2014 Chevrolet Silverado - A Good Thing, Revisited
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The Chevrolet Silverado is a huge profit center for General Motors, a best-selling full-size pickup that has been in production, in one form or another, for decades. Until 2014, however, the Silverado had fallen a bit off the pace, left behind by the innovations debuted by rivals from Ford and Ram. Still a good truck, to be sure, but missing the leading-edge features and specs that are necessary to stay afloat in one of the most competitive areas of the automotive market.
It's lucky, then, that the engineers and designers at GM never sleep on the job. The 2014 Chevrolet Silverado elevates the truck to the next level, introducing a raft of improvements under the hood and, equally important, inside the passenger compartment, to create a competent all-around pickup experiences. After spending a week with the Silverado LT - the brand's volume model - I came away convinced that Chevrolet is once again all-in when it comes to full-size trucks.
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Home Is Where The Direct-Injected Heart Is
It's no longer enough for a line of trucks to focus on a single core engine offering book-ended by token alternatives at the low and high end of the power and cost spectrum. The 2014 Chevrolet Silverado recognizes the need to present buyers with a range of legitimate power plant options, and as a result each motor in the truck's line-up now comes with direct fuel injection and cylinder deactivation in order to improve not just power, but also efficiency.
The LT that I drove featured the near-ubiquitous 5.3-liter V8 that has long been a Chevrolet staple, but while its displacement might match that of other eight-cylinder units offered by the brand, it has been completely redesigned in order to present class-competitive acceleration, towing, and fuel consumption. 355 horsepower and 385 lb-ft of torque are solid figures for a light truck, and Chevy claims that it offers the most fuel-efficient V8 in the business with a rating of 13 l/100 km in city driving and 8.7 l/100 km on the highway. It might not best Ford's EcoBoost in terms of frugality, nor top Ram's Hemi for grunt, but it's an excellent option for daily use and moderate towing.
The Silverado LT never felt out of breath during our time together, and the six-speed automatic shifted smooth and firm. Additional surefootedness was proffered by the truck's four-wheel drive system, which featured Auto, Hi, and Lo-range settings. Truth be told, I had no issue leaving the truck in two-wheel drive during most of the week, even in the snow, as electronic traction control and a bit of common sense prevented any unwanted sideways action.
Double-Wide Trailer
The 2014 Chevrolet Silverado's passenger compartment is simply enormous, particularly when ordered in the four-door crew cab body style of my test vehicle. Rear seat room is vast, easily equalling that of most large SUVs, with the added advantage of a flip-up bench that can accommodate oversized items that you don't want to haul in the open cargo bed. Up front, the cloth thrones found on the LT came with heaters, a welcome addition when dealing with Canadian winters, and the pedals can be moved in concert with the power seat adjustments to create the ultimate driving position.
It's not so much that the Chevrolet Silverado's new interior is all that luxurious - although the new High Country trim does introduce reams of leather in place of the fabrics and plastics found in the LT. It's more that the Bowtie's stylists have worked hand-in-hand with its designers to create a functional workspace that looks good, too. Everything is in its right place inside the Silverado's cockpit, including easy-to-read gauges, big buttons that you can use while wearing gloves, and copious amounts of both covered and open center console storage. Not only is the console big, but it also offers as many as five USB outlets, plus an available 110-volt power outlet along with several 12-volt outlets.
My test vehicle was also outfitted with the Chevrolet MyLink interface, a touchscreen affair that links up with mobile devices via Bluetooth. MyLink is one of the most intuitive, and least complicated, interfaces currently on the market, and it's a strong part of the Silverado's entertainment and communications package.
A Pleasing Package
The 2014 Chevrolet Silverado isn't a revolutionary truck, but it's certainly a good one. Aside from exterior styling that's handsome, but not all that different from older models, almost every under-the-skin aspect of the pickup has been improved compared to the year before. A more comfortable ride, higher quality interior, and trio of high tech engines make the Silverado a formidable choice for every day driving. Don't sleep on the Chevrolet's capabilities at the job site, either, as new touches like a rear bumper step, a soft-opening tailgate, and available bed lighting add even more practicality to the mix. The Silverado's tried, tested, and true approach to satisfying the needs of truck buyers never goes out of style.
