Page 48 - Motor Trend (January 2020)

Finalists

PRO Phenomenal powertrains • Responsive steering • Good pulling power CON Boring interior • Seats not comfortable • Horrible backup camera

Chevrolet Silverado 1500 said. Cortina noted how easily it

drifts for fun. Evans said he could
tow with it every day: “It drives
beautifully and reverses just as
well, even without all the optional
cameras and trailering apps.”
Brakes require a heavy foot but
work well. Markus said the pedal
feel seems quite linear in its rela-
tionship to braking force.
One problem was that the
Duramax’s shifter liked to get
stuck in park. It’s an isolated
incident; our GMC Sierra with the
same powertrain had no issues.
Seabaugh felt the trucks
struggled in the dirt; the
Silverado required off-road
mode to clear moguls. This turns
off traction control and creates
wheel slip before the brakes
engage and stop an airborne
wheel from spinning.
We awarded the Silverado high
he powertrain is the heart It’s hard to believe the 2.7-liter is second only to the Ford Ranger’s. marks for the powertrains and
of a full-size pickup. A func- a four-cylinder; most judges said Walton was impressed on the wide bed but had to dock points
Ttional bed, interior accou- they would take it over any other Davis Dam; the 2.7 towed with slick for its interior quality. The design
trements, and ease of pairing gas engine in the Silverado lineup. upshifts and held cruise speed isn’t fresh, and the materials, like
a phone all impact how livable This compelling engine, which with ease on the downhill grade. the hard plastic and uncomfort-
a truck is. But if the key criteria generates 310 hp and 348 lb-ft, The weight savings with the I-4 able cloth seats, aren’t upscale.
are how the truck accelerates, may not sound stirring. However, provides a stunning amount of The wood substitute on the doors
sounds, shifts, and tows, you can’t it’s a torquey engine at low rpm, extra payload capacity, able to could have spiced up the plain
go wrong with the 2020 Chevrolet which is where it mostly lives, as carry almost one ton. dash. Our RST 2.7 tester with the
Silverado 1500 with a gas or diesel Walton noted. And it hustles, Or opt for the 3.0-liter bench front seat featured one
engine and 8- or 10-speed auto- powering the 5,022-pound truck Duramax, a sweetheart of a regular USB port and an AM/FM
matic transmission smartly tuned to 60 mph in 7.1 seconds and diesel with excellent sound and radio. Unacceptable. Don’t get
to take advantage of the torque. covering the quarter mile in 15.3 feel, fuel economy, power off the us started on the horrible backup
seconds. It cruises well at highway line, payload, and towing. “This camera and grainy screen.
speeds and produces little body is probably the best of the light- Markus liked the information on
roll on winding roads. Shifts are duty diesels,” Williams said. the center screen. A four-wheel-
smooth and efficient. The RST Duramax is nimble, drive display provided stats on
Attach a 4,000-pound trailer, handing twisty roads like a large pitch and roll, trip information,
and the RST 2.7 is fastest off the sedan. Chevy’s suspension fuel range, oil life, tire pressures,
mark of our test field, scooting upgrades make it feel like a new and air filter life, as well as engine
to 30 mph in 3.5 seconds, while truck. “I don’t know if I’ve driven a hours, a timer, and instant fuel
its 0–60 time of 14.1 seconds is truck that rode that well,” Walton economy bar graphs.
The Silverado 1500 is an
SPECS 2020 Silverado 1500 RST (CrewCab 4WD 2.7L) RST Duramax (DoubleCab 2WD) improved but still ordinary truck
Base Price/As Tested $46,095/$49,235 $46,135/$48,685 with great powertrains. “Ford
and Ram are focused on how to
Power (SAE net) 310 hp @ 5,600 rpm 270 hp @ 3,750 rpm
build a better truck,” Seabaugh
Torque (SAE net) 348 lb-ft @ 1,500 rpm 460 lb-ft @ 1,500 rpm said, “Chevy seems focused on
Accel, 0-60 mph 7.1 sec 7.0 sec building a better Silverado.”
Alisa Priddle
Accel, 0-60 mph (loaded) 8.7 sec* Not tested
Accel, 0-60 mph (towing) 14.1 sec** 16.4 sec#
Quarter Mile 15.3 sec @ 90.8 mph 15.4 sec @ 90.7 mph
Quarter Mile (loaded) 16.5 sec @ 83.3 mph* Not tested
Quarter Mile (towing) 19.3 sec @ 68.7 mph** 20.8 sec @ 66.6 mph#
Braking, 60-0 mph 124 ft 126 ft
Braking, 60-0 mph (loaded) 129 ft* Not tested
Double Lane Change Time 3.5 sec 3.7 sec
Davis Dam Frustration 8.9 sec @ 591 ft*** 17.9 sec @ 1,200 ft##
Cruise Control 65-mph Overrun 1.2 mph 2.4 mph
EPA City/Hwy/Comb 19/22/20 mpg 23/33/27 mpg RST Duramax
Vehicle Layout RST Front-engine, AWD, 6-pass, 4-door truck RST Duramax Front-engine, RWD, 5-pass, 4-door truck Engine/Transmission RST 2.7L turbo
DOHC 16-valve I-4/10-speed automatic RST Duramax 3.0L turbodiesel DOHC 24-valve I-6/10-speed automatic Curb Weight (F/R Dist) RST 5,022 lb
(57/43%) RST Duramax 5,041 lb (59/41%) Wheelbase 147.4 in Length x Width x Height RST 231.7 x 81.2 x 75.5 in RST Duramax 231.8 x 81.2 x 75.6 in Energy
Consumption, City/Hwy RST 177/153 kW-hr/100 miles RST Duramax 164/114 kW-hr/100 miles CO2 Emissions, Comb RST 0.96 lb/mile RST Duramax 0.83 lb/mi

*1,500-lb payload | **4,000-lb trailer | #7,500-lb trailer | 35-55-mph uphill acceleration with ***3,160-lb ##7,750-lb trailer
48 MOTORTREND.COM JANUARY 2020