The New Top Dog in the Light-Duty Diesel Dogfight
In the automotive world, it’s not always about showing up first to the market. The key is whenever you show up, be a contender. That’s what Chevy has done with its light-duty diesel offering, finally arriving in this year’s pickup and the powertrain of this test of a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Double Cab. The inline six-cylinder 3.0-liter Duramax turbodiesel wrests the fuel economy crown from the Ram 1500 diesel by a single mpg. Bragging rights to GM this year.
The diesel powerplant, which is mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission, turns out 277 horsepower and, more significantly for the truck market, 460 pound-feet of torque. That torque number marks this I6 as the most powerful of all of Silverado’s engine offerings. The EPA rates this engine at 23 mpg city/33 highway/27 combined. In 250 miles of aggressive, freeway-oriented real world driving, we had trouble matching the 33 mpg highway number, but bested the combined fuel economy by 1 ½ mpg. Driving with a lighter foot could potentially boost those numbers significantly. We were using the Silverado to get us through a couple 100+ mile runs in a minimum of time at close to legal speed limits, not a way to optimize fuel economy.
Power delivery was smooth and the torque was noticeable, allowing easy acceleration whenever needed. An added bonus was the noise—or lack thereof—from the traditional rattling diesel. Achieving quietness along with power and fuel economy should make the diesel option a popular one for Silverado buyers this year. Another bonus is the Duramax comes at only a $3,890 premium.
The Many Ways to Silverado
Pickup trucks are the last remnant of the old auto business. Years ago, cars came in a variety of configurations with the choice of different trims, engines, transmissions and a variety of specialized options. Most current cars are highly packaged and you’re lucky if you even have a color choice; it’s all part of a drive to cut manufacturing costs by reducing build variations.
Nothing has changed in the pickup world, a tribute to both the model’s popularity, the diverse market into which it sells and the solid profit margins that trucks still bring. True to this segment, the nominal half-ton 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 can be had in:
- Three cab configurations–crew cab, double cab and regular cab with two bed lengths
- Eight trim levels—plus several special editions
- Six engines—four, six and eight cylinders, gas and diesel
- Two drive options—2WD and 4WD
You can add on from a laundry list of free-standing options and a truck like the Silverado may “start†at $28,300, but the average purchase price is almost double that. Our test model clocked in at $48,685, including a 1,595 destination charge. The base price for the 2WD double cab was $38,800, but in addition to the diesel engine, an upgraded leather interior and convenience packages added $8,790 to the base price.
Those options really shouldn’t be considered optional, though, which is why the average transaction price is so high. Among things we don’t like to think of as optional, particularly on a pickup truck, are the power and heated driver’s seat, dual-zone climate control, trailing package, auto locking rear differential, upgraded infotainment center with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. What struck us were the options we missed, i.e., ones we’ve gotten used to on most cars we test and own and feel add to safety and convenience. The two big ones were adaptive cruise control, which can bump up fuel economy while also easing the grind of variable speeds often found in freeway driving, and blind spot monitoring, a safety feature really helpful in such a large vehicle. But several other advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) remain an option while they are well on their way to becoming standard on many cars and trucks. On the other hand, the high ride height, even more a 2WD model, gives the drive a great commanding view of the road and helps with maneuvering.
What Can It Do?
A truck is about functionality and the Silverado has a ton of it. The Duramax gives you a 9,300-pound maximum towing capability. A gas V8 option can punch trailering up to 13,400 pounds. Maximum payload is 2,250 pounds, which is why the ½-ton designation for the 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 is a nominal description. Finally, with a long bed (79.4 inches, if you must ask) like part of the double cab we tested, the Silverado offers 89.1 cubic feet of cargo space.
Functionality is not all about numbers, and the Silverado was loaded with thoughtful touches that illustrated a deep appreciation of how a pickup is used. My favorites were found in that long bed—a power tailgate, rear corner steps built into the bumper and sized to handle work boots. Inside the bed were great lights and 12 strategically placed tie-downs.
In the cabin Chevrolet figured out how to place the grab handles at exactly the right handle to really help you hoist yourself into the high-riding cab. (Not everyone has figured that placement out.) Since even when you’re working, you’re going to be spending plenty of time in the cab, there was no lack of practical features there. From a comfortable front seat to an oversize console designed to swallow up a laptop and much more to a back seat that was a little tight (the crew cab model adds more than eight inches of leg room), the double cab is still completely functional.
Thoughtful touches abound–from bed lights that come on when you hit the power button on the tailgate, a rear corner step built into bumper, 12 tie-downs and a front seat grab bar in exactly the right place to hoist yourself into the seat. Cabin comfort is not optional.
The Final Tally
The 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 model we drove—one of eight offerings—was the new RST. Chevrolet is coy about who the RST trim is designed to appeal to—or what its function is. Chevy describes it as “street art,†not a typical truck term, with a focus on its body-color bumpers and silver-painted aluminum wheels. Our best guess is this is supposed to be a sporty truck, but whether that oxymoron is accurate is anyone’s guess. We’re not sure we see the need for it as a separate trim level, but it isn’t a bad-looking package.
More important than the trim was the overall truck. The Silverado had a good balance of functional, safety (six airbags and electronic stability control) and comfort equipment along with a price that was in the ballpark of what most pickups cost. The value was there, though with some “missing†options noted earlier that would likely add somewhat to the bottom line.
We’ve driven all of the engine options and both 2WD and 4WD models of the Silverado, and the 2020 Chevrolet Silverado Duramax turbodiesel is far-and-away our favorite. The blend of power and fuel economy, now coming in an almost spookily quiet package, is tough to beat. The diesel powertrain is a natural for the modern multi-functional pickup. It can tow and work in a variety of jobs, but still maintains a cabin that gives up little to a typical sedan in creature comfort or modern technology. There’s no reason to get a pickup if you’re not going to put it to work, but if that’s your lifestyle, the 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Duramax will deliver the goods.
The Big Brother Diesel
The 3.0-liter I6 Duramax diesel in the Silverado 1500 is new to the Chevy pickup lineup, but its big brother, the 6.6-liter V8 Duramax has been a stalwart of the heavy-duty Silverado lineup for years. We’ve got a fresh review of that truck here. We earlier spent some time in the smallest Duramax, a 2.8-liter four-cylinder found in the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon pickups. Compare and contrast to figure out how much diesel you need.
And we’ve also spent time in Ford’s diesel contender. We’ll have a review of the latest Ram 1500 diesel coming soon.
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Disclosure:
Clean Fleet Report is loaned free test vehicles from automakers to evaluate, typically for a week at a time. Our road tests are based on this one-week drive of a new vehicle. Because of this we don’t address issues such as long-term reliability or total cost of ownership. In addition, we are often invited to manufacturer events highlighting new vehicles or technology. As part of these events we may be offered free transportation, lodging or meals. We do our best to present our unvarnished evaluations of vehicles and news irrespective of these inducements.
Our focus is on vehicles that offer the best fuel economy in their class, which leads us to emphasize electric cars, plug-in hybrids, hybrids and diesels. We also feature those efficient gas-powered vehicles that are among the top mpg vehicles in their class. In addition, we aim to offer reviews and news on advanced technology and the alternative fuel vehicle market. We welcome any feedback from vehicle owners and are dedicated to providing a forum for alternative viewpoints. Please let us know your views at publisher@cleanfleetreport.com.
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