlined by a bigger 13.4-inch infotainment touchscreen and 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster.

There’s additionally a head-up show, which will be simply adjusted through buttons to the correct of the steering wheel.

Chevrolet’s newest technology of infotainment system has a beautiful consumer interface and is straightforward to navigate.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto join wirelessly, and the latter booted up rapidly and labored reliably each time I drove the Silverado.

Our solely gripe is with the anchored menu bar on the left-hand aspect of the display screen, which options somewhat summary designs for the buttons. The music and trailering buttons are straightforward to determine, however the others look extra like items in a Cadbury Snack block.

The digital instrument cluster is logically laid out and engaging. There are simulated analogue gauges which comprise data inside them, in addition to a central data portion which will be toggled between totally different modes.

The time and temperature are at all times straightforward to learn, and total the show doesn’t seem too cluttered regardless of all the knowledge obtainable.

The angled wi-fi charging pad additionally has one of many higher designs on the market, with telephones staying securely in place. It labored reliably for us.

There’s loads of bodily switchgear within the Silverado, with a row of buttons under the infotainment touchscreen – together with one to deactivate the lane-keep help – plus a local weather management array with a pair of knobs for temperature adjustment.

You get a USB-A outlet within the spacious centre console bin, plus one other alongside a USB-C outlet on the centre stack.

Different storage features a massive shelf on the base of the centre stack, nooks on prime of and on the perimeters of the centre console, a nook behind the touchscreen, and enormous cupholders and bottle holders. Briefly, there’s loads of area to your stuff.

The steering wheel feels good, although it could take some adjustment to get used to the amount and skip monitor buttons being on the rear of the wheel as an alternative of on the entrance.

As anticipated of an American pickup truck, the rear of the cabin is palatial with an enormous, snug bench that may comfortably match adults siting three abreast, in addition to a totally flat flooring.

The entrance seatbacks are mushy and have map pockets, whereas different facilities embody outboard heated seats, air vents, and a USB-A outlet and a USB-C outlet. A pair of cupholders will also be discovered on the rear of the centre console, whereas there are bottle holders within the doorways.

Whereas it seems to be like there’s an indentation within the roof for a second sunroof, no such characteristic is obtainable. Which means solely front-seat occupants get to take pleasure in some mild from above.

It’s straightforward to rise up into the bathtub as Chevrolet has helpfully included steps within the rear bumper, very similar to these of the Ford Ranger. It’s an easier resolution than the rival F-150’s elaborate fold-down steps and lift-up help pole.

To see how the Silverado strains up in opposition to the competitors, try our comparability device

What’s underneath the bonnet?

To see how the Silverado strains up in opposition to the competitors, try our comparability device

How does the Chevrolet Silverado drive?

The Silverado 1500, like its arch-rivals, is plush and cozy.

If you wish to eat up the kilometres on the open street, whether or not you’re heading to Wagga Wagga or Wyoming, you’ll be able to’t go unsuitable with the Silverado.

Certain, it appears like in the event you had been to bust open the suspension elements melted marshmallow would movement out like a s’extra, however whereas it’s very softly sprung it gained’t make you nauseous.

The experience is so absorbent you often neglect you’re driving a body-on-frame automobile, however often on some poorly surfaced roads you’ll be able to really feel the (unladen) Silverado fidget somewhat on the rear with its reside axle.

Impacts are muffled, although the Silverado does bounce round a bit on some rural roads and will be jostled by enlargement joints. It additionally was barely upset by concrete highways.

We concurrently had the Silverado 1500 with a Nissan Patrol, nevertheless, and although these aren’t direct rivals and the Japanese off-roader is kind of a bit older, we discovered the Chevy to be on the subsequent stage when it got here to experience consolation.

As for dealing with, there’s naturally physique roll in corners, however that’s par for the course for an enormous pickup.

