2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Z71 Crew Cab Review By John Heilig

THE AUTO PAGE
By John Heilig
Senior Editor
Bureau Chief
Mid-Atlantic Bureau
The Auto Channel

REVIEWED MODEL: 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Z71 Crew Cab
ENGINE: 6.2-liter V8
TRANSMISSION: 8-speed automatic
HORESPOWER/TORQUE: 420 hp @ 5,600 rpm/460 lb.-ft. @ 4,100 rpm
WHEELBASE: 143.5 in.
LENGTH X WIDTH X HEIGHT: 230.0 x 80.0 x 73.7 in.
TIRES: P265/65R18
CARGO CAPACITY: 6-foot bed; 2,180 lbs. max payload
ECONOMY: 16 mpg city/23 mpg highway/18.4 mpg test
FUEL TANK: 26.0 gal.
CURB WEIGHT: 5,036 lbs. #/HP: 12.0
TOWING CAPACITY: 12,500 lbs.
COMPETITIVE CLASS: Ford F-150, Dodge Ram, Toyota Tundra
STICKER: $59,610 (includes $1,295 delivery, $9,125 options)
BOTTOM LINE: Silverado has a bunch of unique features that help set it apart from the competition, including very good ride quality.

I’m going to get hate mail for this, but basically, all pickup trucks are pretty much the same. They all have similar lines and features, and all can pretty much do a good job over the road and on the job.

What sets pickup trucks apart are brand identities and details. The devil is in the details and the Chevrolet Silverado stands out because of them.

First though, the 6.2-liter V8 offers excellent power with 420 horsepower and a 12.0 pounds-per-horsepower number. We took the Silverado on a long Interstate trip with a destination that included tight turns and narrow lanes. Despite being a bear in some tight situations because of its size, the Silverado comported itself well.

My wife exhibited some trepidation before our trip because we would be riding in a truck. However, ride quality was very good with very little of the “truckiness" you get with other trucks. Our tires had a Mud and Snow tread which we feared might transmit road noise into the cockpit, but there was little tire noise, except on rougher surfaced roads, like concrete.

Front seats offer very good comfort and rear seats have more legroom than some limousines. Large rear windows also allow rear passengers to see what’s going on outside.

But I said details. I’m a stickler for interior storage and utility space, because after all, pickups have great exterior storage. The Silverado has, for starters, multi-level doors with two pockets, a pair of slots for water bottles, and bottomed door pulls.

With the shifter on the column, there’s plenty of space between the seats. There’s a huge cubby ahead of the pair of cupholders. Besides a large compartment, there’s a slot for a phone. Four covers hide two USB outlets, two 12-volt outlets and a three-prong 115-volt outlet. Above these are switches for adjustable pedals, traction control, bed light, parking warning, lane departure warning and hill descent assist. The lane departure warning vibrates the seat, as does parking assist that alerts you if you’re too close to barriers or other vehicles.

On the sides of the center console are pockets that would be ideal for papers or tablets. The huge center console itself has two USB, one AUX and a 12-volt outlet.

There’s no blind spot monitor, but at the upper corner of the left outside rear view mirror is a small convex round mirror. While the mirror shows what’s in the lane back there, it does take a conscious effort to look there, while lights attract your eye better.

A feature that is popular in Silverado advertising is a step notched into the rear bumper for access to the bed. Once you are on the bumper you can either go into the bed with the tailgate down (or up if you’re nimble), or load or unload.

There are four assist handles over the doors to aid in entry and egress. In addition, there are assist handles on the passenger A-pillar and rear seat B-pillars, also to aid in entry. Rear doors are similar to front doors with pockets and room for water. There are also pockets at the rear of the center console for rear passenger use. A low rear center hump is more welcoming for middle rear seat passengers.

While I said at the outset that all pickups are basically the same, the Chevrolet Silverado has enough unique features and details to set it apart from the competition.