2022 Chevy Silverado To Delete Sideburn Fascia Elements
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The upcoming 2022 Chevy Silverado is set to introduce a model refresh that will include a bevy of changes and enhancements, including a new front fascia design. Now, GM Authority has learned from sources familiar with the matter that the 2022 Chevy Silverado 1500 refresh will eliminate the controversial “sideburn” air curtains of the current model design.
For those readers who may be unaware, the Silverado introduced the current air curtain design with the 2019 model year, including tall, blade-like vertical air intakes placed around the outer edge of the truck’s lower fascia. The intakes direct oncoming air around the front wheels and wheel wells, increasing aero efficiency and reducing drag, and thus providing an increase to overall fuel efficiency.
Although the air curtains provide a benefit, some fans have criticized the way they look, saying that they appear to give the Silverado “sideburns.” Now, it looks as though General Motors has listened to those customers, revising the air curtains in the front fascia of the refreshed 2022 Chevy Silverado.
According to our sources, the new air curtains will be located under the 2022 Chevy Silverado’s headlamps, roughly in the same location as the turn signals on LT, RST, LT Trail Boss, LTZ and High Country trims for the current Silverado, and where the high-beam halogen lamp resides on current WT, Custom, and Custom Trail Boss models.
The new intakes will be more square in their overall shape, rather than the tall slats seen on the current model’s “sideburns.” Additionally, the 2022 Chevy Silverado will debut a new design for the lighting elements as well.
Refreshed 2022 Chevy Silverado prototypes were recently spotted with heavy camouflage applied to the front end, however, under the camo we still managed to spot the revised air intake elements that replace the “sideburns” of the current truck.
In addition to a restyled front fascia and new air intakes, the refreshed 2022 Chevy Silverado is also expected to debut a new rear fascia design, new wheel designs, an all-new cockpit with an overhauled dash, center stack, and center console, and the latest tech features, including GM Super Cruise. It also bears mentioning that the refresh has unfortunately been delayed as a result of the ongoing microchip shortage.
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“But I wanna interior that caterers to my soft azz”…..
I agree hombre!
Someone isn’t old enough to pick up on sarcasm…
Was aiming at you, Dept. of Interior…..😉
How fluffy is your azz? Need to do more squats son…
Great, now get rid of that cheap, crappy interior. That’s the most important update needed on these trucks!
You can always tell when someone who doesn’t own or uses a truck chimes in, hopefully GM isn’t listening to these idiots. That would be like asking an accountant how they should design a painting spray gun or accessories for their jobs.
I’m pretty sure most truck owners just drive them to work at their office jobs.
Which is exactly why manufacturers should not be taking input from those people, because it will ultimately ruin the pickup truck for everybody. If it were up to the owners that live in the city and drive their truck to the office, the truck would have a 500 lb payload rating because “the ride is so soft compared to the other trucks”.
There is certainly a trend to put huge cabs and tiny beds on the trucks.
Definitely. The crowd that disses the GM half-ton interiors are typically “metros” from the city that think the more a truck resembles a sedan, the better it is. They think the perfect truck has a car-like ride, even if the end result is a truck with a pathetic 960 pound payload rating and an air-ride system that fails and needs to be completely replaced once per year. They aggressively defend plastic control arms because they don’t care how tough the suspension is built — they never plan on using hard enough for it to matter. Some even drive Ford trucks filled with extremely cheap plastic that warps within weeks of sitting on the dealer lot and feels like it’s made out of recycled eating utensils. These folks just want big sedans that look like trucks and have the biggest touchscreen available.
As I have stated several times before they make different trim levels for a reason. If you guys want a bare bones truck then by all means buy one. It’s no secret that GM needs to improve their top trim models, to suggest otherwise is simply sticking your head in the sand. To suggest that only metro city folks are driving these trucks is also sticking your head in the sand. As someone who has worked on a farm and in the oil field I can assure you that plenty of guys drive high end work trucks. If you spend a lot of time in your truck it’s only natural to want a few luxuries.
