2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Road Test and Review

2020 Chevrolet Silverado RST ・ Photo by General Motors

Pickup trucks are probably the most versatile vehicles on American roads today. Unlike other vehicles, a pickup might be called upon to haul the kids to school and then haul a load of gravel back home again. During the week, a pickup truck might be a mobile business office. Then on the weekend, it might end up going off-road to a campsite or pulling a boat down to the lake.

Truck buyers want to know exactly what their trucks can do. Towing and hauling capacity is important, but that doesn't mean anyone's ready to give up a smooth and quiet ride, a comfortable cabin, or the latest in modern technology. Chevrolet's entry in the competitive half-ton segment is the 2020 Silverado, and it's by far the most advanced Chevy truck ever made.

Built to Meet Your Needs — Whatever They Might Be

Most vehicles have one special feature that sets this vehicle apart from its competitors. For the Silverado, that feature is tremendous configurability. The Silverado can be purchased with a traditional one-row cab with an 8-foot bed, or with an extended "double cab," or a full crew cab. Those come with a 6-foot, 6-inch standard bed or a shorter 5-foot, 8-inch bed.

But that's just where the configuration starts. Chevrolet also offers eight different trim levels and six engine choices. Then you get into the optional technology features, including the most advanced trailering technology available anywhere. If you're planning to spec out a Chevy truck, be prepared to take your time, because there's a lot to work through and you don't want to ignore any of these features.

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Entry-Level Trims

Chevrolet wisely starts the Silverado out with a basic Work Truck. This trim is designed for fleets and it's all business, but it's also a bargain at $29,895. That gets you the long-proven 4.3-liter V6 engine, but you can upgrade to the 5.3-liter V8 for $1,395 more. Even with some of the attractive option packages for features like blind-spot monitoring and parking sensors, this is a great deal on a new truck.

Basic trim options also include the Custom and Custom Trail Boss. Upgrading to Custom Trim gets you 20-inch alloy wheels, body-color bumpers, LED taillights, and the powerful 2.7-liter turbocharged engine for $35,615, or a bit more for the V6 or the 5.3-liter V8. The Custom Trail Boss is available only with 4WD and costs a bit more, starting at $41,795. However, this trim adds some great features like a 2-inch suspension lift and the whole Z71 off-road equipment package. The Custom Trail Boss has a locking rear differential, skid plates, Rancho monotube shocks, hill-descent control, and 18-inch blackout wheels with off-road tires.

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Middle Trim Levels

Chevrolet expects that most buyers will land somewhere in the middle of the trim range, and that starts with the $38,495 LT. This trim comes with the 2.7-liter engine, but you can also get the 5.3-liter V8 or the new 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder Duramax turbodiesel. The diesel starts at $45,200, but it pulls like a big V8 on the road. The LT also includes LED headlights, chrome accents, and a bigger touchscreen on the dashboard.

The LT Trail Boss adds all the same 4X4 equipment from the Custom Trail Boss, but with a fancier interior and your first shot at the mighty 6.2-liter V8 engine. You can get the LT Trail Boss with the 5.3-liter V8 for $50,395, but for $2,495 more, the 6.2-liter offers more towing capacity and off-road power. If your taste runs to more urban performance, Chevy offers the RST trim, which is short for "Rally Sport Truck." This trim starts with the LT goodies, but also includes the upgraded infotainment system, full LED lights, and up to 22-inch wheels. You can take your pick of the 2.7-liter turbo, the two V8 engines, or the Duramax turbodiesel in this trim, and it starts at $46,395.

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Luxury Trim Levels

At the top end of the Silverado range, you'll find the LTZ and High Country luxury trims. Loosely, these correspond to a high-end city truck and a high-end country truck. The LTZ comes with lots of chrome and power-folding mirrors outside, and a nice leather interior for $47,295 with the 5.3-liter V8 and rear-wheel-drive. The LTZ with four-wheel-drive can be ordered with the 6.2-liter V8 or the Duramax, at $53,090 for either engine.

The High Country trim is the jewel of the Silverado line. On top of all the other features, High Country trim includes long running boards to help you get into the truck, and a power tailgate with up and down features. The High Country is available only with four-wheel-drive and you can choose between the 5.3-liter V8 engine at $58,395, or get the 6.2-liter or the Duramax, which top the price range at $60,890. 

