The 2018 North American International Auto Show has come and gone, and Chevrolet revealed one of its most important products: the 2019 Silverado.
As usual, we combed over the all-new truck to find five things we dig about Chevy’s new half-ton pickup. Without further ado:
It’s Future-Proof
Chevrolet only spoke about three of the 2019 Silverado’s six engines at its debut, but we know GM developed the pickup with the future in mind. Not only will it fit traditional internal-combustion engines, but it will also support battery packs, fuel cells and other hybrid powertrains. You name it, the 2019 Silverado will support it.
The Exterior Design
We quite like the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado‘s new looks. In photos, it looks a bit “me too,” with regards to the Ford F-150. But, in person, the design really takes on its own look. We love the rear tailgate with “Chevrolet” debossed into the rear, rather than a Chevy badge and the front clip looks good with chrome and sporty black hues. The side surfacing also brings out some character and instantly makes the 2018 Silverado look drab. It’s a safe design, but it’s an attractive one.
There’s A Variant For Everyone
Chevrolet prided itself on encompassing eight different Silverado trims this time around, and that’s before the inevitable special editions start flowing. We think that’s seriously smart. Not only is there the new off-road-oriented Trailboss LT model, but Chevy will also sell a de-contented Trailboss Custom for those who just want some extra off-road prowess. Work Truck, High Country, Rally Sport Truck, there really is a Silverado to suit any truck buyer.
More Usability In All The Right Places
Engineers went to town on the 2019 Silverado’s functionality. There are more tie downs in the bed, the box is larger, the rear seats hide extra storage compartments, and yes, it has rear-seat air conditioning vents. The new Silverado excels in checking off a lot of goodies truck buyers will appreciate.
The V8 Engine Gets A New Lease On Life
We’re all for more efficient powertrains when deemed fit, but a V8-powered pickup just feels right. Chevrolet threw shade at Ford for downsizing and turbocharging its pickup’s engines while announcing Dynamic Fuel Management technology for the 5.3-liter and 6.2-liter V8 engines. The technology, presumably Delphi’s skip-fire tech, can shut off up to seven cylinders, depending on the driving situation. Prototype technology showed a 21-percent increase in fuel efficiency in a GMC Yukon Denali while running just two of the engine’s eight cylinders.
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Comments
I think they are making a mistake restricting the new 10 speed to only the diesel and 6.2 which will not be the volume engines. The 5.3 and turbo engine offering should have it too like Ford is doing with the F-150. Otherwise I like what i’m seeing so far and really am hoping for more interior colors other than black on the lower trim levels. To be best in the segment you need to bring all guns blazing and I’m not quite getting that vibe with the new Silverado yet.
Their announcement to continue producing a lot of these trucks in Mexico is a huge disappointment in an otherwise stellar design.
Mexico has over 40 free trade agreements with Central and South American countries. You wouldn’t be able to build these trucks in the US and sell them to these countries without additional costs for duties and tariffs, which mean GM sales overall would suffer. Assembly plants are most cost efficient with high volumes, so it makes sense to have a plant there. The labor savings for an average assembly time of 25 hours can easily be eroded by additional freight costs (material in, finished vehicles back to the US), so there are a lot of factors that go into where a vehicle is built.
I haven’t seen any truck buyers looking for a truck made in Mexico. It’s an embarrassment to the company to make any USA truck in any location other than the USA. Ram just announced they will not make any more trucks in Mexico. Suddenly Fiat motors sounds more American than Chevy. It’s a disgrace.
Yet Ram on averages is only 2 percent more American content than GM full size trucks.
Ram has engines from Italy and transmission from German etc..
No matter the badge they are all global products now.
Where it is built has no impact on the vehicle, it should not matter other than thinking (incorrectly) you are some how more or a better American. Doing the building in other parts helps keeps the costs down and there is no difference in quality.
Finally you do realize Dodge (err Ram) if owned by a foreign company right? Building trucks here still means the profits go over seas (ditto with Toyota) as it all ends at the top on the books for these companies bottom lines before being distributed.
The only trucks built in Mexico are the crew cab so you still have the shipping for the other models. This makes no sense
Does this truck have race mode?!! The picture of the 4×4 buttons left of the steering wheel has a dial that has a trailer on one side, and a checkered flag on the other. Would that be tow/haul, and race mode?
that’d be awesome if that’s what that is.
Saw that aswell, was thinking a sport mode? Look at the High Country pictures though, there is no flag or trailer graphic on the same dial?
They really could use a tune button like that. Good mileage mode, tow haul mode, touring mode, sport mode. If my Denali HD had that it would be great.
The flag is generally a sport mode for electronic awd or electronic suspension. It just tightens up the steering, stiffens the shocks and raises the shift points in most GM applications.
In some AWD it can vector more power to the rear like in the CUV models.
Heres to hoping the Sierra offers a more exciting interior.
Anyone want to guess what the rotary knob to the left of the steering wheel above the 4×4 controls are for? I’m thinking it could be a drive mode selector. Or could it be a steering knob for towing like the one Ford offers in the F-series and Expedition? Guess I’ll have to wait and see.
I hope they didn’t screw up the great tilt telescoping wheel with that stupid A$$ tilt column they are jamming in every other vehicle on the planet!
I also prefer the older tilt. My 2017 Denali HD still has it . 2015 Canyon not. 2014 ATS not. I hope they keep it, but it will not keep me from buying one. At least when its a HD
Can anybody identify the new rear axle on these trucks? It doesn’t look like either of the AAM axles that the V8 K2 trucks were using. Last year GM announced that they were spending $1 billion on a new axle plant in Michigan but I haven’t read anything about it since then.
