2019 Chevrolet Silverado Road Test and Review

2019 Chevrolet Silverado High Country ・ Photo by General Motors

The new 2019 Chevrolet Silverado line is the most sophisticated and technologically advanced pickup truck Chevrolet has ever made, with important new standard and optional features, new drivetrains, and an updated look and driving experience.

The redesigned Silverado is available as a standard cab, the extended Double Cab, or the full four-door Crew Cab. There are gasoline-fueled four-cylinder, V6, and V8 engine options, with a diesel engine option to become available in 2019. The full-size Silverado competes against the popular 2018 Ford F-150 as well as the 2018 Toyota Tundra and 2018 Nissan Titan XD. The final competitors are the 2019 GMC Sierra and 2019 Ram 1500, both of which have also been freshly revised. With all that in mind, here’s what you need to know about the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado.

Two New Off-Road Trims, and One for the Street

For 2019, Chevrolet has added two new trim levels to the Silverado. The Custom Trail Boss and LT Trail Boss trims are off-road capable variations on the popular Custom and LT trim packages. The Custom Trail Boss remains more basic, while the LT Trail Boss is more upscale.

Choosing a Trail Boss trim level adds a 2-inch suspension lift to the truck, as well as the optional Z71 off-road 4X4 package. Trail Boss models also receive underbody skid plates, special Rancho monotube off-road shock absorbers, 18-inch wheels with Goodyear DuraTrac off-road tires, and an electronically locking rear differential. The final new package for 2019 is the RST trim. Designed for street performance, the RST package includes body-colored trim and emblems; LED headlights, fog lights, and taillights; and up to 22-inch wheels.

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Eight Trim Levels to Meet Every Need

Along with the three new trims, the five existing trim levels have been carried over. Chevrolet divides these into High Value, High Volume, and High Feature. High Value trims include the basic Work Truck, available only as a standard cab with vinyl seating, the Custom trim with cloth upholstery and larger wheels, and the Custom Trail Boss trim with off-road features. All High Value trims come with a 4.3-liter V6 engine as standard with a 5.3-liter V8 as an option.

High Volume models are expected to be popular, making up the bulk of sales. These include the LT with upgraded infotainment and chrome, RST, and LT Trail boss. Both the LT and RST come with an all-new turbocharged 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine as standard, while the LT Trail Boss comes with the latest 5.3-liter V8. Lastly, High Feature trims include the upscale LTZ and High Country models. In these trims, leather upholstery is standard, along with upgraded technology and comfort features. A power tailgate is included as standard equipment on High Country trucks. The new 5.3-liter V8 engine is standard, with an optional 6.2-liter V8 available.

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Comfortable, Quiet Interior

In any trim level, the new Silverado is dramatically quieter inside the cabin than its predecessor. Chevrolet has redesigned several features of the frame, suspension, and cab mounting to reduce road, engine, and wind noise. The result is by far the quietest Silverado ever made.

The new Silverado is also longer, wider, and taller than the outgoing truck, and most of this space was allocated to the cab. Crew cab models received 3 inches of additional rear legroom. Together with the width and height adjustments, the 2019 model is the roomiest Silverado ever made. The seats are big and comfortable. Cloth upholstery is standard on most trims, but leather is available in all but the most economy-oriented trim levels. Most trims also feature a large 8-inch touchscreen infotainment interface with Chevy’s onboard 4G/LTE data system, OnStar, and full phone integration with both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

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Bigger Beds with Tailgate Options

The Silverado's pickup bed options are also larger for 2019, with several tailgate features that may be selected. The short bed measures 70 inches long by 51 inches between the wheel wells, but more space was added out to 64.9 inches at the sides, and the bed is 22 inches deep. You can fit 63 cubic feet of cargo into a short bed Silverado, or 72 cubic feet into a 79-inch long bed variant. The Work Truck trim comes with a true 8-foot (98-inch) bed for 89 cubic feet of capacity. All Silverado beds are made of high-strength steel and include 12 tie-down points.

There are four tailgates available, depending on trim and option choices. You can get a standard lockable tailgate or get it with lift assistance. There’s also a Power Lock/Release tailgate with remote locking, lift assistance, and power release. Finally, you can order an industry-exclusive Power Up/Down tailgate with lift assistance, automatic release, remote locking, and power closing.