I realize it’s not your fault that you didn’t get educated better or maybe you just made bad grades. Because you had a low attention span. If you read what he actually said was ” The crowd that disses the GM half-ton interiors are typical “metros” from the city that think the more a truck resembles a sedan, the better it is. ” He didn’t say, everyone. I was a real contractor and yes I want the most luxury I can get. But he’s right. A lot of people just buy a truck to be seen driving one.
Just like a lot of doctors and lawyers buy Harley’s because they wanted to look tough.
I realize it’s not your fault that you are a condescending a$$ since you were never taught better or had the attention span to learn. I agree that a percentage of people buy trucks as a feel good item but it’s their money and their life. My point was simple, many who use their trucks for work enjoy the same luxuries. For someone who wasn’t a part of the conversation you sure got offended. Hmmm?
What is a real “contractor” Is that those folks who drive around with the Bull sticker on the doors?
Some city folks actually use their trucks as trucks and also enjoy a smooth quiet ride. Why not, we are required to pay “commercial” fees and what do you care anyway?
I agree, I am a contractor and spend a lot of time in my truck and have always drove a regular cab long bed in the upper trim level and now Chevrolet is deciding who gets to drive a nice truck and who doesn’t. I would like to see them make a regular cab long bed 1500 in the LT version not just an ugly work truck, been waiting to buy a new truck since they changed them in 2019!
You are one of many.
they are also the crowd that buys the trucks. GM needs to listen to their best customers, not the vocal minority.
Hehe, I think your referring to Nosense.
Not their fault the makers killed the station wagon. It was actually a useful vehicle while it was built.
The station wagon, minivan, and now the sedan were killed by market forces.
Building things that people aren’t buying isn’t a good business strategy.
GM does an awful amount of that. Maybe they should build Station Wagons again. It wasn’t market forces that killed sedans. The import manufacturers have proven that. They sell like hotcakes.
Sales are way down on import sedans also. However, they haven’t abandoned that market yet. For that matter they still build minivans.
Bring back the Saturn good vehicle
Lots of thing gm builds that “people” don’t want, like electric gonna be a disaster vehicles.
I never liked them. OR rather not so much them but how they did not flow into the bumper. The stubby bumper and the air curtains looked incomplete together but I don’ think an entire redo was warranted, just a better blend of the two similar to the Sierra. This current truck was not bad but had a few too many controversial styling elements a the article points out. The interior quality never bothered me as much as the lack of color choice. Black looks cheap with some exterior colors whereas a brown or tan or grey made the interior look much better. The “Gideon/Dark Atmosphere” (WTH) looked way less cheap than the basic black. This truck was not Chevy’s best effort but it wasn’t far from being a real winner!
Hoping the ’22 puts Chevy back in the game as a leader!
Never happen with gm non customer satisfaction. They suck when they build their “design flaws”.
I’d like to see the curtains moved in closer to the middle of the vehicle and much larger as well, to direct more air from that bulldozer front. The one thing I have never understood is why engineers decided “air damns” are more effective at reducing drag instead of finding an exit for all that air that goes into the engine bay.
The purpose of the air curtains are not to move air from the front, but to prevent the air turbulence caused by the moving wheel from extending outward and screwing up the aerodynamics of the rest of the front. They serve the same purpose as fender skirts (which obviously can’t be used on front wheels).
Air entering the engine bay experiences drag because it interacts with all the parts under the hood. Open your hood: there is very little space for air to move.
Just because something has a blunt or flat nose doesn’t mean it’s inefficient. Fluid mechanics is rarely intuitive.
“and thus providing an increase to overall fuel efficiency.”
Wrong. This design element has never made sense visually and provides virtually no difference in fuel economy. 1 mpg improvement versus the sideburnless Sierra, and only in certain configurations. I’ve seen dozens of polls comparing the front facias of the Silverado and Sierra, and zero favor the Chevrolet design. Same thing with the Yukon versus the Tahoe. Hopefully GM deletes the sideburns from the Tahoe as well.
