Face to face with a deep ruby red 2016 Chevrolet Silverado LTZ Z71, the first question was, "Where's the chrome?"
Brian Izard, senior creative designer of the full-size trucks at Chevrolet, happily points to the other Silverado samples in a rancher's field. "We've listened to our customers," he says. "They want the opportunity to create a truck that is an extension of themselves. Some want chrome and others want a clean monochromatic grille."
Changing the grille and its jewellery can't be the only reason for the new launch, only two years since the last overhaul. With Chevy truck sales up 33 per cent and the Silverado 1500 experiencing a 17-per-cent increase credited to enhanced technologies, Chevrolet wants to maintain the momentum. Along with the new grille bling, the 2016 Silverado line introduces improvements to the transmission and a dashboard that listens.
That wide nose can't legally get any wider, but by replacing the vertical trim elements (like the stacked headlamps) with horizontal lines, Izard's team made it seem bigger, more dominant. Wrapping the headlights and the string of amber LED signal lights around the corner of the edgier front gives an illusion of a beefier truck. Topping that with a hood sculpted with an industrial elegance reminiscent of the popular Chevelle SS muscle car creates eye candy for the driver who spends hours peering over it.
Inside, the dash is smoothed out but the cosmetics changes are minimal. Device plugs hide under flat covers and the eyes-free controls on the steering wheel are more seamless. New add-ons include IntelliBeam, Lane Keep Assist, MyLink with 7- or 8-inch diagonal-touch screens and wireless phone charging pads. Those with iPhones will be delighted with the available Apple CarPlay integration. Android owners will have that feature soon.
The Silverado is certified at 355-horsepower with 383 lb-ft of torque, boasting the most the fuel efficiency in full-size pickups. For a rancher, toy hauler or equipment hauler, the available Max Trailering Package will pull the load comfortably with the heavy-duty springs, revised shock tuning and integrated trailer brake control.
Plenty of available features on the hind-side will have truck owners saying, "Nice, um, rear." The remote locking tailgate, rear vision cameras and the EZ Lift-and-Lower tailgate make life easy. And anyone following the LTZ edition will say the same thing when they see the new distinctive LED taillights. Yep. Nice.
TECH SPECS
- Base price: $28,380
- Engine: 5.3-litre V-8
- Transmission/Drive: Six-speed automatic/two- and four-wheel drive
- Fuel Economy (litres/100 km): 14.7 city, 10.2 highway
- Alternatives: Ford F-150, Ram 1500, Toyota Tundra, Nissan Titan.
RATINGS
- Looks: The 2016 Silverado is boxier but not bulky. Toned up, like it’s spent time at the gym.
- Performance: The Silverado doesn’t just look stronger – it is. Offering the highest towing of any V-8 light-duty truck, it is capable of towing 12,000 pounds.
- Interior: Smoother dash cleans up the clutter and the touch screen is easy to navigate. We used to count cup holders – now its plug-ins.
- Technology: Ask Siri. Silverado customers have proven to be among the top users of OnStar and the available 4G LTE WiFi. The 2016 Silverado has the option to use Apple CarPlay on the MyLink Display. An Android version releases shortly.
- Cargo: The available spray-on liner should be a “must do” in every truck. It looks great, keeps the box looking good, cleans up nice and actually adds a grippy surface so loose stuff won’t slip and slide and scratch.
The Verdict
8.5
As the owner of a well-used base model 2011 club cab Silverado, I was pleased with the improvements. It was better at tight manoeuvring and the highway ride is solid, smooth and more silent. All the add-on features will add up fast.
The writer was a guest of the auto maker. Content was not subject to approval.
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