Silverado actually rather good
The Chevrolet Silverado is the latest huge American truck to land on our shores, which you may have noticed are considerably smaller than American shores. So does that make the Silverado a very big fish in a very small pond? Or just a very big fish out of water?
OUTSIDE
Regardless of what you think of the sheer size of the Silverado, you do have to admit it makes a serious impact on the road just from its looks alone.
The Silverado has a deceptive way of creeping up on you, in that – from a distance – it’s proportions are roughly the same as the 1-tonne utes we are used to seeing, but as you get closer, it just seems to get bigger and bigger, until it is towering over you. And at almost 2 metres tall, it will tower over you.
The massive ‘‘wall of chrome’’ front end is pretty damn cool to my eyes, but I do have to admit that I could see why someone might be utterly appalled by it, but they’re probably not the target buyer for a Silverado anyway.
But the big question here is; does the Silverado look better than its only real competitor here in New Zealand, the Ram 1500?
It’s a close-run thing, and is massively subjective of course, but form me – the Chev takes it. Just.
INSIDE
The Silverado’s interior isn’t quite as cool as the Ram’s however, with Chevrolet eschewing the hi-tech big touchscreen domination of the Ram’s new interior in favour of a more traditional approach, albeit one with as much tech squeezed in there. It’s just presented in a far more classical layout.
It is, of course, sprawlingly huge and massively comfortable (although the seats are surprisingly firm for an American truck), and features a typically American ear-destroying audio system that is deafeningly good.
UNDER THE BONNET
Of course the 6.2-litre V8 is a magnificent thing – refined and quiet, while also being effortlessly powerful, it does simply superb job of propelling the big truck along.
But the most surprising thing about it is just how frugal it is actually capable of being. Yes, really.
I mean, it’s relative of course – after all this is a 2500kg truck with a petrol V8 – but I simply assumed General Motors’ claim of 12.8L/100km for the Silverado’s
average combined consumption was some sort of in-joke or something.
But here’s the most surprising thing during my time with the Silverado so far – it’s absolutely accurate.
The Silverado has not only bettered RightCar’s listed figure of 13.7L/100km, but also GM’s official claim (just) by returning 12.4L/100km during my time with it.
ON THE ROAD
While the engine and transmission are absolutely fantastic, the Silverado’s ride quality does let things down a bit.
The Silverado is rather like the older version of the Ram and lets quite a bit through into the cabin.
This is particularly noticeable on rough or broken surfaces, where things can get quite brittle and harsh, jostling the occupants quite a bit as a result.
Still, it is predictably telegraphed, and the Silverado is surprisingly agile for such a big chap.
In fact, the only places you are really aware of its sheer size is on particularly narrow roads. And in parking lots.
VERDICT
Whether or not you consider a big American truck even slightly necessary will shape your final opinion on it, but I genuinely warmed to the Silverado, despite not really understanding why anyone would actually buy it.
Sure, it is capable of towing a massive amount, but its typically American small payload of just 760kg in the tray makes it less relevant in the New Zealand market. .
Still, the relative frugality of the LTZ impressed me, as did how easy it actually is to live with – you quickly learn to park further away and walk to where you want to go, but the unexpected upside to that is that it’s a good way to keep the daily step-count up.