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The Chevrolet Silverado, and its mechanically identical cousin, the GMC Sierra, are a series of full-size and heavy-duty pickup trucks manufactured by General Motors and introduced in 1999 as the successor to the long-running Chevrolet C/K line. The Silverado name was taken from a trim level previously used on its predecessor, the Chevrolet C/K pickup truck from 1975 through 1998. General Motors continues to offer a GMC-badged variant of the Chevrolet full-size pickup under the GMC Sierra name, first used in 1988 for its variant of the GMT400 platform trucks.

Here is the comparison of some basic models

In a pickup market gone fancy, the Silverado sticks to its basic-truck recipe and that’s a good thing. The steering is accurate, and it handles more like a big car than a big truck. Body styles include regular, double, and crew cabs with bed lengths of 5’ 8”, 6.5’ or 8’. A 4.3-liter V-6 makes 305 lb-ft; the optional 5.3-liter and 6.2-liter V-8s make 383 and 460 lb-ft, respectively. Rear-drive is standard and all-wheel drive is optional. Maximum towing is 12,000 lb; maximum payload is 2260 lb.

Is the Chevrolet Silverado a Good Truck?

The Chevrolet Silverado is a good truck that features potent engines and high payload and towing capacities. It has an upscale cabin with comfortable and supportive seats. It also offers commendable maneuverability and off-road performance. There is plenty of available tech, including driver assistance features like lane keep assist and forward collision warning. The Silverado competes well with other highly ranked trucks in this very competitive segment.

Should I Buy the Chevrolet Silverado?

The Chevrolet Silverado 1500 is a great option in the full-size pickup truck class, but there are other noteworthy alternatives. Some rivals, like the Ram 1500 and Ford F-150, have lower sticker prices and place near the top of our rankings. Both trucks also have a good amount of features. The Ram can’t tow as much at the Silverado, but the Ford has a slightly higher capacity.

Should I Buy a New or Used Chevrolet Silverado?

For 2018, Chevrolet made a rearview camera standard in the Silverado. Additionally, you can now order a hybrid version of the truck nationwide (it was previously only available in California). Still, if you’re open to driving a used truck, you may want to consider shopping for a 2017 or older Silverado. The current generation dates back to 2014. There have been a handful of changes every year, so you’ll have to weigh those against the savings you’ll likely get with older models. 

A Wi-Fi hot spot was first made available for the 2015 model year, and an eight-speed automatic transmission replaced the 2014’s six-speed in 6.2-liter V8 models. That resulted in a 1 mpg gain in fuel economy. The transmission is refined and enables easy acceleration, even when towing. For 2016, that eight-speed automatic was made optional with the 5.3-liter V8, and features like Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and lane keep assist were made available for the first time. Improvements for the 2017 model year include an increase in maximum towing capacity – up to 12,500 pounds from 12,000 in previous models. The Teen Driver safety and monitoring system is also standard for 2017 models.

To research some other models in this generation, check out our reviews of the 2015, 2016, and 2017 Chevrolet Silverado. If you decide an older model is right for you, check out our Used Car Deals page to learn about savings and discounts on used vehicles.

We Did the Research for You: 36 Reviews Analyzed

Spending all your free time researching cars is a major bummer, so we’ve helped by doing it for you. We combine the opinions of professional test drivers with objective data such as reliability and safety ratings. For our analysis of the 2018 Chevrolet Silverado, we looked at 36 professional reviews. This 2018 Chevrolet Silverado review incorporates applicable research for all model years in this generation, which spans the 2014 through 2018 model years.

Why You Can Trust Us?

U.S. News & World Report has been publishing unbiased car reviews for a decade, and our Best Cars team has over 75 years of combined experience in the automotive industry. To ensure objectivity, we don’t accept expensive gifts or trips from automakers, and a third party handles all advertising on our site.