A lot because the experience is much more softly sprung than an F-150, the steering additionally feels a bit slower, heavier and vaguer than the Ford. This makes the Chevy really feel considerably extra ponderous to drive, however we did get used to it rapidly.

You’ll be able to nonetheless drive one-handed, with the door card extensive sufficient to relaxation your arm on as you level the massive pickup in direction of the horizon. The Silverado additionally doesn’t really feel too tough to park, whereas that huge antenna up entrance is a useful reminder if a carpark is just too low for the automobile. The mirrors additionally helpfully tip down once you put it in reverse.

At freeway speeds there’s little wind noise regardless of the blocky physique and large mirrors, although you’ll hear somewhat of what seems like consumption noise.

The place the F-150’s engine is extraordinarily hushed, the Silverado’s V8 is extra vocal. That’s not essentially a nasty factor – who doesn’t love the sound of a V8? – but it surely means the Silverado is a bit noisy underneath full throttle.

The Silverado is refined at idle, and there’s an computerized cease/begin system that can reduce energy fully for the sake of effectivity. This polarising characteristic is straightforward to show off.

The chintzy column shifter of the pre-update mannequin has been axed in favour of a console-mounted one.

There are plasticky paddle shifters behind the steering wheel, however these solely work once you push the shifter into Low mode and in flip lock you to a highest gear.

You’ll be able to’t manually shift by all 10 gears like you’ll be able to in most different automobiles, although the transmission typically goes about its enterprise with out a lot fuss anyway, other than the occasional clunky shift we skilled when slowing to a halt.

There’s no auto maintain operate, which is a bit disappointing. There’s additionally no visitors signal recognition.

Whereas the Silverado doesn’t have a lane centring operate, the lane-keep help is kind of good at supplying you with a mild nudge to maintain you inside your lane. On slim nation roads, nevertheless, it proved a bit too intrusive and we switched it off.

The automobile will vibrate your seat if it detects you crossing a lane marking or altering lanes into one other automobile’s path, which is an effective way to warn you with out alarming your passengers.

The ahead collision warning was fairly good at detecting pedestrians, for instance once they had been standing on the very fringe of the street. If the Silverado detects a possible collision, a warning will flash up within the head-up show.

The adaptive cruise management works properly, and you can too simply use regular cruise management. When you can both alter in 1km/h or 5km/h increments, the latter doesn’t spherical up so, for instance, you go from 72 to 77 to 82km/h.

The digicam high quality is superb, and there’s additionally a underbody view which is useful in the event you’re tackling any trails. Weirdly, in the event you activate the digicam view it would keep on at excessive speeds as an alternative of slicing out at round 20km/h like most automobiles.

We drove the Silverado predominantly in rear-wheel drive mode, although there’s a full-time four-wheel drive mode plus selectable 4H and 4L modes for off-roading.

We achieved 12.9L/100m over a loop consisting of inner-city, suburban and freeway driving, matching the official declare.

Whereas visitors situations diverse barely, over an an identical driving loop we achieved 13.8L/100km in a Ram 1500 and 13.9L/100km in an F-150. Their official claims are 12.2L/100km and 12.5L/100km, respectively.

Not solely was the Silverado extra environment friendly on this loop regardless of packing a V8 (in contrast to the Ford) and no mild-hybrid know-how (in contrast to the Ram), with recorded consumption of 13.8L/100km over per week of driving it even achieved higher gasoline financial system than the Ram and virtually matched the Ford.

The caveat right here is that in contrast to over our loop, we didn’t take all three pickups throughout the identical precise routes and for a similar total distance. Nonetheless, we achieved 13.4L/100km within the Ford and 15.3L/100km within the Ram.

Impressively, we noticed gasoline financial system of underneath 10L/100km on our first freeway drive.

Whereas we didn’t tow something with our tester, we all know from earlier expertise it is a succesful tow automobile.

Along with a devoted tow mode, there are additionally useful options aimed toward making towing simpler.

