Toronto Star

ROAD TO SILVERADO

Modest, presentabl­e and simple, Chevrolet’s functional pickup is intended to be used,

- BENJAMIN HUNTING AUTOGUIDE.COM

The 2019 Chevrolet Silverado finds itself in a unique position on the cutthroat full-size pickup market. Whereas rivals such as the Ford F-150 and Ram1500 (alongside lesser lights like the Nissan Titan and the Toyota Tundra) are free to court big spenders seeking a six-figure luxury truck by way of their upmarket trim levels, the Silverado sits in the corner like a loyal WWE soldier while a sweaty Vince McMahon screams, “KNOW YOUR ROLE!” right in its face.

You see, the existence of the high-buck GMC Sierra Denali in the General Motors portfolio has forced Chevrolet to toil under a corporate-imposed ceiling when outfitting the Silverado, as the Denali is the reigning king of the premium ring for the automaker. Yes, Chevy’s been able to soak up a little of the lux-truck juice by way of its High Country edition, but for 2019, this vehicle is locked out of some of the gee-whiz technology and features gifted to the Sierra, forcing its designers to look elsewhere when creating the value propositio­n for the model.

I’d argue that this is actually a good thing for the redesigned Silverado. Rather than risk having its reach exceed its grasp, Chevrolet has instead doubleddow­n on what the past version of the pickup already did very well — and in the process brought to market a vehicle that makes sense for the solidly middle-class customers that the Silverado has always counted as its most eager buyers. Head North While the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado may be aimed squarely at its base, the locale where I was invited to test it out was anything but average.

Late last year, a brand new highway was opened in Canada’s Northwest Territorie­s, linking the city of Inuvik to the small settlement of Tuktoyaktu­k on the edge of the Arctic Ocean. Dubbed Highway 10, this astonishin­g feat of low-impact engineerin­g swapped a carefully packed gravel-andcomposi­te base for the seasonal ice road that for the long winter season was the only land-based lifeline between Tuk and the rest of the world.

I was handed the keys to a Silverado LT Trail Boss as soon as I landed in Inuvik.

Walking outside the securityfr­ee airport into the bracing subfreezin­g air of the mid-September north, the bright red Trail Boss — which represents Chevy’s factory tough truck intended to serve off-road fans — cut the perfect stance for tackling the rugged travel task ahead. Lifted two inches compared to a standard four-wheel drive Silverado, and featuring 18-inch, big-sidewall Duratrac tires that come with its standard Z71 Off-Road package (locking rear differenti­al, Rancho shock absorbers, and skid plates are also included), the truck looked ready for both the gravel as well as a rip across the (permanentl­y) frozen tundra that lay ahead.

Not that the latter was on the menu, of course.

The constructi­on of Highway 10’s full 138 km was done with almost no impact on the immediate environmen­t thanks to the decision to build primarily over the course of the winter when snow and ice provided a protective blanket to the taiga beneath.

Indeed, I was continuall­y astonished by how unspoiled the land surroundin­g the road was, with the natural beauty only enhancing the novelty of rolling over the Arctic landscape as opposed to travelling by bush plane or snow machine. Beefy where it counts While the Trail Boss trim level might be new, (a word that also describes the lighter and stronger platform it sits on), its drivetrain is not. The Silverado maintains a 5.3-litre V8 as its workhorse engine (355 horsepower, 383 lb-ft of torque) mated to either an eight-speed automatic, as in the LT I drove, or a six-speed (in lower trims). Also available? A familiar 420 horsepower, 6.2-litre V8, now matched with a 10-speed autobox, a 305 horsepower, 4.3-litre V6, and a late-availabili­ty 2.7litre turbocharg­ed four-cylinder that’s good for 310 horses and 348 lb-ft of torque (with a diesel to follow).

On the alternatel­y hardpacked and quicksand-soft sections that make up the road to Tuk, the 5.3-litre is really all the motor you need. With enough power to kick the rear end out sideways with the traction control system disabled (a must when dealing with this type of loose surface), the entry-level V8 matches the performanc­e of the larger 6.2, which struggles to put its torque down in the absence of asphalt without simply spinning the wheels.

Suspension-wise, the Trail Boss devoured the tarmac, its Rancho shocks delivering a startling calm over smoother segments while providing the kind of robust response and rim-saving rebound necessary to deal with the ruts, potholes, and sinks found elsewhere. In comparison to the High Country’s citified suspension tuning and canoe-paddle 22-inch tire width, the Trail Boss offered a certainty of purchase that the pricier model lacked.

I appreciate­d the attention paid by Chevrolet’s chassis engineers to the predictabi­lity and control offered by the Silverado, especially when set to “OffRoad” driving mode (another new-for-2019 feature, alongside Sport, Normal and Towing). On a road where making a mistake potentiall­y means fending off deadly wolves and inquisitiv­e ptarmigan until the unlikely saviour of a tow finds its way to you in the land of no cell signal, I was happy to take any advantage over the gravel that I could get. Not too new Much has been made about the Silverado’s bolder styling trend, but despite its divisivene­ss, I can’t understand complaints about the decision to further separate the exterior look of the truck from its Sierra platformtw­in.

It’s a cohesive exterior design that in some ways avoids the caricature that has worked its way into the big-rig influence found on other full-size trucks (although HD cues like the engine displaceme­nt call-out on the faux-induction hood are a little much).

Inside, the Silverado remains decidedly neutral in terms of appearance and materials.

The larger rear seat — nearly three inches of extra legroom versus the previous model year — is a welcome addition for four-door buyers (with regular and extended cab also available), and Chevrolet’s streamline­d infotainme­nt system offers a simpler user experience paired with a very useful checklist, light-testing, and trailering assist app intended to make it that much easier to tow.

The rest of the truck’s feature content remains modest, with heated seats and steering wheel appreciate­d, and a hearty helping of power points, storage nooks, and easy-to-grip dials all welcome. There’s an available power tailgate option that I like much more than the multistage complicati­on offered by the Sierra Denali’s tailgate system, as well as a power plug in the cargo bed to go with its lowdown light locations (which can be illuminate­d with the key fob). The verdict Modest, presentabl­e, simple — whichever word you choose to describe the new Silverado’s interior philosophy and available equipment reflects the fact that this is a very functional pickup that’s intended to be used and abused, rather than live its life as an ornament to excess.

Excellent trailering and cargo capacity, a comfortabl­e interior, and class-competitiv­e power (if not fuel efficiency) reflect the task-focused philosophy that used to be the guiding hand for pickup truck design before it was hijacked by the soaring profits to be squeezed out of conspicuou­s consumers.

Stick below the High Country trim and temper your tech expectatio­ns and you won’t be disappoint­ed with what the Chevrolet has to offer.

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 ?? BENJAMIN HUNTING AUTOGUIDE.COM ?? The Silverado has a cohesive exterior design that avoids the big-rig caricature found in many trucks, Benjamin Hunting writes.
BENJAMIN HUNTING AUTOGUIDE.COM The Silverado has a cohesive exterior design that avoids the big-rig caricature found in many trucks, Benjamin Hunting writes.
 ?? BENJAMIN HUNTING AUTOGUIDE.COM ?? Inside, the Silverado remains decidedly neutral in terms of appearance and materials.
BENJAMIN HUNTING AUTOGUIDE.COM Inside, the Silverado remains decidedly neutral in terms of appearance and materials.

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