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New 2.7-Liter Engine

The LT and RST trims come with an all-new turbocharged 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine rated at 310 horsepower and 348 pound-feet of torque. The new four-cylinder engine is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and has plenty of power to move the Silverado, including towing capacity up to 7,200 pounds. To compare, the existing 4.3-liter V6 engine offers 285 horsepower and 305 pound-feet of torque.

The new engine uses active fuel management, which offers the ability to disable two cylinders when power is not needed. Additionally, the engine comes with low-power and high-power cam profiles on all cylinders, so it can respond to power needs with only the fuel use that is absolutely required.

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New Dynamic Cylinder Deactivation on V8 Engines

Both the new 5.3-liter and 6.2-liter V8 engines offer an entirely new Dynamic Fuel Management system. GM's existing Active Fuel Management system reduces fuel use by disabling four cylinders when power is not needed. In contrast, Dynamic Fuel Management has 17 different deactivation modes that smoothly deactivate individual cylinders in different patterns up to 80 times per second. You’ll never know when the system has deactivated cylinders. It’s completely transparent, and you can forget all about it except when you notice your fuel economy.

For the record, a 5.3-liter LT Trail Boss with an eight-speed transmission gets 15 mpg in the city and 20 mpg on the highway, while a High Country crew cab with the 6.2-liter engine and the 10-speed automatic returns 16 mpg in the city and 20 mpg on the highway.

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Wide Selection of Engines

The full range of engine choices can be complicated, but essentially the High Value trims come with the existing 4.3-liter V6 engine, with an option to upgrade to the existing 5.3-liter V8 with Active Fuel Management. These engines come with a six-speed automatic transmission.

Meanwhile, the High Volume LT and RST trims come with the 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine and can be upgraded to the new 5.3-liter V8 with Dynamic Fuel Management (DFM), or the upcoming 3.0-liter turbodiesel engine, which is expected to arrive in 2019. The LT Trail Boss trim comes exclusively with the new 5.3-liter DFM engine. All of these trucks will use an eight-speed transmission except the diesels, which will get a 10-speed automatic. Lastly, the High Feature LTZ and High Country trims will receive the new 5.3-liter V8 with DFM and an eight-speed transmission, but they can be upgraded to the 6.2-liter V8 with DFM and a 10-speed transmission. Both these trims may also be ordered in the future with the turbodiesel engine and 10-speed transmission.

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New Frame and Suspension

From an owner’s perspective, the new fully boxed frame and upgraded suspension on the 2019 Silverado is one of the most noticeable improvements to the truck. The new structure adds rigidity, while engineers changed the suspension geometry to enhance stability and smooth steering. The cabin now rides on new mounts, and the engine sits on hydraulic mounts. Additionally, there’s a vibration absorber in the torque converter to better isolate passengers from the engine.

You’ll perceive all this as simple stability and a smoother ride than you’ve ever had in a pickup truck before. The 2019 Silverado promotes confidence when driving, and it glides over bumps and rough pavement without jolting the steering wheel.

Photo by General Motors

New Camera and Towing Options

Part of making a high-tech vehicle for 2019 involves cameras. The new Silverado comes with several, including a standard rearview backup camera that is standard on all trims. But trucks equipped with a towing package will also receive a backup camera with a moving guideline to help back up to a trailer properly. When you’re close, you can switch to a hitch view that will enable you to put the ball under the trailer tongue perfectly, every time.

Additionally, you’ll get side-view cameras to check the sides of the trailer. These are automatically displayed on the central screen when you actuate the turn signal. Finally, there’s an option for a rearview camera that can show you what’s happening behind the rig. Then there’s a whole host of features that include an automatic trailer lighting check, trailer theft alarm, and trailer tire temperature and pressure sensors.

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Bottom Line — The Best Silverado Yet

The 2019 Silverado offers more trim levels, more options, more towing capability, more tech, and more engine power than any half-ton Chevy truck of the last 100 years. Chevy has kept the price down on the basic work truck, but you can purchase a well-equipped crew cab truck with 4WD and a V8 engine for less than $50,000 quite easily. The top High Country trim with all the features will cost you about $62,290.

Whether you're a Chevy truck fan or not, you should have the 2019 Silverado on your test-drive list if you're planning a truck purchase this year. 

Photo by General Motors