Chevrolet’s all-new Colorado has clearly been the headline grabber for the company’s truck line in 2015. It made its mark on our staff as well, as awarded it the winner of Off-Road.com’s Mid-Sized Truck Shootout last month. But it’s easy to forget that just last year Chevy introduced an all-new Silverado that was awarded the title of 2014 North American Truck of the Year at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

The Colorado owes a great deal of its success in the lessons learned from the Silverado. In that vein, we thought it was a good idea to revisit the newest-generation Silverado in 2015, especially when you consider Chevy didn’t stop looking to improve the truck by adding an optional eight-speed transmission. So we wanted to get an idea where it stands in the ultra-competitive full-sized market.

Shuffling Through the Options
When the all-new Silverado was introduced last year, it was offered with a trio of EcoTec3 engines that are based directly on the original Small Block Chevy V8. These modern engines return again in 2015, and each offer a different level of performance but all retain key characteristics to aid in improved performance and efficiency, including the use of direct fuel injection, cylinder deactivation and continuously variable valve timing. The Silverado offers one V6 option, the EcoTec3 4.3-liter, which Chevy says “offers the most torque of any standard V-6.” The V6 is rated to produce 285 horsepower (@ 5300 rpm) and 305 lb.-ft. of torque (@ 3900). There are two EcoTec3 V8 options for the Silverado, including a 5.3-liter that produces 355 horsepower (@5600 rpm) and 383 lb.-ft. of torque (@4100), and a larger 6.2-liter V8 that produces 420 horsepower (@5600) and 460 lb.-ft. of torque (@4100).

As we previously noted, Chevy added an all-new Hydra-Matic 8L90 eight-speed automatic transmission in 2015 (that we’ll be testing in the coming weeks), which will be available on upper trim levels featuring the 6.2-liter V8. Standard equipment on the 4.3-liter V6 and 5.3-liter V8 is the six-speed automatic Hydra-Matic 6L80 transmission.

The Silverado is available in a number of cab configurations in both two- and four-wheel drive. Chevy still offers a regular cab option (available with a 6'6". or 8-ft. bed), an extended cab (avail. only with a 6'6"ft. bed) and full four-door crew cab (avail. with a 5'8" bed or longer 6'6" bed). The regular cabs are only available in select trim levels, including WT (or Work Truck), LS and LT. The extended cab version is available in WT, LT, LS and LTZ trim levels, and the crew is available in WT, LT, LS, LTZ, High Country and Z71 trim levels. While the new eight-speed transmission leads the headlines of new features in 2015, Chevy also has made its spray-on bed liner available on all models this year. For our test, we got our hands on a four-wheel-drive Silverado 1500 Z71 Crew with the LTZ package.

How’s the Ride?
When Chevrolet redesigned the Silverado in 2014, it did so from the ground up. The half-ton Silverado features a fully boxed frame, and two-thirds of the entire truck is constructed of high-strength steel. Chevy does keeps the truck’s weight down with the use of aluminum-alloy in the engine, front suspension components, hood and other areas. Fibrous wheel liners help cut down on road noise, and Chevy employs shear-style body mounts to reduce up-down and side-to-side noises. Our test truck featured the Z71 Off-Road Package that offers upgraded monotube Rancho shocks for added off-road performance and smooth on-road handling.

It’s safe to say that most full-sized trucks have come a long way in recent years in terms of their on-road performance, and the Silverado is definitely a smooth operator in and around town and on the highway. Its electric variable-assist power steering makes u-turns and parking lot navigation effortless, and its rear backup camera helps avoid those hard-to-see hazards. Four-wheel antilock disc brakes provide ample stopping power, and the soft feel of the brake pedal allows the driver to comfortably ease into braking. Although our well-equipped Silverado features power seats for the driver and passenger, it also features an extra level of driver comfort in the LTZ package via the power adjustable pedals. The telescopic steering wheel provides that level of adjustment for driver comfort as well.

In order to help improve aerodynamics on the Silverado and aid in fuel economy, Chevy installs an air damn on many of its trucks. When we tested the 2015 Colorado in our Mid-Sized Truck Shootout, the truck was delivered to us without the part installed since we’d be spending a great deal of time off the highway. This time, our Silverado was delivered with the air dam installed, so before we spent much time in the vehicle, we opted to remove it. Chevy says the air dam can provide up to 1 mph increase in fuel economy, but our gripe with its inclusion in the Z71 package is that it significantly reduces ground clearance – a big problem for owners who actually use their truck off road. We pulled out the toolbox and removed the air dam, which might’ve taken no more than 10-15 minutes if it weren’t for two very hard-to-access bolts that made the removal challenging. We kept the air dam off for all of our on-road testing as well as off-highway, just to get accurate fuel economy figures with the same setup.

