2020 Chevrolet Silverado Heavy Duty
The typical heavy duty pickup truck buyer is a business. Whether they are a single proprietor or a large corporation, the buyer has the task to make sure they get the best value out of the vehicles they will put to work out in the field.
For the average consumer, we may have a few things to learn from commercial customers when it comes to choosing a pickup truck for our needs. We want excellent towing and payload capacity, powerful engines, comfortable cabs, and strong frames that can handle everything you put your truck through.
That is how Chevrolet approached their newest version of the Silverado Heavy Duty pickup truck. They wanted to make sure that everyone gets a truck that works and plays hard – all at the same time.
Our time in the Silverado Heavy Duty was spent in a truck equipped the way that most commercial buyers would buy. So, we wondered if the newest heavy-duty pickup truck could also work for everyday consumers, too.
With the half-ton Silverado, the overall design was made to be bold and functional. The Heavy Duty was created to have a bolder presence with a massive grille and a formative stance. Our Custom trim had a black grille slotted on either side of the horizontal painted bar. That bar is emblazoned with the stamped “Chevrolet” across it, though somewhere in the larger “lower” grille you will find a rather small bowtie.
The rest of the truck offers presence in its simplest form. The Crew Cab with the 6.5-foot box measures out to 250 inches long. The Silverado 2500HD also stands close to 80 inches tall and stands over 81 inches high. With all dimensions in place, the Silverado HD offers presence to match its intent on bringing the work to the jobsite.
The Custom tester is actually the second trim level up from the base Work Truck (W/T). The upgrades include cloth seating, carpeting, remote keyless entry, and cruise control. There are not a lot of options for the Custom, which would probably point you to upgrade even further to the LT, if you want the more common amenities, such as remote steering wheel controls for the audio system.
For what you get, the Silverado HD offers plenty across the board. The front seats are comfortable for the driver and outboard front passenger. Our tester had the front center seat folded down as an armrest, but not a storage console. Yet, the seats are supportive and provided plenty of comfort. Rear seat room is exceptional with vast leg and headroom.
There had been some discussion about the instrument panel design for both the Silverado 1500 and Heavy Duty models, along with the GMC Sierra. If you get the W/T or Custom, you get analog dials and a small black-and-white information screen. To go to each screen, you have to twist the knob sticking out of the instrument cluster, which is far away from the driver to work with when driving.
The standard engine is a new 6.6-liter gasoline V8, which our tester is equipped. It has 464 pound-feet of torque to put down, which is fine for carrying 3,760 pounds of payload, while towing up to 16,650 pounds with our specification.
The new gasoline engine is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, which in turn goes through a two-speed transfer case powering a part-time four-wheel-drive system. Silverado Heavy Duty pickups can also be ordered with the 6.6-liter turbocharged Duramax Diesel V8 with an Allison 10-speed automatic transmission.
In terms of fuel economy, we averaged 13.2 MPG with the gasoline engine.
Trucks do a very good job in keeping things on an even keel. The suspension set up is a bit firm but absorbs well any rough surfaces it rides on. Handling needs some extra care due to its high ground clearance and long wheelbase. You would be surprised how well it behaves when you have to do a tight maneuver.
The brakes are the best in its class. It has superb stopping power and great response from the pedal. However, we wished the steering was a bit better. The action is a bit on the heavy side in lower speeds, which does not always translate into precise turns. On the highway, it does a decent job keeping within the lane.
The new Chevrolet Silverado Heavy Duty is available in the three-quarter-ton (2500HD) and one-ton (3500HD) versions, with only two cabs and a total of four cab/bed configurations. Pricing for the Silverado 2500HD W/T 2WD with the Double Cab and Standard Bed starts at $36,500. Our Crew Cab 4WD tester with the upgraded Custom trim and Standard Bed came with a sticker price of $48,420.
The new Silverado Heavy Duty is matched well with only three true competitors – the Ford F-Series Super Duty, the Ram Heavy Duty, and the GMC Sierra Heavy Duty. There will be a new Nissan Titan XD available later this year, but only in a gasoline engine.
As a work truck, the Chevrolet Silverado Heavy Duty does the job well and will be a mainstay on construction sites and other job locations everywhere. You can also spend some more money and get a nicer version, too. No matter what, you have one solid heavy-duty pickup truck to work or play with.
Story Credits: CarSoup Editors