All the trucks I have owned since 2005, all Duramax, all HD. I have installed bed lights, like they now offer, box liner like they now offer, auto start like they now offer. Electric tonneau cover, tailgate seal. The 2007 to the 2017 are so hard to seal out the dust the way they stamp the metal. You can buy a foam kit that works ok with a lot of sealer and work. #1 I would love it if they would form the tailgate and sell a seal kit for it . #2 when I installed the Electric tonneau covers, I could open them with the auto start remote I installed. Now with factory autostart I would love to be able to use an Acaida remote with the rear hatch button to open the electric cover. Programmable fobs and some aux in and outs would be great. Even if you had to have the dealer do it, at least if it were possible.
The LT Trailboss axle appears to be slightly different compared to the AAM 12-bolt 9.5″ axle the V8 K2xx trucks have been using so far.
The diff cover has a square embossed area just below the filler plug. The pinion flange looks different. There are also blocks or bosses on this particular casting that aren’t on other versions of the current GM 9.5″ 12-bolt. They’re on either side of the housing, above and below the area where the axle tubes are riveted on.
There also appears to be a wiring harness visible above the axle housing in one of the pictures. It also looks like there’s a metal bracket of some sort on top. Is this evidence that the Trailboss will have an optional E-locker?
I just hope they didn’t screw it up like the 2013-14 ATS our 2004 ATS 140,000 miles still going no leaks or vibrations. Our 2014 ATS vibration at 75 t 85 mph so I replaced rear differential now one side leaks fluid.
Have they paid us tax payers back yet? I don’t mean refinanced. I mean paid back for the the votes obama bought.
I’m not impressed with the ’19 truck. When will GM wake up and start building a better truck? This is change for the sake of change. After fighting with dealers to fix everything wrong with my ’16 Sierra, I can proudly say that I will never buy another GM. I doubt the F-150 is much better, but at least Ford will stand behind their truck rather than make excuses as to why they can’t repair their painted junk pile.
Although I do like what I see in the 19 truck. Most of it is catch up. For the first time in 34 years of driving GM trucks and after 2 months of owning a new GMC Denali 2500HD I was thinking of a Ford, I even test drove one. Ford, rear vents, USB plugs, you can get in the rear with large boots, box light switch in box, tailgate drops with remote, we used the man step when hunting, when pulling a trailer you can keep track in the DIC, and that’s just what I can remember. I love the look of the GM designs. I think the head Marry I think is doing a great job. I also like the GM story and a PUBLIC company not family owned. I do think that Family name also helps some others. Toyota is a family name somewhat, and they stand behind there stuff period. Ford is a family company they stand behind customers period. If you call GM the actually call the dealership that screwed you to make it better and cost the dealership, that simply will never work, I also agree GM when are you going to wake up. You simply need to take care of your customers, not leave it up to the dealers. You do know that most car dealers sell all car brands, and could give a crap about brand loyalty, $$$$$, they will sell you a Ford, Dodge, Kia, whatever. If the brand doesn’t stand up for its customers they will simply switch.
Ford stands behind their customers? Weird. Were they standing behind their customers when they blamed my friends and family with those junk Powerstroke 6.0 and 6.4’s for destroying their own engines? Were they standing behind my brother-in-law when his 2014 F-150 Ecoboost had a turbo fail and send metal into the engine at 65k miles and wasn’t covered by warranty? My nephew’s 2016 F-250 had a CP4 failure at 20k miles and Ford blamed him, saying he didn’t keep use Ford’s additives and didn’t use quality fuel, even though he buys fuel at the same station that everybody else in town does and none of them have had CP4 failures. I’m a regular on a couple different Ford truck forums and I regularly see Ford brush off engine problems, highway vibrations, death wobble, transmission issues, brake failures, etc.
But this is exactly what I mean. I think this should prove the point. Everyone has the story. I am not making this up, you can come meet me and I will take you to meet these people. My brother in law had 3 of those Ford Powerstrokes, him, his son, his dad, Ford fixed all of them, he still drives Ford, 8 of them. My other friend Steve had one, HAD, of those Ecoboosts that Ford did not fix, he now has a Toyota. I am partial to GM, and will never buy anything else however loyalty goes both ways. Most people I know are not like me they will switch then switch back. And in my opinion, most of the time, at least the ones I know it was because of the bad experience, not look at that whatever I want one of those. There are some but not most.
I am not quoting other site issues from other people, and I don’t live on fear of if you do that look out. These are my personal stories 34 years of GM, how I was treated, what I have went through.
I like what GM did here with exterior. I especially like the in-bed tool box and the GM step bumper (have that in my 14 MY) and that GM finally offers rear seat AC again. I do however agree with others that they should offer the new 10 speed more widely (my 6 speed is quite jerky at low speeds) and would like to see optional gear lever (like Ford offers both column and console lever) and feel GM could have gone further with interior.
I think Ram really did a brilliant job upgrading their interior – though I’m not sure about the new touchscreen as it’ll be a pain to keep clean and seems somewhat busy.
Overall I still like the F-150 better – more options and I think it’ll age well. I may stick with GM though as I like having one of each (GM and Ford) in my stable) and love my Mustang GT (DOHC V8)
Great though that the big three are continuing to offer more to consumers more as these trucks are huge cash cows for them.
Ugliest huge mug I have ever seen on a Chevy pickup . Looks like GM is trying to have the tallest and boldest front end in the industry . Congrats you appear to have done it , while the 2019 Ram and Ford are lowering theirs to produce a more balanced vehicle . Looking at my fractured crystal ball I forecast this should help Ford win an even higher percentage of the marketplace and perhaps see Ram equal GM in sales .