The Car Connection Expert Review
Likes
- Brash styling
- Strong engine choices
- Conservative, classy feel in and out
- Terrific infotainment
- Automatic emergency braking option
Dislikes
- Brash styling not for everyone
- V-8s can be thirsty
- 8-speed automatic no thriftier than 6-speed, so what’s the point?
- Light on whizz-bang features
The suave 2018 Chevrolet Silverado does nearly all things well, even if it’s not a huge standout in one way or another.
The 2018 Chevrolet Silverado wears its pickup personality on its sleeve; a big, brash-looking truck that’s available in a configuration for nearly every need. It’s a work truck when it needs to be and a refined, quiet mile-eater at other times.
We rate the Silverado at 6.7 out of 10 overall, a number that takes into account its strong V-8s, its wide range of options, and its decent safety set. (Read more about how we rate cars.)
The Silverado is available in Work Truck, LS, Custom, LT, LTZ, and High Country trim levels, with numerous individual and packaged optional equipment available to ensure that yours doesn’t look like anyone else’s.
Silverados come standard with a 4.3-liter V-6 that’s more than adequate, but a 5.3-liter V-8 is the top-seller and it’s easy to see why. If lugging lots of humans, gear, and trailers is your thing, the optional 6.2-liter V-8 is a sweet, Cadillac-worthy engine. There’s even a mild hybrid system called eAssist that nets marginally improved fuel economy; this year it’s available on a wider range of Silverados. You’ll have to do the math to see how long it’ll take to pay off the extra cost associated with going kind of green.
Regardless of engine, all Silverados have a tough, solid feel that’s paired with a comfortable ride and handling that may surprise. Corner carvers, these trucks are not, but they are certainly not the buckboards of yore.
Both rear- and four-wheel drive are available as are three cab configurations—regular, extended, and crew. You’ll want to measure your parking spot carefully before selecting between one of the five bed/cab combinations available.
No Silverado 1500 is basic this year thanks to the addition of a rearview camera that’s paired to a 7.0-inch touchscreen audio system. HID headlights, Bluetooth, and power locks are also standard at even the lowest point of the Silverado hierarchy. Work your way up to the LS and LT and you’ll find all the expected creature comforts. At the top of the heap sits the Silverado High Country that may be a little too fancy for its Chevy badge. Or maybe not.
On the safety front, the Silverado 1500 is a rarity among pickups by offering low-speed automatic emergency braking and active lane control. Its crash-test scores are decent, albeit with a little room for improvement.