For our off-highway testing, we headed to our off-road test loop in Southern California, jonesing for the chance to engage the transfer case into four-wheel drive. Our first section of the loop is a bumpy dirt road that’s more along the lines of a weathered fire road. Cruising down the road at a moderate pace in 4Hi, we were pleased with the confident handling, rigidity of the frame in turns, and the bump-soaking Rancho shocks. Basically, the same confident handling we felt on the highway was carried over when running at a decent clip on dirt roads.

As our test trail loop progresses, we eventually approach a particularly steep hill that requires a low-speed crawl to scale. We shifted into 4Lo and easily motored up the hill with no struggle. Although our Z71 off-road model was equipped with more street-friendly 20-inch wheels fitted Goodyear Wranglers SR-A tires featuring a tread design that’s among the least aggressive all-terrains on the market, we still had plenty of traction, and the Silverado was able to take the low-speed climb in stride.

Further into our loop we started hitting some really whooped-out sections of trail, and this is where the Silverado’s suspension limitations became apparent. The Silverado can handle its own in the dirt for the most part, but the monotube shocks are just a little too soft to tackle rough trails at a high rate of speed. Back off the throttle and the Silverado feels fine, but even with its upgraded shocks we feel they simply don’t offer the performance we think they should in a true Z71 off-road package.

For those looking for a simpler off-road experience, the Hill Descent Control function makes downhill navigation easier by using the anti-lock braking system to control downhill speed so the driver can focus on steering. While the automatic locking rear differential certainly aids the truck in low-traction scenarios off the highway (it reacts with as little a wheel speed difference of 100 rpm), we’d still prefer a true locking rear diff that the driver can turn on and off to meet the demands of the trail.

If you plan to spend any time off the highway, ditch the air dam and don’t give it another thought. We appreciate the idea of improving fuel economy, but we can’t see how this part makes its way on to the Z71 model. We would have bashed it countless times on our off-road loop, and it just poses too much clearance limitation. 

As we noted earlier, we removed the air dam for all of our testing, and so our fuel economy numbers represent testing without the aerodynamic benefits of the part. Our observed figures for city driving were 16.7 mpg, which is a bit better than the claimed 16 mpg EPA rating. On the highway, we averaged 20 mpg, which is a little bit under the claimed 22 mpg. Our combined highway and city driving total was 18.5 mpg, which is a slight improvement over the claimed 18 mpg combined EPA rating.

Towing the Line
Many full-size truck buyers will need to rely on the truck’s towing capability at some point. Hell, a Silverado buyer might be looking at the truck for the sole purpose of pulling a boat, camper or trailer full of powersports vehicles. When equipped with the 6.2-liter V8, eight-speed trans and the Max Trailer package, the Silverado has a towing capacity of 12,000 pounds. We have the smaller of the two V8s in the 5.3-liter that’s paired with the six-speed trans, but our test truck still featured the upgraded rear axle with a 3.42 ratio to offer towing capacity of 9200 pounds (versus the 3.08 ratio that only offers a 6200-pound towing capacity). 

Our tow test loop features a steady hill climb that eventually reaches a steep 12 percent grade at one point. We headed over to our friend Chris Thompson’s house and hooked up to his 22-foot Tige wakeboard boat. The boat-and-trailer combo tips the scales at roughly 6,000 pounds.  We were pleasantly surprised while pulling onto the highway how effortlessly the Silverado powered away from stops. The truck managed to handle the added weight of the trailer just fine, and it never felt like it tugged the rear end of the truck. Windy turns on uphill and downhill sections didn’t bother the Silverado, which felt stable and confident at cruising speeds of roughly 45-50 mph.

Our truest test of the Silverado’s 5.3-liter V8 and six-speed trans came on the steep 12 percent grade, and the truck showed no signs of struggle as it confidently accelerated throughout the climb and seemed to settle in nicely at about 4400 rpm. For day-to-day driving, there really is no need for the larger 6.2-liter V8. Tow testing would be the 5.3 liter engine’s toughest challenge, but Thompson was clear in his praise of the truck’s towing abilities, saying, “The trailer is not really a bother behind the truck. This is a really nice motor.”

Though we didn’t use the feature during testing, we did take note of the fact that the Silverado’s trailer brake controller is easy to reach on the upper part of the dash on the left-hand side of the steering wheel, which is also the location for the transfer case dial to shift between 2WD, 4Hi and 4Lo. If you pull larger loads or have a trailer brakes equipped on your rig, it’s nice to know this feature is easy to find and access when needed.  

