What kind of vehicle is the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500? What does it compare to?
The 2021 Chevy Silverado is a full-size pickup truck that can be configured in enough ways to impress an algorithm. It seats six, comes in eight trim levels, seven powertrains, three cab sizes, three bed sizes and too many standard and optional features to count.
That’s par for the course of full-size American-made trucks such as the Ford F-150, Ram 1500, and its GMC Sierra sibling. The Nissan Titan and Toyota Tundra provide alternative takes on America’s bestselling vehicles.
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Is the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 a good truck?
The Silverado splits the difference between the top-ranked Ram 1500 and the bottom-dwelling Toyota Tundra. Its versatility, capability, and customization offset its uninspired interior and limited safety features. It earns a TCC Rating of 5.2 out of 10. (Read more how we rate cars.)
What’s new for the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500?
The Silverado’s smallest engines—a 2.7-liter turbo-4 and 3.0-liter turbodiesel-6—get boosts in towing capacity thanks to better-than-expected testing. Additions to the advanced trailering technology promise to make hauling that load even easier, when properly equipped, and the most voluminous beds on the market now come with an available 6-way tailgate taken from the GMC Sierra AT4.
The blocky truck with the workmanlike interior still comes with a base 4.3-liter V-6, a popular 5.3-liter V-8 that can be had with a 6-speed, 8-speed, or 10-speed automatic transmission, and at the top of the line, a 6.2-liter V-8 capable of towing 11,900 pounds. The turbodiesel excels in highway efficiency at 33 mpg, and the turbo-4 does pretty good around town. The Silverado comes in rear-wheel drive with available four-wheel drive, and every engine except the 4.3-liter can tow more than 9,000 pounds.
Capable of seating six but best for four, the Silverado does double duty as a heavy hauler and a family hauler with a roomy crew cab and large beds that are easy to access.
The Silverado’s basic interior pales the competitors, as does its subpar crash-test rating by independent and federal safety agencies. Driver-assist features have trickled down the lineup for 2021, but it still comes at a price.
How much does the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 cost?
Base work trucks start at slightly more than $31,000 with a standard cab and a long bed in rear-wheel drive. A more popular crew cab starts at about $37,000, and prices rise accordingly based on engine choice, cab and bed size, and trims such as Custom, LT, RST, Custom Trail Boss, LTZ, LT Trail Boss, and the upscale High Country model. Decked out in all of the Silverado’s finest, the High Country can flirt with $70,000, which isn’t as expensive as the ritziest Ford F-150 or Ram 1500.
We like the $49,000 LTZ, which upgrades to an 8.0-inch touchscreen with smartphone compatibility that doesn’t overwhelm the cabin. It also has heated power-adjustable front seats, six USB ports, keyless entry and start and other goodies, except for standard safety features.
Where is the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 made?
The Silverado is made in Flint, Michigan; Fort Wayne, Indiana; and Silao, Mexico.