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In the world of half-ton pickup trucks, Ford has emerged as the market’s technological innovator. The F-150 boasts lightweight aluminum all over its body and turbocharged “EcoBoost” engines under the hood, employing every bit of wizardry to maximize performance and fuel economy without diminishing capability. Meanwhile, the Ram 1500 has doubled down on decadent luxury, with a gorgeous cabin and smoother ride quality. And the redesigned 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500? What’s its specialty? Well. It’s a truck, too.
It’s easy to be harsh on a redesigned vehicle that doesn’t clearly move the needle from its predecessor. And the latest Silverado is the model’s second-straight cautious redesign. There hasn’t been a radically improved Silverado since 2007. Even some famously loyal pickup buyers appear to be shifting their allegiances, with Ram recently overtaking Chevy for the No. 2 sales slot.
All that being said, the 2019 Silverado remains a competitive truck in many respects. Like all the competition, it has a comfortable cabin with an available giant back seat, a quiet ride and tons of optional luxury gear. Like all the competition, it has absurd towing and payload limits that make a mockery of the “half-ton” moniker. And like the other leading full-size pickups, its available V8 engines deliver strong acceleration and surprisingly acceptable fuel economy. All this is to say that Silverado is in the same approximate league as the Ford and Ram. It just doesn’t have a particular standout specialty, even at similarly sticker-shock-inducing price points. Being basically OK at everything isn’t going to win many hearts, but neither is it a complete disaster — especially in a market segment with few models to choose from.
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