Turns out that complaining can make a difference. It also turns out that Chevy customers are just as astute at identifying a half-hearted, uncompetitive attempt at creating a truck interior as we car reviewers are. After only three years, GM went to the very unusual step of going back to the drawing board and giving the 2022 Chevrolet Silverado an all-new interior design. Not stopping there, it applied cutting-edge new technology to nearly every trim level including one of the industry’s first applications of Google’s Android Automotive operating system. The end result is a truck that is immediately more competitive against the Ram 1500 and Ford F-150, especially on the upper end of its model lineup where its cabins were laughable when put up against the Longhorns and King Ranches of the world.
There are some significant caveats here. First, we have not seen the new Silverado in person, let alone driven it, so right now we’re just looking at the same pretty pictures you are. Second, the Work Truck, Custom and Custom Trail Boss trims keep the old interior design and technology – given their lower price points, that’s probably OK.
Finally, and most importantly, there are in fact two different 2022 Silverados. The massively updated one shown here is officially the 2022 Chevy Silverado, but it won’t actually be available until the spring of 2022. In the meantime, Chevy is selling the 2022 Silverado LTD, which is basically last year’s truck but with the 2022 model year applied. There are many reasons for this, but suffice to say, if you see a 2022 High Country with the crummy old cabin, that’s why. It’s an LTD.
Interior & Technology | Passenger & Cargo Space | Performance & Fuel Economy
What it’s like to drive | Pricing & Features | Crash Ratings & Safety Features
What’s new for 2022?
The interior! It was quite bad before; now it appears to be wildly improved in terms of aesthetics, materials quality and technology. You can see the difference above as both belong to a Silverado LT. The new tech includes a 13.4-inch widescreen infotainment display that runs an Android Automotive operating system. Another key change is a console-mounted shifter for five-passenger models instead of the column-mounted one that remains for six-passenger cabs. There are visual changes outside as well (the grille bowtie has migrated upward); GM’s Super Cruise handsfree driving system is now offered on the High Country; the 2.7-liter turbo engine now produces 420 pound-feet of torque (more than the 5.3-liter V8); the base 4.3-liter V6 is dead; and the 3.0-liter diesel can be fitted with a Max Tow package that allows it to tow 13,300 pounds versus last year’s meager 9,500 sum.
There’s also an addition to the family: the Silverado ZR2. This off-road model features Multimatic DSSV spool-valve shocks, the same 2-inch lift as the Trail Boss but with more suspension travel, locking diffs, skid plates, 33-inch tires and an overall ground clearance of 11.2 inches. The front bumper has been redesigned and the exhaust tips relocated to improve approach and departure angles, respectively. It includes the 6.2-liter V8, so it shouldn’t be considered a true Raptor or TRX competitor.
What are the Silverado interior and in-car technology like?
The 2022 Silverado gets a completely new layout with updated materials starting with the LT trim (those lower retain the ugly old interior design) and it’s a massive improvement. Besides aesthetics, the overhaul includes a new 13.4-inch infotainment screen and 12.3-inch instrument display found in all trims, albeit with different skins and software suites to account for differing options. Besides the new, bigger screen, the infotainment system is among the first in the industry to run on the Android Automotive operating system. We have only briefly experienced this system in the GMC Hummer EV, but it’s certainly promising.
The upper trim levels see the greatest interior improvement, because frankly, they needed it. For instance, instead of a few bits of unconvincing wood trim slapped randomly to the side of the High Country’s center console, the new version gets the real deal. Heck, the new LT interior has a far more premium vibe than the old High Country did.
Now, we have yet to get into the new Silverado in person, so there’s only so much to say. Still, pictures are more than enough to tell that the overhaul is a gamechanger.
How big is the Silverado?
It’s huge. But so are all full-size pickups today. There are three cab configurations: a two-door Regular Cab with an 8-foot bed, a Double Cab with four doors and a 6.5-foot bed, and the larger Crew Cab four-door with either a 6.5-foot or a 5.8-foot bed. The Regular Cab measures 229.5 inches from stem to stern, while the Double Cab and the Crew Cab short box are just two inches longer, and the Crew Cab long box tacks on another 10 inches.
The Silverado features higher bed sides than most competitors, allowing Chevy to claim greater cargo volume. You can also get it with GM’s Multi-Flex tailgate shown above left. Payload ranges from 2,130 pounds for the 4×4 Crew Cab to 2,280 for the 4×2 Regular Cab. Buyers who would routinely max out the payload, however, should look instead at the Silverado HD.
The vast majority of Silverados sold are the four-door Crew Cab configuration, which has sprawl-out space in the rear seat. The rear seat cushion also can flip up to help when carrying cargo inside. Access is easy through huge doors, although it’s a climb up to get inside (more so on the off-road-themed variants with their raised suspensions). The Double Cab is less spacious, and its rear seatback is more upright (pictured below left). The Double Cab’s narrow rear doors are a clue that its back seat is meant for occasional use, but at least they’re front-hinged rather than Ford’s awkward clamshell design. You can also see the Silverado’s six-passenger configuration below left, which includes a front middle seat.
What are the Silverado fuel economy and performance specs?
The Silverado has a sprawling powertrain lineup with four engines, three transmissions and of course 2WD and 4WD. As a result, performance and fuel economy vary widely.
