The 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 HD LTZ crew cab pickup is half brute, half luxury vehicle.
The top two selling vehicles in the United States are full-size pickups, and while Ford and General Motors are fighting tooth and nail for each sale, the big money profits in the segment lie with the heavy-duty versions of the trucks.
One of every four trucks sold in the United States are of the heavy-duty variety. These big brutes are used for tougher than every day chores like hauling major loads, towing big trailers and plowing snow.
Moreover, the battle for bragging rights in the highly profitable and uniquely American segment between General Motors and Ford as well as Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ Ram division, is ferocious with each of the big competitors looking for a technical edge that would allow them to nose out the competition.
The 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD LTZ crew cab pickup eatures an all-new exterior designed to reduce wind noise and enhance powertrain cooling for more consistent performance.
General Motors’ brands – Chevrolet and GMC and GMC – can now claim to have the newest iteration of heavy-duty pickup trucks, which have now designed with both rugged carrying capacity and high-end touches worthy of a full-size luxury sedan.
With a Duramax diesel engine, which is the powertrain of choice in this segment, the double-cab version of the 2015 Chevrolet Silverado, which GM is rolling out this winter, tips the scales at 6,921 pounds or three and half tons of heavy metal.
But the Silverado HD is more like an NFL linebacker than your tubby neighbor. It’s surprisingly graceful, maneuverable and at ease out on the road thanks to suspension system that blends and independent suspension in front with GM’s leaf-spring set up in the rear.
I discovered just how nimble it is after taking the wrong fork in the trail during a recent driving event. Braking also has been improved so the overall driving experience neutralizes some of the fatigue that comes with driving in traffic or over long distances.
The Silverado HD pickup I drove was powered by the Duramax and mated to an Allison transmission. The engine is rated at 397 horsepower and an awesome 765 foot-pounds of torque, which provides 18,000 pounds of towing capacity for Silverado 2500HD.
The big diesel engine is surprisingly quiet, but the exhaust treatment system requires replacing the urea-based diesel emission fluid every 5,000 miles. While no official figures are available, the beast’s fuel-economy is estimated at about 16 mpg.
Chevrolet is also offering a 6.0-liter engine that can also run on compressed natural gas if the owner has the necessary refueling capability. The truck boasts special hardened valve seals in the engine and a separate, dedicated fuel system, including a separate fuel tank are used for the CNG.
The Duramax also comes with a power take off so the engine can be used for other chores out in the field, while a driver select mode allow the person behind the wheel to use a specific gear in specific conditions, such as an icy patch. The Silverado is also equipped with a tow-haul mode for when the truck is hauling a trailer up or down steep grade.
The 2015 Silverado HD features an all-new interior that is quiet and comfortable, with ample storage and cutting edge technology, including wi-fi.
Generally truck guys, particularly the guy back in purchasing, aren’t looking for flashy styling. But they do want the truck to look sharp and the exterior design is also expected to convey a certain solidity and self confidence that indicates the truck is quite capable of handling any kind of chore that might comes its way.
(GM follows Ford’s example for en-lighten-ment. For more, Click Here.)
The exterior design of the Chevrolet Silverado HD that I got to drive certainly had an aura of strength and capability.
Once you climb behind to the wheel of the Silverado, you can’t help but notice how spacious the cab is. It’s tall, wide and comfortable, which is major plus since the owners or users of trucks often spend several hours each day inside the cabs. It’s also nicely furnished with materials that give the interior a luxurious feel. It’s much nicer than say the standard office cubicle and has ample storage space.
Chevrolet also has done a very nice job in laying out the gauges and screens that are incorporated into the instrument panel. GM’s designers and product planners have come to appreciate the value of larger screens and those used in the Silverado are large enough and bright enough to read at a very quick glance.
(Click Here for details about why CNG may not be so environmentally friendly.)
The Silverado was also equipped with a full complement of safety and comfort features, including Chevrolet’s MyLink connectivity system, which is standard on LT and LTZ models. Starting next September, the Silverado will be equipped with OnStar’s new 4G LTE network with Wi-Fi hot spot connectivity.
The cab also includes a spacious center console, large control knobs and hard surface on top of the instrument panel that relatively easy to clean. The Silverado is also comes with a full-range of safety equipment and can be equipped with driver assistance features, such as lane departure warnings and safety features, such as multiple air bags and stability control.
Other features on the truck, including an easy to lift tailgate and a corner step that can be used to step up into the cargo box, help make the truck easier to use at work.
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In addition, the Silverado also creates a pleasant environment on or off the pavement. The cabin is quiet thanks to features such as triple sealed doors, which help hold the extraneous noise at bay. The suspension of the Silverado HD also has been engineered to remove the harshness and extra motion you sometimes experience in older and less refined generations of trucks, which make the ride something of an ordeal.
The attention to detail on the heavy-duty Silverado is quite impressive and GM says it can build 150 configurations, which means its probably one of the most versatile vehicles to ever carry the Chevrolet bow tie.