Back-seat drivers
Both offer limo-like legroom, with space to sit threeabreast comfortably. Ram’s (right) centre seat has a mystifyingly small cushion making Chev better for five-up driving. Both rear seats can be folded away, while Chev’s back cushions (left) hide extra storage.
wheels, heated and cooled leather-trimmed electrically adjustable front seats, sunroofs, and smartphone mirroring.
While there is plenty of American chintzy plastic inside, both pick-ups are comfortable with plush seats in both rows. There are ergonomic quirks, though, like the Chev’s hilariously over-sized column-mounted shifter that loves sliding straight past drive into low range, or the Ram’s foot-operated hand brake which sits on the right of the footwell. Ironically given its size, the Ram’s headroom is limited for anyone taller than six foot.
Even with impressive blind-spot vision and excellent rear-view cameras, extreme care is needed when parking, mostly due to sheer physical size. While initially intimidating around town, the Ram more readily shrinks around the driver thanks to the softer edges of the bonnet. The Silverado feels a sizeable beast at all times and side-steps are a must for entering the cabin.
Both conversions are expertly done and we didn’t experience any squeaks or rattles. Despite high bonnets, and large wing mirrors, neither generates significant wind noise. The exterior noise suppression is top notch.
From the driver’s seat, the biggest difference is the way these two pick-ups travel down the road. If you only ever traversed smooth highways, the Silverado and its floating waftiness would be quite pleasant. However, on bumpier roads the ride feels underdone. There’s a disconnect between how the front coils and rear leafs deal with imperfections, resulting in a jostling pitchand-roll that can be quite unsettling. HSV is working on a local suspension tune, but our tester was running the stock US set-up. Experience with this car tells us that adding weight to the tray settles its leaf-sprung rear-end substantially.
The Ram’s suspension is much more modern and is fitted with an independent coil-sprung rear-end. As a result, it has a clear advantage in terms of refinement, while still matching the Silverado’s claimed towing ability (and besting it for payload). The Laramie sits confidently on the road and it feels well suited to the pockmarked bitumen of rural Australia.
Neither are what you’d call great handlers. The Ram’s steering is vague off centre and while the Silverado’s tiller is confident and well-weighted at the straight-ahead position, it lacks feel as you progress through a corner.
Then there is the sticky issue of value. Even the more affordable Ram is almost $30,000 more than the most expensive dual-cab on the market. That premium can be justified to an extent given the Ram’s notable increase in hauling ability, luxury, and road presence. But adding almost $14,000 to the equation for the extra few tenths of acceleration in the Silverado is harder to justify. You’ll also need to set aside $3000 each year for insurance, and then there’s the fuel bill to consider...
While it might not make your accountant happy, there is an undeniable coolness about the Silverado. It encapsulates the pulling-power of a large American pick-up with giant globs of grunt and a luxurious interior. However, its queasy ride and high price tag means it falls shy of the top spot.
The Ram can’t match HSV’s hero product for tech, but the cheaper pick-up offers better value for money without sacrificing spec levels. It also slightly better to drive, rides more comfortably and has, perhaps most importantly, a more characterful engine. The Hemi pulls your face into a wry smile with every throttle application, while the Chev’s 6.2-litre is more subdued. You don’t buy a monstrous V8 ute to be subdued.
These brutes are clearly not a like-for-like replacement for the Falcon and Commodore utes, but push your right boot to the firewall and it’s clear they share a part of that same special V8 workman spirit. The fact they are prepared for Aussie customers by Aussie workers sounds pretty fair dinkum to us.