2007 Chevy Silverado

First Drive: 2007 Chevrolet Silverado - Previews

A smart, well-dressed, all-American superhero has just arrived to save GM. And it ain’t Bob Lutz. BY STEVE SILER, November 2006 ( Car and Driver Magazine)

When the going gets tough—as in navigating nasty, washed-out roads, hauling hay through a lumpy field, or pulling a four-ton trailer up a mountain pass—it’s nice to have an unflappable full-size truck. And certainly, when the going gets tough for the world’s most prominent automaker that is bleeding market share and money, it’s really nice to have a stellar profit generator ready to plug at least some of the flowing red ink that has been pouring out of the Renaissance Center and all over the pothole-ridden streets of Detroit.


Different than Sierra in looks only.

Though the Silverado’s “This is our country. This is our truck.” advertising campaign has generated its fair share of controversy, the new Silverado takes few risks in the styling department. The Silverado’s design has a broad, chiseled “face,” which accentuates a broad-shouldered stance and gives the Silverado a powerful and muscular presence. As with the previous generation, most of what comes inside the Silverado is offered on its near-twin, the GMC Sierra (right), but the entire front-end, wide hood, bumpers, front and rear fenders, lamps, cargo box, and tailgate are unique to the Silverado. Common to both trucks are other interesting features such as power rear windows on the extended cab models that drop down into the rear doors, both of which now are double-jointed so as to open to an angle of 170 degrees.


Mechanical bits.

In the beginning, the Silverado will be offered with three cabs, three bed lengths, two drivetrain choices and five engines. Bargain-hunters might go for a 4.3-liter V-6 rated at 195 hp and 260 lb-ft, but a vast majority will be powered by one of three small-block V-8s, starting with an iron-block 4.8-liter V-8 with 295 hp and 305 lb-ft. Next up is a 5.3-liter with a choice of iron or aluminum blocks in both gasoline or flex-fuel flavors. GM claims that eventually, all 5.3s will be made with aluminum blocks, but for now, it’s a matter of production capacity. All four variants put out 315 hp and 338 lb-ft. At the top of the Silverado range is a 6.0-liter V-8 with 367 hp, 375 lb-ft, which, like the 5.3-liter, features Active Fuel Management to shut down four cylinders and save gas when you’re not standing on it. At first, only the Sierra will be offered in decked-out Denali trim, with the 6.2-liter, 400-hp V-8 from the Escalade, but rest assured that Chevy won’t take long to launch an SS model quite with the same innards.

For now, at least, all Silverados come only with a four-speed automatic, which is one of the few things on the new truck that isn’t class-competitive. So how do these translate into capability? Payload capacities range from 1,564 to 2,160 pounds, with trailering capability from 4,300 to a whopping 10,500 pounds. By spring of 2007, the HD (left) versions of the Silverado will be on the market with even more impressive numbers, but for now, we can’t imagine anyone needing more than that out of their light-duty pickups. Equally impressive are the fuel economy numbers, which top 20 mpg on the highway for all but the 6.0-liter.


Just as important to truck buyers is the frame, now fully boxed with hydroformed front sections and additional cross-members with coil-over-shock front suspension and rack-and-pinion steering. StabiliTrak is now standard on crew cab models and available on extended cab models. Other safety systems include head curtain air bags on crew cabs. Two Distinct Interiors.


If you’ve been in a 2007 Tahoe, which features a slick, low-rise dash and wood-grain-trimmed center console between its bucket seats, you’ve been in a Silverado. Or at least one of the Silverado’s interior choices. The other interior features a more horizontal dash and bench seat, as well as more tunneled, retro-look gauges and a cool, two-story glovebox. Both present a terrific seat position that makes it hard to be uncomfortable. Crew cab models feature a huge back seat, while the extended cab’s rear bench is acceptable for the average Joe, but only for “average” trips. One nifty feature is the way the rear benches on both models flip up into the cab wall with one hand to expand the cargo-carrying options.

The Silverado offers the usual smattering of options like leather upholstery and upgraded stereos, plus some less-common ones such as power-opening back glass, a power sunroof, heated washer fluid system, a touch-screen navigation system and rain-sensing windshield wipers. OnStar—which confoundingly was able to track us even when we called from the bottom of a desolate Arizona canyon—is standard and a one-year subscription included.

Driving impressions.

After being relatively impressed with the transformation of GM’s full-size SUVs, we had high expectations of the pickups with which they share so much. They didn’t disappoint. Though we tested only V-8 models, we found all to be smooth and quiet on the highway. Acceleration was impressive with the LTZ’s 6.0-liter V-8. though we remember the day of lighter, smaller trucks when 295 to 315 horsepower—as found in the 4.8- and 5.3-liter V-8s, respectively—would yield much more excitement.

GM went to the unusual length to take us to its proving grounds and let us drive the trucks with the entire competitive set (save the yet-to-be-released 2007 Toyota Tundra) on a closed course. We found the Silverado matched the previous segment-best Nissan in steering precision, transitional grace and engine smoothness. Indeed, both on the road and on the course, the GM trucks garnered unanimous praise. We found body motions to be as well controlled, at least as well as can be expected of a big truck, and at no time did we notice any annoying front-end porpoising or on-road rear-end hop—a common problem, especially with an unloaded bed—at highway speeds. The LTZ’s slightly more aggressive suspension tuning and 20-inch wheels made for the most fun, naturally, but no Silverado could be characterized as sloppy in any way. The solid structure contributed to a vibration-free atmosphere, while stable, responsive brakes matched the rest of the vehicle’s overall solid dynamic character.

Competitive Pricing.

Dozens of cab/bed/drivetrain/trim level combinations are available, with prices strarting around $20K for the base, regular-cab “work truck”. Extended cab models start at $23,605 and rise into the $30K range quickly if you go heavy on the options. Crew cab models are over three grand more at $27,000, and four-wheel drive adds a whopping three grand or so for most models. The range-topping Crew Cab LTZ 4WD starts at $38,990.

Capable Crusader?

So it appears that Chevy has a built a truck with genuine appeal to pretty much any truck buyer, save the most ardent of Ford-o-philes. Now whether the Chevy’s suave superhero can help GM haul the rest of the company into the black again remains to be seen.