When it comes to interior comfort, the Silverado cabin receives high marks. Its upgraded leather bucket seats are comfortable and plush. We also appreciate the Silverado’s heated and air-conditioned seats, which offer three levels of heating/cooling, with the heating offering the option to focus on the lower portion of the seat, the upper, or both.

The dash material features a stitched design that looks plush and imparts a sense of quality. The dash itself houses a nice 8-inch color touchscreen, which features navigation, audio controls. We really like the layout of the center stack, which features an 8-inch touchscreen atop, dual A/C controls just below it, and a easy-to-use piano-key button bar just below that controlling functions such as traction control, parking sensors, lane departure warning, downhill assist control and more. Our LTZ Plus package also includes power adjustable pedals (controlled via a toggle switch on the piano-key bar), upgraded Bose audio system and a heated steering wheel – something not lost on those in colder climates.

GM has embraced the modern technological demands of its buyers, and it is evident in the Silverado’s interior, which includes five USB ports, four 12-volt outlets (two of which are mounted in the center console), an SD memory card slot and a 110-volt outlet. So many plug-in options will make it easy to keep mobile phones, laptops and tablets charged during a trip. For 2015, Chevrolet will also offer 4G LTE WiFi connectivity through an OnStar subscription.

While the Silverado’s exterior boasts a clean, modern look, we could do without the chrome assist steps located under the rockers. The truck really isn’t tall enough to require them, and we ended up dinging our shins more than once while using them for assistance. The Silverado’s 20-inch chrome wheels offer a clean and unique appearance, but for an off-road truck we’d still prefer 17- or-18-inch wheels with more aggressive tires for the added price. We are very happy to see that a spray-on bedliner is now optional in every Silverado trim package, and it’s a far superior option, in our eyes, to the plastic bed liners we’re so used to seeing.

What’s the Word?
At $54,550, the 2015 Silverado we tested is handsomely equipped – for our tastes, it’s a little too much. We’d steer away from at least a few of the optional upgrades, such as the 20-inch chrome wheels ($1,395), the awkward Chrome Assists Steps ($700), and maybe even the power sunroof ($995) – a nice addition if you don’t need to trim costs. The Driver Alert Package ($845, Front/Rear Park Assist, Lane Departure Warning, Forward Collision Alert, Safety Alert Seat) is another option we would consider dropping, although some will find the front and rear park assist useful. Base pricing for a 4x4 Silverado Crew Cab starts at $38,875, so there’s plenty of room between our test truck and the base model for many to find a happy medium.

When it comes to overall performance, there is a lot to like in the Silverado. Sure, we’d like to see the eight-speed transmission be an option for our 5.3-liter V8, as it would improve fuel economy and likely provide even better towing performance. That said, the 5.3 V8 offers a good blend of power and efficiency for a full-sized truck. We also like the overall handling of the truck around town, on longer highway trips, and even in the dirt – although the suspension should be more competent than it is for moderate off-roading.

Chevrolet offers two years or 24,000-mile scheduled maintenance on new purchases, and the Silverado is backed by a three-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty. Chevrolet recently announced the addition of the 2015 Silverado Custom, and this “well-equipped double-cab V8” that starts at $37,800 in the 4x4 version might be a consideration for some.

The Silverado doesn’t necessarily blow us away in any category, but it also doesn’t let us down in any either. The sum of all its parts is what makes this truck a worthy competitor in the very competitive full-sized market.

Specifications – 2015 Silverado 1500 Z71 4WD LTZ Crew
Engine: 5.3-liter V8 EcoTec3
Horsepower: 355 @ 5,600 rpm
Torque: 383 lb.-ft. @ 4,100 rpm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic Hydra-Matic 6L80
Height: 74.2 in.
Track Width: 68.7 in. (front), 67.6 in. (rear)
Length: 230 in.
Wheelbase: 143.5 in.
Approach Angle: 17.9 degrees
Departure Angle: 23.3 degrees
Breakover Angle: 19.0 degrees
Ground Clearance: 8.9 in.
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating: 7,000 lbs.
Towing Capacity: 9200 lbs.
Payload Capacity: 1512 lbs.
Fuel Tank: 26 gal.
Seating Capacity: 5-6
Axle Ratio: 3.43:1
Estimated MPG: 16 city, 22 hwy (18 combined)
Observed MPG (tested): 16.7 city, 20 hwy (18.5 mpg combined)
Price: $54,550*
*Sticker price as tested, includes destination charges