• Pros

• Power and transmission. Smooth, easy power If you long for the days of feathering the gas pedal on your 1972 Buick, and feeling like you’re using a fraction of the engine’s power as you glide up to speed, you’ll be right at home in a truck like this. Oddly, its pick up trucks feels more reminiscent of old GM cars than it’s modern cars do.
• Comfortable. Not the first thing you think of when you think “pickup truck,” but the ride is very comfortable in the Silverado.
• Roomy. It’s huge on the outside and inside. Nobody will feel cramped in the Silverado. Even the back seat passengers will have room to spread out or slouch. There’s room for an enormous center console, which can store an 8-drawer dresser and an armoire. OK, well, at least a full size lap top, some clip boards and a few empty Big Gulp cups.
• Handling. For a pickup, it does what you want it to do. Assuming you drive it like a truck, rather than a BMW i8, it features a calm ride, goes exactly where you point it, and handles with little body lean.
• Drivetrain. Our test version came with Chevy’s new 2.7 liter turbo charged V6. While we didn’t tow anything, except a few errant garbage cans while getting out of the driveway, there seemed to be plenty of everyday power. You hear a slight turbo whistle, but otherwise, you’d never know it wasn’t a V8. We saw 18 mpg overall, with more city than highway driving. The 8-speed transmission is very smooth, and operates unnoticeably in the background.
• Visibility. One of the nice things about a pickup truck is it has vertical windows on all four sides. That makes it possible to see all around you. Unfortunately, the high hood makes it hard to know where the front of the truck ends. Sorry, Corolla! Parking aids help with that.
• Nice touches. The built in steps on the rear bumpers make it easy to reach into the bed. Because the bed is so high, it also lets you see into the bed, which we couldn’t do without the boost. The tailgate is damped, meaning you don’t have to announce yourself with a bang when you open it.

• Cons

• Size. If you live in a city, or even urban-suburbs, you’re going to kick yourself for buying a full sized truck like the Silverado. As pleasant as it is to drive, it’s a bear to park. It’s too long and too wide for a lot of spaces. Its turning circle is Arctic. This is a work truck, or a rural-America truck. If you live where parking is not abundant, consider a mid-sized truck instead.
• High. Our test Silverado came with running boards, so you could step up into the cab. Unless you’re Dikembe Mutombo, you'll want running boards, too.
• Mileage. Our 17 mpg overall is not great, even when compared to Silverado’s full size pick up competitors. The EPA says you should be able to get 21 overall, but we didn’t come close.
• Safety. If you want the latest safety features (and you should) expect to pay extra. They are only available on higher level trims.

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