2014 Chevy Silverado High Country: A New Destination for Premium Truck Buyers

There have no doubt been some fairly sharp Chevy pickups in the past, but the 2014 Chevrolet Silverado High Country is being called the brand’s “first premium truck”—by the brand itself—and is specifically targeting the new wave of drivers who want to combine the presence and capability of a full-size pickup with the luxurious trappings of a flagship luxury sedan.

Of course, in this case, the design theme is one that still speaks to truck owners. As noted by Maria Rohrer, marketing director for the Silverado line: “There’s a Western flair to the High Country’s cabin that reflects the truck’s polished yet rugged stature. It’s a passenger environment that’s equally adept when working a ranch during the day and stepping out for the evening.”

More specifically, the 2014 Chevy Silverado High Country wears a saddle-brown interior, highlighted by premium-leather front-bucket seats that are heated and cooled and show off High Country logos on their headrests. Typically upscale technologies are standard as well, including Chevrolet’s latest MyLink connectivity system and a premium audio setup from Bose. Also standard are driver-assistance measures like front and rear park assist, while optional goodies include:

• Rear-seat entertainment system compatible with both DVDs and BluRay discs
• Navigation
• Heated steering wheel
• Adjustable pedals
• Sunroof
• Integrated trailer brake controller
• Camera-based safety features like forward collision alert, lane departure warning and GM’s Safety Alert Seat with vibrating driver warnings

The exterior of the 2014 Chevy Silverado High Country is likewise luxed up, thanks to a model-exclusive chrome grille, accented by horizontal chrome bars, body-color front and rear bumpers, and High Country 20-inch chrome wheels (with P275/55R20 all-season tires).

But as Rohrer also notes, and we detail on the next page, “Silverado High Country adds a higher degree of capability to the premium truck market.”

2014 Chevy Silverado High Country: Quick Spec Check

Proving the 2014 Chevy Silverado High Country is no poser, the standard powertrain mates the new 5.3-liter direct-injected V8 from GM’s EcoTec3 family with a six-speed automatic transmission. Further featuring GM’s Active Fuel Management cylinder de-activation system along with continuously variable valve timing, the engine provides 355 hp, 383 lb.-ft. of torque, and a best-in-class 23 mpg highway. Alternatively, owners can select the most powerful V8 in the segment—a new 6.2-liter unit that makes 420 hp and 460 lb.-ft. of torque—to enjoy a 9,800-lb. max towing capacity and 1,957-lb. payload.

It’s also worth noting that the truck is, in fact, ready to tow right out of the box, with a grip-friendly locking rear differential (with 3.42 ratio) and a standard trailering package that includes a frame-mounted hitch, seven- and four-pin connectors, and trailer sway control. And along with the ability to pull almost five tons with confidence, the 2014 Chevy Silverado High Country delivers confident stopping power, too. Corrosion-resistant Duralife brake rotors and auto-grade braking (which relies on transmission downshifts to slow the truck and save the brakes) answer the call here.

The bottom line from Rohrer is that the 2014 Chevy Silverado High Country “broadens the all-new Silverado’s lineup with a unique combination of exclusive features and purposeful technologies. Its class-leading power is matched with the strong chassis and new suspension and drivetrain elements that make the 2014 Silverado 1500 the strongest, most capable and most refined truck in Chevrolet’s history.”