These embody a operate that cycles by the symptoms and lights, one other one which warns in the event you’re approaching your most GCM, and a guidelines to ensure house owners have set issues up accurately.

To see how the Silverado strains up in opposition to the competitors, try our comparability device

What do you get?

Whereas there’s a a lot wider vary of Silverado 1500s obtainable within the US, simply two variants are provided right here.

Silverado 1500 LTZ Premium gear highlights:

• 20-inch alloy wheels
• All-terrain tyres
• Rancho Twin Tube shock absorbers
• LED reflector headlights
• Computerized high-beam
• LED tail lights
• Cargo mattress LED mild
• Twin energetic sport exhaust
• Z71 skid plates
• Chrome exterior highlights
• Chrome aspect steps
• Energy up and down tailgate
• Energy sliding rear window
• Single-pane sunroof
• Spray-on bedliner
• 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
• 13.4-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Head-up show
• Wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Wi-fi cellphone charger
• Seven-speaker Bose premium sound system
• Twin-zone local weather management
• Proximity entry and push-button begin
• Rear digicam mirror
• Energy tilt and telescope steering column
• Black leather-based upholstery
• Heated and ventilated entrance seats
• 10-way power-adjustable entrance seats
• Heated outboard rear seats
• Tow bar and 12-pin wiring harness
• Electrical trailer brake controller
• Computerized trailer mild take a look at
• GCM alert

Silverado 1500 ZR2 provides:

• 18-inch alloy wheels
• Goodyear Wrangler mud-terrain tyres
• Full-size spare wheel
• Multimatic DSSV dampers
• Enhanced two-speed switch case
• Electrical locking entrance and rear differentials
• Black exterior highlights
• ZR2 skid plates
• Entrance restoration hooks
• Jet Black and Greystone leather-appointed upholstery
• Removes entrance parking sensors
• Removes up operate for energy tailgate

Is the Chevrolet Silverado secure?

None of those massive pickup vehicles have been crash-tested by ANCAP, and there’s no Euro NCAP ranking the Australian security authority can depend on both.

The present Silverado did, nevertheless, obtain an total ‘Good’ ranking from the US Insurance coverage Institute for Freeway Security.

Normal security gear throughout the vary consists of:

• 6 airbags
• Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Lane-keep help
• Adaptive cruise management
• Encompass-view digicam
• Entrance parking sensors (LTZ Premium)
• Rear parking sensors
• Tyre strain monitoring system

How a lot does the Chevrolet Silverado price to run?

As with the Ram 1500 – however in contrast to the Ford F-150 and Toyota Tundra – there’s no capped-price servicing program for the GMSV Silverado.

Service intervals are 12 months or 12,000km (whichever comes first), matching the Ram and (virtually) the Ford, which has 12-month/15,000km intervals. It betters the Tundra’s six-month/10,000km intervals.

Additionally just like the Ram 1500, the guarantee is mediocre at three years or 100,000km (whichever comes first), whereas the Ford and Toyota are backed by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre assure.

CarExpert’s Tackle the Chevrolet Silverado

The Silverado 1500 takes a extra old style method to the traditional American pickup, sticking with a naturally aspirated V8 as an alternative of downsizing or adopting any electrification.

Regardless of this, it’s actually no much less environment friendly than its arch rivals, whereas nonetheless boasting the V8 sound and grunt that we suspect many American pickup consumers will need.

The current replace has introduced a a lot classier inside, whereas the Silverado nonetheless has a roomy cabin and a soft experience. The in-car tech can be fairly slick.

It does really feel a bit extra ponderous than a Ford F-150 with its slower steering and softer experience, whereas its aftersales bundle isn’t as beneficiant.

Nonetheless, it makes a robust case for itself in what’s turning into an more and more aggressive phase – and never simply because it’ll quickly be the one V8 on provide.

Considering shopping for a Chevrolet Silverado? Get in contact with one among CarExpert’s trusted sellers right here

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