The situation regarding the large number of unsold Chevy Silverado Medium Duty trucks sitting at Chevrolet dealerships in the United States appears to have improved substantially in recent weeks.
GM Authority last reported on this situation in June of this year. At that time, approximately 2,000 prior model year Chevy Silverado MD units were still available, 1,500 of them from the 2020 model year and the remaining 500 from the 2019 model year.
| 2019 Silverado MD | 2020 Silverado MD | 2019 and 2020 combined | |
|---|---|---|---|
| End of December 2020 | 1,000 | 3,000 | 4,000 |
| End of February 2021 | 900 | 2,500 | 3,400 |
| End of March 2021 | 700 | 2,200 | 2,900 |
| End of April 2021 | 600 | 1,800 | 2,400 |
| End of May 2021 | 500 | 1,500 | 2,000 |
| Start of July 2021 | 0 | 1,300 | 1,300 |
Since then (as of the beginning of July), the total figure has fallen sharply to 1,300 units, partly because inventory of 2019 model year trucks appears to have fallen rapidly to zero. This is a remarkable development, since it means that the last 500 trucks found customers in slightly over one month, while the prior 500 units sold before only found homes over the course of five months.
Stocks of the 2020 Chevy Silverado MD have fallen more slowly to 1,300 units. By comparison, there are 2,700 units of the 2021 Chevy Silverado MD still available. The 2021 model year represents Chevy’s current medium duty truck, since the 2022 model year version is not due to go into production until the 2022 calendar year.
Chevrolet Silverado Sales Detail - Q2 2021 - USA
| Model | Q2 2021 / Q2 2020 | Q2 2021 | Q2 2020 | YTD 2021 / YTD 2020 | YTD 2021 | YTD 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | +34.5% | 164,731 | 122,432 | +9% | 291,322 | 267,166 |
| Silverado LD | +31.1% | 117,275 | 89,465 | +2.8% | 207,980 | 202,390 |
| Silverado HD | +42% | 44,431 | 31,279 | +26.4% | 78,430 | 62,052 |
| Silverado MD | +79.2% | 3,025 | 1,688 | +80.3% | 4,912 | 2,724 |
The Silverado MD has been performing spectacularly well in recent months. In Q2 of 2021, sales were up by 79 percent compared with the same period the year prior. And during the first six months of 2020, sales increased 80 percent to 4,912 units.
This has made a small contribution to total sales of the Silverado family, which have improved by nine percent during the first six months of 2021. However, it should be noted that the Chevy Silverado 1500 light duty pickup truck on its own is the most popular Chevrolet (and GM) model in the United States, without the help of its medium duty and heavy duty relatives.
In fact, the Silverado MD is not a very close relative to the Silverado LD (1500) or Silverado HD (2500HD and 3500HD). Despite its nameplate and the fact that it uses the same cab as the previous-generation, K2-based Silverado HD, it rides on a very different platform that was developed jointly by GM and Navistar.
However, the Silverado Medium Duty’s connection with the other Chevy Silverado models is more evident when considering that it’s powered by the 6.6L V8 L5D turbodiesel Duramax engine. Currently the only engine available for the Silverado MD, the eight-cylinder diesel is closely related to the 6.6L V8 L5P used in the Silverado HD.
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Comments
Choices are limited now. -Either a Trax or this MD!
They need an EV version of this one.
I’ve always been a GM guy but I really think Ford got it right with the 450/550 class. Ford uses the current Superduty pickup body with a modified chassis. You would assume that would mean the Silverado 4500 is more capable but the numbers don’t really add up. The Silverado 4500 GVWR is only 200 lbs higher and has a much lower towing capacity than the F-450. The F-450 can even be equipped with a normal dually pickup bed. It makes them more approachable from a size aspect and can still be ordered in top trim levels. Another bonus is the F-450 6.7 Powerstroke has the same output as the F-350 whereas the Silverado 4500 has a detuned Duramax. It makes the F-450 more attractive to the average consumer as evidenced by how many I see pulling big 5th wheel trailers. Ford doesn’t move to the big body, tall chassis until the 650 class. Leave the Silverado 6500 as is but I really wish GM would revisit their approach for future 4500/5500 models.
