2017 Silverado HD: Perfect for No-Frills Towing, Says CNET

It may not be the most high-tech truck on the road but the Chevrolet Silverado HD is still more than enough for the majority of drivers.

Chevrolet’s HD lineup of Silverado trucks is the automaker’s most capable offerings for drivers looking to tow up to 15,400 lbs. in the 2500HD or 23,100 lbs. in the 3500HD. CNET went for a spin in the Silverado 2500HD, which included some time while towing a 7,000-lb. John Deere skid-steer mini-dozer and found the truck to be incredibly capable.

CNET started the review off a little concerned with the 2500HD’s capabilities, but quickly found the concern to be misguided. “I needn’t have worried,” says the outlet. The Silverado 2500HD’s tow/haul mode “keeps the transmission from hunting gears, so the engine speed remains nice and high for maximum grunt.” And with the addition of the diesel exhaust brake button, “the engine did plenty of braking on its own.” With all of the truck’s towing buttons pushed, there’s nothing to worry about. “No fishtailing, no panic stops, easy peasy,” says CNET.

The Silverado 2500HD and 3500HD are capable of towing, as CNET points out, more than the Nissan Titan, Nissan Titan XD, and Toyota Tundra. And while the truck is more capable than some of its competitors, it’s still easy to drive. CNET claims the truck “towed like a dream, tracking straight with hardly a peep from the diesel engine coming into the cabin…”

The 2500HD, though, has one major downside, which involves the level of technology that it comes with. As CNET points out, “the truck lacks some of the driver’s aids that make driving a large truck and trailer so much easier.”

The outlet claims the 2500HD isn’t fitted with blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, a 360-degree camera, or Trailer Guidance system. But adding the Driver Alert Package does add lane departure warning onto the vehicle, “to help keep you from drifting out of the lane without signaling,” says CNET.

Taking the trailer off of the Silverado 2500HD reveals a comfortable truck that’s capable of acting as a grand tourer. “The Silverado’s steering feels precise, and while my driving was on the interstate, the truck exhibited minimal body roll on cloverleaf on-ramps,” says CNET.

Another major upside to the 2500HD is the Duramax turbodiesel engine that’s more powerful than ever. The engine “adds more horsepower and torque to the 2016 model year…” says CNET. The engine now cranks out 445 horsepower and 910 lb-ft of torque, which is better than the competition. “Power delivery is smooth and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t chirp my rear wheels a few times when the light turned green,” says CNET.

In addition to the engine’s impressive outfit, it’s also “so darn quiet,” says CNET. “Gone is the loud diesel rattle making its way into the large and comfortable cockpit,” says the outlet.

Chevrolet’s heavy-duty trucks, as CNET puts it, “are a good choice, depending on how much you need to tow.” And if you’re okay with leaving the tech features behind to focus on having the ability to tow large cargo, then the truck is a clear winner.