Chevy Silverado 1500 Gets Raves & Rants

Chevrolet Icon Is Improved Inside and Out, Leading AWN to Praise It as ‘Quick…Strong…and Pleasingly Quiet’

The year 2016 may be over, but that model year was a sort of beginning for the Chevrolet Silverado 1500.

Before then, the Silverado was handsome and square-jawed, but not as modern-looking as its Ford F-150 competitor. The angled lower section of the ’16 Silverado’s front grille changes that. So does the LED headlamps and signature lighting on the high-end LTZ and High Country models. Other cosmetic changes include new grille designs and available LED taillamps as well as the Siren Red Tintcoat, Red Hot and Iridescent Pearl Tricoat paint colors.

Auto World News gets into some of those exterior changes and many others in AWN‘s review of the 2016 Silverado.

“There are now two available touchscreens inside that boast quicker response times,” says AWN, which praises the new truck as “quick…strong…and pleasingly quiet.” “These[touchscreens] are equipped with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration.” It also mentions the availability of the Hydra-Matic 8L90 eight-speed automatic transmission on Silverados with the 5.3-liter V8 under the hood and the upgraded safety tech. For 2016, certain Silverados could be equipped with the Enhanced Driver Alert Package and its array of features, including IntelliBeam high-beam assist and Lane Keep Assist.

As with any review, Auto World News‘s evaluation of the 2016 Silverado includes its pros and cons. The Chevy is praised for its quick acceleration and its towing and hauling capabilities. On the other hand, it is knocked for not having as smooth a ride as its half-ton competitors.

We drove a 2016 Silverado 1500 High Country last year and agree with some of AWN‘s judgments. It is well equipped with Forward Collision Alert, Lane Keep Assist and IntelliBeam headlights. Additionally, it has navigation, heated front seats, and optional power-articulating assist steps. The 6.2-liter V8 up front packs a satisfying amount of punch. However, the wobble we felt after driving the High Country over imperfect pavement is a big downside. And, unfortunately, we were aware of it every time we sat in the leather driver seat.

The 2017 Silverado 1500 is keeping the train of changes rolling with its new exterior colors, available Low Speed Forward Automatic Braking, and standard Teen Driver feature. The latter feature allows parents to check how fast and how far their teenage drivers venture, and how many times they engaged the Silverado’s active safety features.

Chime in with your thoughts in the forums. >>

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Derek Shiekhi

Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.

After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.

While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.

Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.

In addition to writing for a variety of Internet Brands sites, including JK Forum and Ford Truck Enthusiasts, Derek also contributes to other outlets. He started There Will Be Cars on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube to get even more automotive content out to fellow enthusiasts.

He can be reached at autoeditors@internetbrands.com.

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