Hopefully the headlights are enlarged as well, ala the GMC variants. I don’t understand the move to the squinty-eyed, strangely shaped lights of the new Silverado, Tahoe, and Camaro. It greatly reduces the appeal of face of these vehicles — which serve as the face of Chevrolet. Return to the blocky/squared design of previous generations, with minor compromise as needed to incorporate modern aerodynamics.
2021 Sierra crew cab, 5.3L, 8-speed V8, 2WD, without sideburns: 17 mpg city, 23 highway
2021 Silverado crew cab, 5.3L, 8-speed V8, 2WD, with sideburns: 17 mpg city, 23 highway
2021 Sierra crew cab, 5.3L, 10-speed V8, 4WD, without sideburns: 16 mpg city, 21 highway
2021 Silverado crew cab, 5.3L, 20-speed V8, 4WD, with sideburns: 16 mpg city, 22 highway
2021 Sierra crew cab, 6.2L, 10-speed V8, 4WD, without sideburns: 16 mpg city, 20 highway
2021 Silverado crew cab, 6.2L, 10-speed V8, 4WD, with sideburns: 16 mpg city, 21 highway
A 5% increase in MPG is fairly significant for something as simple as an air curtain. That’s 20+ extra highway miles on each tank. I actually don’t mind the look of the curtains I think it adds to the truck’s character.
The Sierra has the same functional air-curtain feature as the “sideburn” (what a stupid term to describe that design element btw). There are air intakes are next to the fog lights. Air is taken in and directed out the sides near the wheel wells.
The design element made PERFECT sense if you had actually paid attention during the reveal of the truck. They are not “sideburns”. They, along with the notch by the headlights, form a shape identical to a spartan warrior’s helmet. The designer even mentioned that the Silverado’s new front end was intended to mimic a spartan warrior’s helmet.
Using EPA estimates (estimates that are essentially trash and have always been wildly inaccurate) to try to make the argument that the air-curtains don’t make a difference in fuel economy is breathtakingly stupid.
“Breathtakingly stupid.” You’re being sensational. The fuel economy estimates come directly from General Motors press releases.
I don’t give a damn about what was said during the reveal or if the air curtain design was intended to look like a Spartan helmet. It looks stupid as hell on these trucks, and the overwhelming majority of consumers and critics agree. That’s why they’re redesigning to better integrate them into the design.
I did not say the Sierra doesn’t have air curtains. I said they don’t have the “sideburn” design everyone hates. The Sierra air curtains are integrated into a great-looking grill and light design, which is hopefully where the 2022 Chevys are headed per the article. On the Chevrolet version, the grill design has to make significant cosmetic compromises to incorporate the ugly and massive sideburn air curtains. In particular, the headlights, LED signature lighting, horizontal bar (ugly splitting on the ends), and bumper are negatively affected, resulting in a face only a mother could love.
Also it looks like you are offended. I’m guessing you or a family member are a Chevrolet designer based on your “if you watched the reveal/Spartan helmet design intent” comment. Yes, EPA figures are often inaccurate. But they’re what the manufacturer released, and the control is that they are used for both GMC and Chevrolet.
Also, the 5.3L, 8-speed 2WD, 2018 Silverados got 16 city and 22 highway mpg. 1 less mpg, with a beautiful, traditional design with no ugly-ass air curtains.
So your sensational, dramatic comment makes zero sense.
I have a 2020 RST and I think the front end looks good. The truck drives great and I don’t give a flip about Fuel economy when I am only going to save a few miles here or there. I like to see if I can make that 5.3 second 0-60 every chance I get, lol
How about improving the approach angle? That front bumper and air dam look like a snow plow. All that low hanging plastic makes me scared to do 4×4 things with a 4×4 truck.
Why does GM even bother making the GMC if they’re just going to offer Everyone the same stuff on the Cheap Silverado
OK I have nothing to gain or lose with this comment! I just bought a new, 2020 Silver High Country, trading in my Black Cadillac ESV. Prior to that I had a (first year) H-2 Hummer, and before that a Suburban
This High Country gets compliments “everyday” for being “sharp!
