2018 chevrolet silverado 1500 review

• Quiet interior
• Great off-road performance with Z71 package
• Lots of available engine options

• Rough on-road ride
• Not very fuel efficient
• 5.3-liter V-8 slower than competitors

The 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 gets a rearview camera and tire fill alert on all models. WT models now get a standard MyLink infotainment system with a 7.0-inch touchscreen. LTZ models are now available with the eAssist mild hybrid system and the Custom trim is now available on crew cab models.

The 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 is a full-size truck slotting above the midsize Colorado and below the larger heavy Silverado 2500. Three cab styles are available and two bed lengths are offered. Rear-wheel drive is standard while four-wheel drive is optional. A number of special-edition packages help make the 2018 Silverado 1500 more distinctive including the Black Out Edition, Special Ops Edition, and Redline Edition.

Silverado 1500 WT: The base WT comes well equipped with 17-inch alloy wheels, HID headlights, a full-size spare tire, a 3.5-inch instrument cluster info display, vinyl upholstery, a rearview camera, Chevrolet's MyLink infotainment system with a 7.0-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth, a USB port, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay integration, and a six-speaker audio system.

Silverado 1500 LS: Moving up to the LS grade adds keyless entry, 4G LTE connectivity, chrome front and rear bumpers, and a grille with chrome surrounds.

Silverado 1500 Custom: The Custom model adds 20-inch alloy wheels, body-colored headlight bezels and grille surrounds, a locking tailgate, and front recovery hooks.

Silverado 1500 LT: LT variants get more features like bright alloy wheels, the EZ Lift & Lower tailgate, a 4.2-inch instrument cluster info display, a larger 8.0-inch touchscreen, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, cloth upholstery, and 40/20/40 split-folding bench seat.

Silverado 1500 LTZ: One of two more upscale trims, the LTZ comes with bright 18-inch alloy wheels, full LED headlights, dual-zone climate control, heated front seats, 10-way power adjustable front seats, remote start, a 110V outlet, and chrome door handles, side mirror covers, door moldings, and beltline moldings.

Silverado 1500 High Country: The luxury-oriented High Country grade gets you a heated steering wheel, ventilated front seats, 12-way power adjustable front seats, a spray-on bedliner, 20-inch alloy wheels, a Bose audio system, navigation, a wireless phone charger, and a two-tone Saddle and Black interior.

One notable option is the Z71 package, which is available on the LT and LTZ trims. The Z71 package adds an off-road-tuned suspension with Rancho monotube shocks, hill descent control, a high capacity air cleaner, a heavy duty automatic locking differential, underbody skid plates covering the transfer case, and an appearance package that adds unique door plates, gauge clusters, a different grille, and a unique lower front bumper.

The 2018 Silverado 1500 is available with three engine options including a 4.3-liter V-6 with 285 hp and 305 lb-ft of torque, a 5.3-liter V-8 with 355 hp and 383 lb-ft, and a 6.2-liter V-8 with 420 hp and 460 lb-ft. A six-speed automatic transmission is standard on the V-6 and the 5.3-liter V-8, while an eight-speed automatic is optional on the latter. Silverado 1500s with the 6.2-liter V-8 come exclusively with the eight-speed automatic.

EPA fuel economy ratings for the base V-6 engine are 18/24 mpg city/highway in rear-drive form and 16/21 mpg with four-wheel drive. Move up to the 5.3-liter V-8 and those numbers drop to 16/23 mpg for rear-drive trucks and 16/22 with four-wheel drive. Models with the 5.3-liter V-8 and the optional eight-speed automatic aren't as efficient at 16/21 mpg for rear-drive trucks and 15/20 mpg with four-wheel drive. An eAssist mild hybrid system is available with the 5.3-liter V-8, bumping fuel economy ratings up to 18/24 mpg for rear-drive models but four-wheel-drive-equipped variants are rated at 16/21 mpg. The 6.2-liter V-8 is the least efficient at 15/20 mpg for rear-drive models and 15/19 mpg on four-wheel-drive-equipped trucks.

The 2018 Silverado received a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA (out of a possible five stars). In IIHS testing, the 2018 Silverado 1500 received a Good score on all but headlights test where it received a Poor rating and front small overlap test where extended cab models received an Average rating and the crew cab model received a Marginal rating (Good is the highest possible score). In the front crash prevention test, the 2018 Silverado 1500 received a Basic rating since its active safety features haven't been tested yet (Superior is the highest rating on the front crash prevention test).

Higher trim levels are available with lane keeping assist, forward collision warning, and low-speed automatic emergency braking.

When properly equipped, the 2018 Silverado 1500 can tow up to 12,500 pounds; however, that's limited to rear-drive double cab and crew cab models. The truck can also carry up to 2,250 pounds of payload provided you choose the rear-drive double cab model.

In a 2017 First Test, we said that on-road ride comfort is a weak point because the Silverado 1500 easily gets unsettled over the smallest road imperfections. Off-road, however, the truck shines and can easily get through obstacles thanks to the additional ground clearance of the Z71 package's off-road-tuned suspension. The interior is well-insulated and doesn't get too noisy on the highway, but the available 5.3-liter V-8 isn't especially quickest.