Finalists
Chevrolet Silverado 1500
PRO Phenomenal powertrains • Responsive steering • Good pulling power
CON Boring interior • Seats not comfortable • Horrible backup camera
The powertrain is the heart of a full-size pickup. A functional bed, interior accoutrements, and ease of pairing a phone all impact how livable a truck is. But if the key criteria are how the truck accelerates, sounds, shifts, and tows, you can’t go wrong with the 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 with a gas or diesel engine and 8- or 10-speed automatic transmission smartly tuned to take advantage of the torque.
It’s hard to believe the 2.7-liter is a four-cylinder; most judges said they would take it over any other gas engine in the Silverado lineup. This compelling engine, which generates 310 hp and 348 lb-ft, may not sound stirring. However, it’s a torquey engine at low rpm, which is where it mostly lives, as Walton noted. And it hustles, powering the 5,022-pound truck to 60 mph in 7.1 seconds and covering the quarter mile in 15.3 seconds. It cruises well at highway speeds and produces little body roll on winding roads. Shifts are smooth and efficient.
Attach a 4,000-pound trailer, and the RST 2.7 is fastest off the mark of our test field, scooting to 30 mph in 3.5 seconds, while its 0–60 time of 14.1 seconds is second only to the Ford Ranger’s. Walton was impressed on the Davis Dam; the 2.7 towed with slick upshifts and held cruise speed with ease on the downhill grade. The weight savings with the I-4 provides a stunning amount of extra payload capacity, able to carry almost one ton.
Or opt for the 3.0-liter Duramax, a sweetheart of a diesel with excellent sound and feel, fuel economy, power off the line, payload, and towing. “This is probably the best of the light-duty diesels,” Williams said.
The RST Duramax is nimble, handing twisty roads like a large sedan. Chevy’s suspension upgrades make it feel like a new truck. “I don’t know if I’ve driven a truck that rode that well,” Walton said. Cortina noted how easily it drifts for fun. Evans said he could tow with it every day: “It drives beautifully and reverses just as well, even without all the optional cameras and trailering apps.” Brakes require a heavy foot but work well. Markus said the pedal feel seems quite linear in its relationship to braking force.
One problem was that the Duramax’s shifter liked to get stuck in park. It’s an isolated incident; our GMC Sierra with the same powertrain had no issues.
Seabaugh felt the trucks struggled in the dirt; the Silverado required off-road mode to clear moguls. This turns off traction control and creates
