Review of the Chevrolet Silverado 2020: 1500 LTZ Premium Edition

Australians love their cliffs. You only need to take a quick look at the sales charts to see this.

And while it could be argued that the traditional ute is no longer locally available as it has been superseded by the pickup truck, there is no doubt that buyers have moved from the monocoque to the ladder frame chassis with ease.

Indeed, the Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger are at the top of the passenger car list at the moment, but a new storm is brewing: a full-size pickup or truck, if you're so inclined.

These beasts give Aussies the ability to be bigger and cooler than their fellow motorists, all thanks to local right-hand drive conversions, and the Ram 1500 is by far the biggest sales success.

So it's no surprise that Holden Special Vehicles (HSV) has shifted to redesigning the competing Chevrolet Silverado 1500 into a new-generation form thanks to its evolving business model. Let's see what it looks like in the LTZ Premium Edition available since launch.

Chevrolet Silverado 2020: 1500 LTZ Premium Edition
Safety Rating
engine's type	6.2L
fuel type	Regular unleaded gasoline
Fuel efficiency	—L / 100km
Landing	5 Places
Price from	$97,400

Is there anything interesting about its design?  

Let's get straight to the point: the Silverado 1500 looks impressive on the road.

There's a reason models like the Silverado 1500 are called "tough trucks." Case in point: the vertical front, tall and covered in polarizing chrome.

The sense of power it evokes is heightened by its bulging hood, which hints at the powerful engine contained within (if one grille size isn't enough).

The visual highlight returns to the rear with a sculpted tailgate, another chrome bumper and a pair of trapezoidal tailpipes.

Move to the side and the Silverado 1500 is less visible thanks to its familiar silhouette. However, the pronounced wheel arches add to its strength, while the 20-inch alloy wheels and 275/60 ​​all-terrain tires signal its intent.

The visual highlight returns to the rear with a sculpted tailgate, a different chrome bumper and a pair of trapezoidal tailpipes, while the taillights carry the same signature as the headlights.

Inside, the vertical theme continues with a layered instrument panel and center console with plenty of buttons, and the 8.0-inch touchscreen MyLink infotainment system is the crowning achievement of the latest achievement.

The instrument cluster carefully balances traditional and digital with a tachometer, speedometer and four smaller dials that sit atop a high-resolution 4.2-inch multifunction display.

Bright gray trim and dark wood trim help dilute what would otherwise be a very dark seating area, with Jet Black leather upholstery used extensively throughout. Yes, even the dashboard and door shoulders are in action. Hard plastics are used elsewhere.

There's a reason models like the Silverado 1500 are called "tough trucks."

How practical is the interior space?  

The Silverado 1500 takes practicality to a new level. After all, when you measure 5885mm long, 2063mm wide and 1915mm high, you have a lot of real estate to play with.

This size is most noticeable in the second row, which offers tons of legroom and headroom behind our 184cm driver's seat. Decent limousine? Absolutely! And the power sunroof never had a chance to interfere with the latter.

It would be remiss of us not to mention that this is a vehicle that can actually seat three adults on a long journey, such is the beauty of being very wide and not having an intrusive center tunnel.

The tub is also carnivorous, with a floor length of 1776mm and a width between the wheel arches of 1286mm.

The tub is also carnivorous, with a floor length of 1776mm and a width between the wheel arches of 1286mm, making it big enough to carry an Australian size pallet with ease.

This utility is aided by a spray-on liner, 12 attachment points, built-in steps and a power tailgate that has a camera sensor that prevents accidental collisions with static objects.

The maximum payload is 712kg, which means the Silverado 1500 doesn't live up to the status of a one-ton vehicle, but it more than makes up for it with a maximum payload of 4500kg with brakes.

Its size is most noticeable in the second row, which offers plenty of legroom and headroom behind our 184cm driver's seat.

As for in-cabin storage options, the Silverado 1500 has plenty of them. After all, there are two glove boxes! And that's before you discover hidden storage spaces in the rear seatbacks. The rear bench even folds up to make more room for bulkier items.

The central storage compartment is also commendable. It's absolutely massive, so big that you could seriously lose something of value in it if that's your thing.

