2015 Chevy Silverado HD: Review

Chevrolet updated its heavy-duty pickups for the 2011 model year, giving them a sturdy new frame that improved capability. However, the sheet metal and interiors remained the same, making it seem as if Chevy only had enough money to update the bits under the surface. In the meantime, Chevy redesigned its light-duty full-size pickups for the 2014 model year, giving them the bold styling and refined cabins the HDs lacked. For 2015, the HD pickups get the same treatment, placing them at the top of the competitive work truck market.

Model lineup
The 2015 Chevrolet Silverado HD comes in heavy-duty 2500HD and heavier-duty 3500HD variants with three cab styles, two bed lengths, and single or dual rear wheels. Cab styles consist of a two- or three-passenger regular cab, a five- or six-passenger double cab, and a five- or six-passenger crew cab. The double cab and crew cab body styles have four doors, while the regular cab has two. The regular cab comes only with an 8-foot bed, while the double and crews are offered with 6-foot-6-inch and 8-foot beds. Only the 3500 is offered with dual rear wheels.

Trim levels include WT (Work Truck), LT and LTZ. The WT is sparsely appointed, with vinyl floors instead of carpeting. It does, however, have air conditioning, an AM/FM stereo with 4.2-inch MyLink screen, a trip computer, power windows and locks, cruise control and 17-inch steel wheels. LT trims get floormats and carpeting, Bluetooth connectivity, a CD player, satellite radio, OnStar assistance, remote keyless entry and alloy wheels. LTZ trims add leather upholstery, 10-way power adjustable front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats, a Bose audio system, an 8-inch MyLink screen with access to Pandora Internet radio, a locking rear differential and an integrated trailer brake controller.

Notable options consist of 20-inch wheels, power-adjustable pedals, a Bose audio system, a navigation system, heated and cooled seats, skid plates, off-road suspension, a snow-plow prep package, a sunroof, rear DVD entertainment, power rear sliding window, a tonneau cover and a plastic bedliner. A Driver Alert package adds lane departure warning, forward collision alert, General Motors’ Safety Alert Seat, and front and rear park assist.

Under the hood
The 2015 Chevrolet Silverado HD comes standard with GM’s Vortec 6.0-liter V8 engine, which produces 360 horsepower at 5400 rpm and 380 lb-ft of torque at 4200 rpm. It comes with a 6-speed automatic transmission with manual shift capability and a tow/haul feature.

View Pictures:  2015 Chevrolet Silverado HD

The majority of buyers will spend the $7,195 for the optional 6.6-liter Duramax turbocharged diesel V8. It churns out 397 horsepower at 3000 rpm and 765 lb-ft of torque at 1600 rpm. It is paired with an Allison 6-speed automatic transmission — also with manual shift capability and a tow/haul feature — that adds another $1,200.

Maximum towing capacity for the 2500HD is 14,500 pounds with a ball hitch or 17,900 pounds with a fifth wheel. Those numbers are 19,600 and 23,200 pounds for the 3500HD. Maximum payload is 4,306 pounds for the 2500 variant, 4,682 pounds for a 3500 with single rear wheels, and 7,734 pounds for a 3500 duallie. The conventional towing and payload numbers are at the top of the class, but the fifth-wheel towing capacity is bested by the Ram 3500′s staggering 30,000-pound capacity.

The base 4-wheel-drive system works part time, so it shouldn’t be used on dry pavement. Chevrolet also offers a full-time 4WD system that can be left engaged on dry pavement. Both systems include low-range gearing to aid off-roading and towing.

Inner space
The 2011 redesign left the Silverado HD with an unimpressive, plasticky interior, but that is remedied for 2015. The HD pickups now share their cabins with the 1500 series trucks that were redesigned last year. The materials include soft-touch surfaces on the door tops and armrests, and the LTZ gets a soft-touch faux leather dash surface that looks upscale. The cab structure itself is new, too, with doors that are triple-sealed and inset into the cab sides instead of extending into the roof. This new design helps block out noise, making the Chevy HD and its GMC sibling the quietest heavy-duty trucks on the market.