GM you did go….love this High Country
PS …this 6.2 -0 sod trans hauls the dam mail too!!
Iv owned every model silverado made. Put well over 50k miles on a year and trust me you want those sideburns or something of equal or less wind resistance. My 2020 silverado just glides. When I first noticed the difference I immediately was like “wtf just happened”? Get on the interstate when no other cars are around you and you’ll notice it. Although if you Crawl underneath one and just stare up at the underneath side of the bed for a bit you’ll regret buying it!
“Get on the interstate when no other cars are around you and you’ll notice it.”
Not sure where you live to get on an interstate with no other cars around you.
They need to put the mirrors back where they belong… the door mounted mirrors vs the previous door post is horrible.
Want to know a secret? My 2020 Sierra 1500 has those same air curtains, but they are hidden in the fog light surround. Mind blown, ammiright? 🤯
The ones on the Sierra don’t look as open or clean, so maybe it’s more effective on the Silverado.
The redone 2015 F150 which came out in late 2014 which we continually bash has air curtains below the headlights and above the bumper. They are integrated so well that most people do not know they are there. Those sideburns on the present Silverado just seem to go against any harmony in the design. They don’t seem to belong. The interior has needed fixing since it came out. I have driven all three trucks including the 2021 F150 and I will say that the Ram and Ford are much nicer inside than this Silverado.
When this generation Silverado came out gm stated that they used the development money on chassis and functionality. They lowballed the interior, while still keeping it useful, with intentions of redoing it on the next refresh. It can’t come soon enough. Hearing that there may be some delays in the refresh. Hoping they can stay on schedule.
It’s not a matter of looking in from the outside for me. I have driven these different makes. Used them on the farm, camping and generally daily driving. I recently sold my pickup and now drive an SUV. Miss the truck but needs outweigh any thoughts of driving something that doesn’t fit.
Big money at stake for the makers. We all know that. I feel that we should all want the best from gm, Ford, and Ram. Bashing makes has no value. Toyota is almost ready to drop the Tundra. When that arrives it will send a ripple down the sales charts. Have to be ready so gm cannot afford to mess up again with interiors, front ends, seats, quality, the feel of the switches and gear in the cab and the overall look. Neither can Ford or Ram.
And I support the electric trucks as well. Is it change for sake of change? It was not so long ago but the tide is turning. 5 years from now our electric truck and the driving experience will be accepted and thought of as the new normal.
Side note. If you like the vehicles of yesterday, the Chevys and Fords from the 60’s and 70’s, (and don’t already have one sitting quietly in the garage) then keep it in mind to go out and get one if money permits. They are going away fast and the ice powered vehicle which pretty easy to work on will be memories only. Looks like there is a ramp up in people buying these older machines.
Anyways that’s what I think while enjoying this early morning and a cup of coffee.
Go gm, go Ford, go Ram!
It’s going to take a heck of a lot more changes than those side vents to male me want to buy a Chevy Silverado over a new GMC Sierra these days. Heck, I never really minded the side vents, it was the rest of the front end that made me run off the lots.
I wonder what’s in store for the Sierra, if anything other than a nicer interior. They also need to update the 2500 3500 interiors.
Hint GM. NOW delete those ugly door panel mounted mirrors, and go back to the window A pillar mounting. Truly can’t get past how ugly they look and more so on the HD.
Chev trucks need more comfortable seats.my 2020 on long trips are not very comforable.come on GM let’s up grade those seats.
It would be nice to see a stately looking, handsome truck again by anybody. Seems like everybody has gone to this “Transformers” robot face look. Nothing flows or blends or is symmetrical anymore.
And yes, those mirrors do look out of place now.
I wish Chevy would listen more to the comments we’ve made, for the last 10 years, to build a ZR-2 Raptor fighter than worry about those fifi sideburns….
Can someone explain why a chip shortage is delaying a refresh?? Are they using more chips in the refreshed GM truck?
They probably don’t want to introduce a new refresh, only to not have enough vehicles available. So they will probably do the refresh when they can make 300,000 of them, instead of say 90,000