The base engine is now the unique 2.7-liter turbocharged inline-four, which produces 310 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque. That’s a massive, 72-lb-ft upgrade over last year and considerably better than the 5.3-liter V8. Paired with an eight-speed automatic, it’s the standard powerplant in most of the mid-range trims and an optional upgrade for the base WT and the Custom. Fuel economy is an EPA-estimated 20 mpg combined for 2WD models and 18 mpg combined with 4WD.
The most economical setup, though, is the 3.0-liter turbodiesel, which carries exceptional EPA estimates of 26 mpg combined with 2WD and 24 mpg combined with 4WD. The diesel produces 277 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque — the latter figure matching that of the largest V8.
Nearly every Silverado trim level is available with a 5.3-liter V8 good for 355 hp and 383 lb-ft of torque. Fuel economy varies widely, however, as the engine can be paired with six-, eight- or 10-speed automatic transmissions. Unlike last year, it is only available with GM’s more advanced Dynamic Fuel Management system (DFM). The result is fuel economy that ranges from 15 mpg combined for a Trail Boss with the six-speed automatic to 18 mpg combined with the 2WD/8-speed combo. That’s a significant spread.
The 6.2-liter V8 is the top-dog offering with 420 horsepower and 460 lb-ft. It’s paired exclusively with the 10-speed automatic, 4WD and DFM. EPA estimates range from 14 mpg combined for those with mud terrain tires to 17 mpg for a more road-going version.
What’s the Silverado like to drive?
We have not yet driven the 2022 Chevy Silverado, so we cannot answer this question definitively. Apart from the new ZR2, however, as well as the significant improvement in the turbo-four’s torque, GM did not announce changes that should fundamentally alter the way the Silverado drives. At least in theory.
As such, here’s what we’ve previously found with this Silverado generation. We spent some time in a 5.3-liter Trail Boss, and found the engine paired well with the eight-speed automatic. An off-road stint in the Trail Boss showcased its mud-slogging capabilities, although those come at a cost to on-road comfort. We also towed a heavy load with a different Silverado powered by the big 6.2-liter and found that it did feel stronger than the 5.3-liter truck, but that you don’t strictly need it. The 5.3 is more than capable. As for that turbo-four, we were already impressed with its ability to punch above its weight class before its notable improvement. Ultimately, though, we’d probably opt for the Duramax diesel engine that’s strong, impressively quiet and well-suited to truck duty.
Regardless of engine, we’ve been impressed with the Silverado’s road holding and steering. Despite its size, the Silverado is not ponderous to drive. Handling is actually fairly responsive, and it feels more nimble than its rival trucks. The ride quality is a sore spot, however. The LT Double Cab we tested bounded nautically over bumps, while other trims with bigger wheels produce tiresome impact harshness, and there’s some rear axle hop when the bed is unloaded. The top-spec High Country now comes with adaptive dampers that should smooth out the ride at least somewhat, but expect the Ram and F-150 to ride better regardless of version. Again, unless Chevy altered the suspension in some way and just didn’t mention it. Stay tuned.
What other Chevy Silverado reviews can I read?
2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Duramax First Drive Review
Here’s our most comprehensive review of the Silverado when fitted with the Duramax diesel engine. Although it can tow significantly more for 2022, that’s due to the availability of the Max Tow package as opposed to actual changes with the engine.
2019 Chevrolet Silverado LT Double Cab 2.7T Review
This review covers a few key variations of the Silverado: the modestly equipped but volume-selling LT trim and the extended Double Cab, plus the 2.7-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that is significantly updated for 2022. You can also read more about the four-cylinder’s engineering in our Silverado 2.7L RST first drive review.
2020 Chevy Silverado Trail Boss Off-Road Review
We take the most off-road-oriented Silverado 1500 off-road, finding it to be plenty capable but with a few compromises.
2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 First Drive Review
Here is our more comprehensive review of the 5.3- and 6.2-liter V8 engines, including while towing. We also provide in-depth details about the new Silverado’s overall engineering and design.
How much is the 2022 Silverado price and what features are available?
Although GMC released initial pricing for its similarly overhauled 2022 Sierra, Chevrolet had not done so for the Silverado at the time of this writing. We would expect the base price to be close to the $30,995 sticker for the 2021 Work Truck or the 2022 GMC Sierra’s base price of $32,495.
We will strive to update this page as soon as we have pricing and in-depth features information for the 2022 Silverado. In the meantime, pricing, specs and features information about the Silverado 1500 LTD can be found here.
What are the Silverado safety ratings and driver assistance features?
Much like the pricing and features information, we don’t know what safety equipment will be included on the revised 2022 Silverado. Previously, driver assistance equipment was optional, and often then only available on upper trim levels. We’ll see if this changes.
In crash testing by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the 2021 Silverado Crew Cab got the best possible score of “Good” in all but the “small overlap front: passenger side” test where it got a “Marginal” score. It’s possible this could change for 2022, as well as the scores of its headlights. In NHTSA crash tests, last year’s Silverado earned a four-star rating overall (out of five), with four stars for front and rollover crash protection and five stars for side-impact crashworthiness. It’s slightly less likely that these would change.
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Source: www.autoblog.com