This size story is even expressed in the wireless charging mat, which is the largest we've ever seen. Chevrolet has clearly been eyeing the next generation of smartphones, and the same approach has been taken to the cutout in the lid of the central storage compartment that holds larger devices.

When you measure 5885mm long, 2063mm wide and 1915mm high, you have a lot of real estate to play with.

And tell your friends to bring as many drinks as they want, as the Silverado 1500 can handle a lot. There are three cup holders between the driver and front passenger, two more in the rear of the center console and an additional pair in the fold-down center armrest.

Going to carry more than seven drinks? Have huge trash cans at the door, each of which can fit at least two more. Yes, you won't die of thirst here.

In terms of connectivity, the center stack has one USB-A port and one USB-C port, as well as a 12V outlet, the latter of which replaces the aux input in the center storage bay. The center console trio is duplicated at the rear of the center console.

Does it represent good value for money? What functions does it have?  

Full disclosure: We have no idea how much the LTZ Premium Edition actually costs. Yes, we attended a local presentation and for the first time in a while we didn't learn anything.

HSV says it will book "about $110,000 excluding travel expenses" but won't lock in a firm price just yet, so we want to know how much of your hard-earned money you'll have to spend too. drive one.

Either way, it's safe to assume the competition will be in the form of the $99,950 Ram 1500 Laramie, which is another full-size pickup truck with a V8 petrol engine under the hood, albeit with a 291kW/556Nm 5.7-litre unit. Silverado bent eight in an instant...

Its 20-inch alloy wheels and 275/60 ​​all-terrain tires signal its intentions.

Now that all of this is out in the open, we will not be releasing the LTZ Premium Edition with a score for this review section, although we can share it with you as stated.

Standard equipment not yet mentioned includes step-down transfer case, rear differential lock, disc brakes, skid plates, heated and illuminated power folding side mirrors, side steps, seven-speaker Bose audio system, 15.0-inch head-up display , keyless entry and start, heated front and rear seats, 10-way power front seats with cooling, heated steering wheel and dual zone climate control.

It is equipped with a MyLink multimedia system with an 8.0-inch touch screen.

While there's no built-in sat nav, there's support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which is frankly the best real-time traffic option in areas with mobile reception.

Nine color options are offered. In addition, there is a long list of dealer-installed accessories that range from an air intake, Brembo front brakes, black alloy wheels, side steps, sports handlebars, and trunk lids, among others.

What are the main characteristics of the engine and transmission?  

The LTZ Premium Edition is sure to please with its naturally aspirated 6.2-litre EcoTec V8 petrol engine that develops up to 313 kW of power and 624 Nm of torque.

So the Silverado 1500 outperforms the Ram 1500 by a 22kW/68Nm advantage, ensuring the right to show off on the job site, caravan park or wherever they collide.

The former can up the ante even further with a dealer-installed HSV Cat-Back exhaust system that boosts its output by 9kW/10Nm to a commanding 322kW/634Nm.

The maximum load capacity is 712 kg, which means that the Silverado 1500 does not qualify as a one-ton vehicle.

At $5062.20, this is an expensive add-on, but we're sure you'll agree it's a must given the initial noise it creates. Without it, the Silverado 1500 simply sounds too quiet. Wake the beast, we say.

Shifting in the LTZ Premium Edition is handled by a 10-speed torque converter automatic transmission that features a part-time all-wheel drive system that didn't interrupt traction for 4 hours during heavy rain. 2H certainly made things more interesting...

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How much fuel does it consume?  

The Silverado 1500's claimed combined fuel consumption (ADR 81/02) is 12.3 liters per 100 kilometers, which is actually better than you'd expect given its engine and size.

However, despite the best efforts of the idle stop and cylinder deactivation systems, the actual savings are much higher, depending on the task at hand.

We came back with a few numbers during our short test drive: The Silverado 1500 was either empty, with a 325kg payload in the body, or with a 2500kg trailer. Thus, they ranged from teenagers to 20s.

What safety equipment is installed? What is the safety rating?  