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Interior and Exterior Design

Chevrolet redesigned the Silverado for 2019, and it's a big, bold truck. In fact, it's 1.7 inches longer overall than the last generation but 3.9 inches longer between the front and rear wheels. All that extra space went right into the back seat on the popular crew cab body. The cabin area is 1.2 inches wider and 1.5 inches taller than older Silverados. That may not sound like much, but it makes a lot of difference in interior space.

Inside, the Silverado is comfortable but built with the many uses of a pickup truck in mind. The leather is thick and hardy, and you get a feeling of robust quality from features like the window and climate controls. One standout feature is that the cabin is quiet when the Silverado is on the road.

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Infotainment and Safety Technology

No matter what trim level you select, the 2020 Silverado has a good tech story. Even the most basic Work Truck model features a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, with USB ports for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. That means you get onboard navigation and music streaming. Chevrolet offers the OnStar system and the ability to get your truck its own data plan on all trims, if you want to have your truck provide a Wi-Fi hotspot inside the vehicle. The Custom and Custom Trail Boss also use this 7-inch system.

The LT, LT Trail Boss, and RST all include an 8-inch screen, and the top LTZ and High Country turn that into a high-definition 8-inch screen with GPS navigation. A Bose stereo is standard on High Country and optional on the other upgrade trims. Finally, both the LTZ and High Country come with wireless device charging. 

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Engine and Drivetrain Options

As we mentioned, there are six engines to choose from. The 4.3-liter V6 and the 5.3-liter V8 are familiar Silverado staples, so we'll focus on the newer powerplants. First, the 2.7-liter turbocharged four-cylinder is an engine you should test drive. A four-cylinder in a full-size truck would have seemed insane just a couple years ago, but this engine gives you 310 horsepower and 348 pound-feet of torque. The 2.7-liter comes with an eight-speed automatic transmission to deliver solid performance.

If you have big jobs to do, it's worth spending some extra money on the 6.2-liter V8. This engine delivers 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. Chevrolet's dynamic fuel management helps tame the big V8's thirst for gas, so this truck won't break your bank account at the gas pump. But without a doubt, the 3.0-liter Duramax turbodiesel is the standout engine for the Silverado. This inline six-cylinder returns 277 horsepower, but the same 460 pound-feet of torque you get in the 6.2-liter V8, and it's easy to get over 30 mpg on the highway. The power is there when you need it, but you're saving money all the time. 

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The Silverado on the Road and in Your Driveway

Living with the Silverado, you start to appreciate the attention to detail that went into this truck. One of the best features is the available multi-camera system. When you're just using the truck, the views to the rear and forward are useful in parking and tight maneuvering. The 360-degree bird's-eye view is even better.

If you tow a trailer, you're well aware of how stressful that can be. Chevy has provided camera views to help you hook up to your hitch and views down the sides of your trailer. If you buy the remote camera for the back of the trailer, the Silverado will combine all those views and give you an "invisible trailer" view that shows what's following behind you. Ask for a demo when you take your test drive.

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Competitors to Consider

The pickup truck market is tight, and every automaker has a good product. The 2020 GMC Sierra is a direct competitor because it shares many features and mechanical components with the Silverado, but with a few more luxury equipment on the higher trim levels.

Ford sells the most trucks with its 2020 F-150, and you can also get a 3.0-liter turbo-diesel with that brand. This is also a truck that should be on your test-drive list. You'll know quickly which brand you prefer. Lastly, Ram surprised everyone last year with a redesigned Ram 1500 that has placed this brand head to head with the Chevy and Ford sales leaders. Ram offers a mild hybrid system on its gas engines as well as a small turbodiesel, so plan on a full day of test drives to include this truck. 

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The Bottom Line

We can't close this out without mentioning the current sales environment. As of this writing, Chevrolet is offering jaw-dropping incentives on new Silverados. For example, the base price of the WT trim is just $23,895 including all fees. That's out the door and driving home. If you chose a Custom Trail Boss with its tough 4X4 features, that's just $40,665. The very top High Country with the Duramax is $54,890, which represents over $6,000 worth of discounts.

If you're considering a new truck this year, Chevy has never offered a better deal on a better truck than the 2020 Chevrolet Silverado.

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