2021 Chevrolet Silverado RST & GMC Sierra 1500 AT4 Diesels

By Isaac Bouchard

There is superb engineering underneath the bodies of the half-ton Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra. Their stiff frames resist the shudders and transmission of noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) of older pickups; they’re better than the outgoing Ford F150 and on par with the Ram 1500. They allow the GM engineers to create trucks that ride bumps well and handle with precision and control. If the Ram is slightly better, it’s probably a result of its use of coil springs, instead of more traditional leaf springs, for the rear suspension. The GMC and Chevy have steering that might be slightly better at instilling the driver with confidence than the Ram and Ford, whether it is highway tracking or cornering. Likewise the General still knows how to do an engine; the venerable pushrod V8 is still available in two displacements, 5.3 and 6.2 liters, and they provide a lovely blend of power, economy and classic sound. The real news, however, is in the creation of an inline six cylinder turbodiesel, which is phenomenal.

The biggest issue with the Sierra and Silverado is still their interiors. Rightfully lambasted when released, they lack the quality, usefulness and cohesive styling of competitors. The Silverado in particular is a cynical blending of GM’s worst instincts: cheap materials abound, shiny and hard, often adjacent to ones with a different finish, tone or grain. Having access to a 2017 Silverado (the previous generation), shows just how cheap the current Silverado is inside. The old truck’s door panels, dash and other plastic moldings are nicer, and its shapes more coherent. It seems as if the company decided to let first-year interior designers create the dash and center stack of the current truck, with small, janky-looking knobs and buttons protruding with no real styling from panels that appear to have had nothing more than a first sketch to determine their proportions. The Chevy’s instruments are small, too, with a tiny screen set between the tach and speedometer; there is no communicating the great engineering behind the cheap façade. The company has proven it can do much better; the current Corvette proves this. That Ram sales surpassed those of the Silverado last year is in some ways a reflection of this bean-counting.

Thankfully the GMC is better, with more higher quality plastics and a slightly nicer overall vibe. That said, hop from an upper-mid level truck like the test AT4 to a Ram and it is obvious how far off the curve both the Sierra and its Chevy near-twin are inside. Other annoyances are the layout of the crewcab’s rear compartment, which doesn’t have a flat floor—in fact, there is less usable space to set things once you flip fold the rear seats up than the older model, because of a well for the tire jack and other tools. Improvements for 2021 include a 6-position tailgate for the Chevrolet; as of now, only the GMC has it as an option, and really well done trailering cameras that provide a multitude of useful views and some additional safety for those who haul. Another nice option is wireless Android and Apple phone integration. These tech goodies are operated by an 8-inch touchscreen, which is fast in response and easy to fathom, but looks much smaller than those available in the Ford and Ram. Some of these issues will be resolved for 2022; spy photos show better trimmings for both trucks and a center stack much like those in the Tahoe and Yukon SUVs, which is quite acceptable. And next year there will be the availability (at least on the Sierra) of the hands-free Super Cruise autonomous driving suite. Both will get exterior updates as well, though frankly both the Sierra and Silverado aren’t unattractive now, and unlike decades past, they look distinct from one another.

GM was the last of the Detroit3 to bring a “light duty” turbodiesel to market, but it was worth the wait. This 3-liter Duramax has its six cylinders laid out in line, which makes it inherently smoother than a V6; since diesels shake and vibrate more than gasoline engines, this really assists in keeping things refined. Assisting with this is a mass damper for the 10-speed automatic’s torque converter; the result is an extremely smooth powerplant. It’s also a responsive one, thanks to a turbine that can vary its geometry to produce both good low end and strong midrange grunt. Its 460lb-ft of torque is readily apparent at 1500rpm, and its 277hp keeps things moving at higher speeds. It has less subjective lag than the Ram and Ford V6 diesels, gets better real-world fuel economy and pulled this reporter’s 6,000lb trailer better than those competitors. It also routinely gets the kind of fuel economy numbers it is rated at, something of a wonder. This engine feels fast too, with 0-60 times of just over 7 seconds. While slower than the gas 5.3L at sea level, it feels faster up here in Colorado, if not as strong as the optional 420h, 6.2L V8, which will dispatch the same yardstick in 5.4 seconds. The diesel adds the same $2,495 as the bigger engine, meaning shoppers can choose extra economy or acceleration. In aggregate, the current Silverado and Sierra are the best half ton trucks General Motors has ever built; even the underbaked interior isn’t enough to keep them from a hearty recommendation.

Chevrolet Silverado                

EPA Ratings:22/36/24mpg                        

0-60mph: 7.1sec

Price as tested: $64,825

Rating: 3 Stars

Chevrolet   

 

GMC Sierra 

EPA Ratings: 22/36/24mpg

0-60mph: 7.1sec

Price as tested: $56,950

Rating: 4 Stars

GMC

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Contact Isaac Bouchard for help saving time, money and hassle when buying or leasing one at [email protected]

Colorado AvidGolfer Magazine is the state’s leading resource for golf and the lifestyle that surrounds it, publishing eight issues annually and proudly delivering daily content via coloradoavidgolfer.com.

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