ANCAP has not assigned a safety rating to the Silverado 1500. However, it has been HSV crash tested to the relevant Australian Design Rule (ADR) standards.

The LTZ Premium Edition is equipped with a large amount of safety-focused equipment, including six airbags (dual front, side and curtain), electronic stability control with rollover prevention and trailer sway control, among other features.

Advanced driver assistance systems extend to low-speed autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, camera-based adaptive cruise control, high beam support, tire pressure monitoring. hill descent control, hill start assist, rear view camera, front and rear parking sensors.

Although the lane keeping assist system is already installed, it is not yet active locally due to ongoing technical issues, although if/when these are overcome HSV intends to enable it for existing owners.

ANCAP has not assigned a safety rating to the Silverado 1500.

Warranty and safety rating

Basic Warranty

3 years / 100,000 km


guarantee

ANCAP Safety Rating

How much does it cost to own? What kind of guarantee is provided?  

As with the pricing of the LTZ Premium Edition, we don't know the Silverado 1500's warranty and service details yet, so we won't rate this section of the review either.

If it's anything like other Chevrolet HSV models, the Silverado 1500 will come with a three-year, 100,000-km warranty and three years of technical roadside assistance.

Service intervals can also be the same: every nine months or 12,000 km, whichever comes first. Their price should be determined at the dealer level. If this turns out to be the case again, shop around if you want a better deal.

What is it like to drive a car?  

The Silverado 1500 is a big beast, but it's not as scary to drive as you might think.

We expected to be more mindful of its width on public roads, but quickly forgot about it as our concerns lessened. Even body roll and pitch isn't as common as you might think, though it doesn't help that the brake pedal feels on the numb side.

However, we rightly suspect that navigating car parks will be a problem, mainly due to its length, which is longer than regular parking spaces.

The Silverado 1500 looks impressive on the road.

Still, the Silverado 1500's turning radius is decent for its size, thanks in part to its surprisingly well-weighted steering, which is electric. Thus, it is not the first word in the sensation.

When unladen, the Silverado 1500 is relatively quiet even on gravel, though its leaf-sprung rear end can wobble a bit on rough roads, which isn't surprising. Either way, the noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) levels are really impressive for a pickup truck.

In this case, we were able to throw a 325kg payload into the tank, and that made things a lot easier, proving that it's actually worth doing something meaningful with a real "truck".

It has a maximum towing braking capacity of 4500 kg.

Speaking of which, we also had the opportunity to tow a 2500kg house on a Silverado 1500 that just oozes confidence. Indeed, driver error is the only real threat, thanks to the comprehensive trailer package that tops the infotainment system.

Part of that ability is due to the stunning V8 engine that packs a ton of torque. Even the steepest climbs are not enough to stop a Silverado 1500 with a large trailer in tow.

However, due to its 2588kg frame, the Silverado 1500 is not a straight beast. It certainly has more than enough power to get the job done, but don't let its power fool you into thinking you're seeing off sports cars like the Toyota Supra.

The Silverado 1500 is a big beast, but it's not as scary to drive as you might think.

The automatic transmission that ties everything together is a solid unit with plenty of gears to work with, so much so that the engine runs a little higher at speed.

However, pop in a boot and it comes to life, quickly knocking down a gear ratio or three to ensure the smooth delivery of the extra mumbo required.

And those who don't want to wait can turn on the sport driving mode, in which the shift points are higher. Yes, you can have your cake and eat it too.

Verdict

Unsurprisingly, the Silverado 1500 is currently the best full-size pickup truck on the Australian market, but time will tell if it eventually rises to the same sales heights as the Ram 1500, which will remain a whole generation older until the new model is released. inevitably comes.

The Silverado 1500, meanwhile, reigns supreme, especially for those buyers who crave an all-around full-size pickup (we're looking at you, LTZ Premium Edition).

Yes, the Silverado 1500 is so good on debut that it certainly wouldn't be possible without an almost flawless HSV rebuild process. But if we only knew how much it costs to buy and maintain an LTZ Premium Edition...

Why are Australian buyers buying full-size pickups in bulk? Tell us what you think in the comments below.

Note. CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, providing transportation and food.