I think just a separate in between model would be fine, maybe a 4500HD with the 25/3500HD body. Call it the 4500 like early GM fashion, and keep the 45/55/6500HD models.
The Medium Duty trucks that GM last made have a huge value even when 8 or 10 or 12 years old. The advantage of these MD versions is that you can order air ride and you get order 4 wheel drive as well in both regular cab and crew cab models.. Since the only engine is the diesel, with 700 pounds feet of torque, it is set up to get best possible fuel mileage. In Canada, GM does not offer this MD truck, you must buy it with the International truck grille from those International truck dealers. The reputation for this engine is much better than the Ford diesel engines, so resale value will be probably the best in that 4500 to 6500 series range. For a bigger wheelbase truck, GM offers the Isuzu truck in the 6500 series range with a Cummins diesel for the 2022 models. This Isuzu truck will also have the best resale value in the 3 to 5 year old models when they come to the used truck market. If buyers were smart, when they don’t have enough cash for a down payment to buy a new truck, they can always lease it for the first 4 to 5 years, then buy out the lease and keep the truck. A light truck dealer that i know, won’t buy the used Ford diesel trucks because of the engine problems over the years, so these MD and Isuzu 6500 trucks will be the best value over the next 4 to 10 years.
Retune the DMAX, bump up the tow ratings and make a pickup bed for it. Stop coddling the Chinese and start building vehicles people want and need. When I went to order a 5500, the sales guy was honest and was very open about the lack of towing capability. What a disappointment. Hopefully GM will strengthen it enough to be a contender in the fifth wheel RV towing abilities.
David or any one out there know what brand of backpack box is behind the cab of the red Silverado shown at the Work Truck Show? I cannot see what the first name of the show is, but I am looking for a similar backpack for my 2020 Silverado MD.
Thanks
That truck was at GM’s initial intro of the MD Silverado at NETA in 2019.
The upfit was done by Monroe Truck Equipment
I picked up a 2019 model year 6500 with an aluminum 12′ landscape dump body in January of 2020. Total, out the door pricing including body was $60,000 even. The truck was used by GM to show the truck at various auto shows so it had 12k miles but never titled and full factory warranty. I feel like I got a great deal on a good truck. Empty weight with myself and a bit of fuel is 10500lbs leaving me 6 ton payload. Truck hauls it just fine and I do feel it’s underrated but I respect the numbers and don’t push it. It has air ride in the back but still drives like concrete blocks smashing each other and for reasons I’m not certain of, it’s capped at 65mph which is dangerous when on the interstate. Truck can’t get out of it’s own way merging, lane changes etc which is a real concern. While normal driving 65 is plenty fast but not when cars/trucks are running 80 and you’re in the way and need to move. Quality of materials used on the interior is pretty poor, lots of plastic which scratches easily. Truck was equipped with every option offered minus 4wd, for what I paid, I’d buy again. Decent power, payload, large enough fuel capacity with 65 gallons takes the truck+/- 650 miles around town at 10-11mpg loaded and interstate runs empty from Ohio which is where I purchased the truck to NC where I live I averaged 15 going as high as 18. Towing capacity is a bit low but at 15,500lbs it covers my 10k CTL and 2500lbs trailer. They should have offered at least a 26,000lb option and towing should be double what it is.
From what I see in this concern , and working for a gm dealer for almost twenty years is that the requirements to service and sake the MD Silverado is holding back moving the units . At the shop I currently work at , it was decided that it would cast to much to build the area needed to service the trucks . And with that we can’t sale them . There are many companies that went to the competitor truck cause of this reason.
In my area, I am seeing a lot of new Penske 6500 box van rentals. U-Haul will probably buy a lot of Silverado mediums when the gasoline engine becomes available.