2023 Chevy Silverado Offers “Always Prepped for Heavy Lifting” Appeal, Well-Polished Luxury + Grit

Here at the Mid-Missouri Powerhouse we are anxiously awaiting Spring, daydreaming about new trucks and all the work that will need to be done when everything thaws! The Autoblog review team wrote about the 2023 Chevy Silverado last week and its annual updates, and were pleased with what turned out to be the “finest cabin in the segment” upon climbing inside. Even the LT trim has a luxurious look and feel, and the range-topping High Country knocks things out of the park with upper-end touches and finish.

There are many devout fans of the Chevy Duramax diesel engine, which packs even more of a punch for 2023 even being much quieter than one would expect. The Autoblog drive testing staff claims that the Silverado boasts the back-to-back experience needed for solid towing and hauling duties with a purpose. 

The High Country model now has the option to add a Jet Black/Umber interior color, and after last year’s drastic overhaul, the LT model looks and feels just as good as the previous High Country did. The overhaul also included a 12.3-inch infotainment screen and 12.3-inch instrument display, with the digital gauge cluster brandishing a bright and crisp look that sunlight can’t’ drown out as much as on the old model. The 13.4-inch touchscreen allows for the operation of multiple screens at once, and the system is among the industry’s first to proudly run on the Android Automotive OS.

One of the first things test drivers notice about the Silverado is its slightly higher bed walls, along with the option of the MultiPro tailgate that makes loading easier than could ever be imagined on the trucks of yesterday. The all-important Payload stat ranges from 2,130 lbs on the 4x4 Crew Cab to 2,280 for the 4x2 Regular Cab, with the HD model proving to be an awesome and very capable choice for those who anticipate pushing payload limits on the regular. The base-level engine is a 2.7-liter turbocharged inline-four, which cranks out 310 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque and is paired with an 8-speed automatic. 

Standard on the LTZ and High Country is the 5.3-liter V8 which cranks out 355 horsepower and 383 lb-ft of torque, with a 10-speed automatic replacing the 6 and 8-speed options. These also now come available with GM’s more advanced Dynamic Fuel Management System, which chips in wonderfully at the job of nailing down good fuel economy numbers. The resident top dog is the 6.2-liter V8, with its 420 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque, with an EPA estimated range of around 15 mpg combined, and 17 mpg minus off-road tires. 

The top-spec High Country now is equipped with adaptive dampers, and this group of seasoned auto bloggers was surprised at just how much love they had for the 4-cylinder model, which was an incredibly viable alternative to the very well-known and trusty V8. Their favorite, (as we all expected!) was the Duramax diesel. When you hit the pedal and the torque kicks in there is a rich quality that never fully backs off and provides all the rigidly defined “good stuff” that full-sized trucks have been loved for over the years!

J.D. Power Ranks Chevy Silverado “Best Large Light-Duty Pickup” in 2022 IQS

We have always appreciated and admired the Chevy Silverado 1500 here at the Mid-Missouri Powerhouse, as it’s our signature breed of work truck, and a perfect vehicle to take on adventuresome weekend expeditions. Some customers who are looking for the truck that will best meet their needs have a checklist that they won't bend the rules on, and some are just happy to drive away in something that looks and runs amazing. For those that are always on the watch for awards and accolades, the Silverado is already having another successful year!

The Chevy Silverado 1500 has recently secured another bragging right: J.D. Power ranked it as the “Best Large Light-Duty Pickup”. The J.D. Power IQS is now enjoying its 36th year, giving the final word on major car brands and individual vehicle models with a final ranking based on responses from brand new vehicle owners. This 2022 study is based on return survey responses from over 84,000 individuals, all surveyed very early on after they purchased a new vehicle. 

These savvy consumers who provided their input were asked to answer 223 questions that ranked the vehicle’s quality based on nine important traits. Among these were powertrain capability, climate, accessibility of controls and displays, exterior, driving assistance features, infotainment, interior, seat comfort,  other features, and overall driving experience. Once these answers are calculated, J.D. Power provides a finished ranking using a metric that dictates “Problems Per 100 Vehicles”: the lower this score, the higher the vehicle ranks in overall quality.

Individual models were also grouped into very specific segments, with our prized light-duty Chevy Silverado 1500 taking the very top honors in the Large Light Duty Pickup category. The runner-up models in the segment include the light-duty GMC Sierra 1500, as well as the rival in the form of the Ford F150. The Bow Tie brand enjoyed the success of securing six segment wins total, including the Chevy Corvette as the premium Sporty Car win, The Chevy Equinox for the compact SUV, The Chevy Malibu as the midsize car, and The Chevy Silverado HD and Chevy Tahoe for the larger sized heavy-duty pickup and SUV segments. 

GM’s full-size truck category had also outsold the Ford F-series and Ram pickup during the second quarter of this year, continuing along with the GMC Sierra to be the best-selling manufacturer of full-size pickups in the nation. Adding to these high-performing and sought-after lineups, Chevy recently officially teased the upcoming 2023 Chevy Silverado ZR2 Bison made with the assistance of world-class field and stream (as well as Army-Grade engineering!) AEV Outfitters. After this, GM will refresh both the Sierra HD and Silverado HD, and for the 2024 model year, they will both gain updated exterior styling, overhauled cabins, along with more horsepower and torque for the 6.6-liter Duramax diesel.