May 2007
First Look: 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
Redesigned and refined, the Silverado is more competitive among full-sized pickup trucks
Overview. The Silverado, and its twin the GMC Sierra, was redesigned and much improved for 2007. Those pickups now share the same platform
as the Chevy Suburban and Tahoe sport/utility vehicles that went on sale last year. That redesign brought better handling,
steering, brakes, and interior quality.
Full-sized pickups have long been the top-selling vehicles in the United States. It's hard to overestimate the importance of those vehicles to Detroit's bottom line, if not its very survival. Ford and GM dominate the large-pickup sales race, selling about 800,000 units each per year. Dodge runs third, but the Nissan Titan and Toyota Tundra have been left in the dust saleswise. The Tundra, though, has been redesigned (and significantly enlarged) for 2007, presenting a renewed long-term sales threat to the domestics.
Like other large pickups, the Silverado comes with an array of engine and body choices. We bought a four-door crew cab outfitted
more like a family vehicle rather than a commercial hauler. With four-wheel-drive and the popular 315-hp, 5.3-liter V8, our
Silverado 1500 LT2's sticker price was a hefty $37,235, even without leather or a sunroof. Stability control is standard with
the crew cab, but optional on other configurations.
Initial impressions. The Silverado rides quite comfortably, without the sharp jolts and tossing usually experienced in a full-sized pickup. While not agile, handling is reasonably responsive, and steering and brake feel are much improved. The selectable four-wheel-drive system can be set to full-time--a big convenience, as well as a safety advantage.
The powertrain provides adequate performance, but it isn't as refined as those in Nissan and Toyota trucks. The Chevrolet engine has GM's cylinder-deactivation system, which saves fuel by shutting down four of the eight cylinders when they're not needed. That might add a couple of mpg but the results are hardly dramatic. We've been clocking 14 mpg overall on our truck's trip computer. Full, instrumented fuel testing has not yet been completed.
The new Silverado is a significant advance in interior fit and finish over the previous generation. Though not world-class, inside surfaces have a better feel and neater assembly. Most controls are very easy to reach and use. You can grasp the big inside door handles while wearing gloves, but the handle itself is a bit low. Top-trim versions get the same attractive dashboard as the Suburban, but most, like ours, make do with a more workmanlike setup. The front seats are firm and comfortable now. The cabin is quiet inside, but after only 4,000 miles, some rattles are cropping up. Although it takes a long step up to climb aboard, the Silverado is lower than competing trucks, which aids access and cargo loading.
CR's take: At this point the redesigned Silverado looks like a top contender among the group of half-ton pickups we are testing, but
the newly redesigned and enlarged Toyota Tundra is still a wild card. We'll have a full report in the September issue of Consumer Reports and in August on ConsumerReports.org.
Read the Consumer Reports Cars Blog for regular updates on vehicles CR is currently evaluating.
Full-sized pickups have long been the top-selling vehicles in the United States. It's hard to overestimate the importance of those vehicles to Detroit's bottom line, if not its very survival. Ford and GM dominate the large-pickup sales race, selling about 800,000 units each per year. Dodge runs third, but the Nissan Titan and Toyota Tundra have been left in the dust saleswise. The Tundra, though, has been redesigned (and significantly enlarged) for 2007, presenting a renewed long-term sales threat to the domestics.
Initial impressions. The Silverado rides quite comfortably, without the sharp jolts and tossing usually experienced in a full-sized pickup. While not agile, handling is reasonably responsive, and steering and brake feel are much improved. The selectable four-wheel-drive system can be set to full-time--a big convenience, as well as a safety advantage.
The powertrain provides adequate performance, but it isn't as refined as those in Nissan and Toyota trucks. The Chevrolet engine has GM's cylinder-deactivation system, which saves fuel by shutting down four of the eight cylinders when they're not needed. That might add a couple of mpg but the results are hardly dramatic. We've been clocking 14 mpg overall on our truck's trip computer. Full, instrumented fuel testing has not yet been completed.
The new Silverado is a significant advance in interior fit and finish over the previous generation. Though not world-class, inside surfaces have a better feel and neater assembly. Most controls are very easy to reach and use. You can grasp the big inside door handles while wearing gloves, but the handle itself is a bit low. Top-trim versions get the same attractive dashboard as the Suburban, but most, like ours, make do with a more workmanlike setup. The front seats are firm and comfortable now. The cabin is quiet inside, but after only 4,000 miles, some rattles are cropping up. Although it takes a long step up to climb aboard, the Silverado is lower than competing trucks, which aids access and cargo loading.
Read the Consumer Reports Cars Blog for regular updates on vehicles CR is currently evaluating.
