2013 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 |
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Overview
The Chevrolet Silverado 1500 is a highly ranked full-size truck, excelling in comfort, towing capacity, and gas mileage. It holds the top spot on the Most Comfortable Full-Size Trucks list, demonstrating its superior interior design and ride quality. It also leads the Best Gas Mileage Full-Size Trucks list, indicating its efficiency and cost-effectiveness for long-term use. While it ranks second on the Best Full-Size Trucks for Towing list, it still showcases its powerful performance and capability to handle heavy loads. Compared to similar vehicles, the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 stands out as a top contender in its class, offering a well-rounded mix of comfort, power, and efficiency.
Overview
With its numerous bed lengths, body configurations, axles, cabs, interior upgrades and E85 compatible engines, the 2013 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 full-size pickup, while not the best-selling truck on the market, nevertheless has a lot of things going for it. There's literally something for everyone with this Chevy Silverado 1500, including the industry's only available full-size hybrid pickup. This is the last model year for the current design, as an all-new 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 debuts this fall.
What Experts Think
Given the competition in this class, most automotive reviewers still find a lot to like about the full-size 2013 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. While there are a few nits, most agree that this is an excellent truck for certain needs: work truck, towing, hauling and off-road.
"Despite an aging design, the 2013 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 is a strong contender in the full-size pickup segment thanks to its wide range of body styles, capable performance and good highway manners." (Edmunds)
"We know truck buyers don't care as much about fuel economy as they do sheer brute force, which is why the Silverado delivers performance at or near the top of its class in almost every category, including a maximum tow rating of 10,700 pounds when properly equipped." (Kelley Blue Book)
"GM's full-size pickup trucks (Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra) are aging in the face of newer trucks from Dodge and Ford. Despite this, the GM twins are still compelling because of their excellent engines, tasteful styling, and spacious interiors. Configurable in a zillion different ways, one can be made just the way you want it." (Car and Driver)
"Chevrolet Silverado offers a smooth ride and confident handling while delivering excellent capability and power. No question, the Silverado is a great truck." (AOL Autos, 2012 model)
"The LTZ trim level is available for those looking for a little bit of luxury, and allows the Silverado to compete with other luxury offerings in the full-size pickup market, such as the Ford F-150. Flexibility of options and solid performance are the earmarks of the 2013 Chevrolet Silverado, keeping it in line with Chevy's tradition of high-quality trucks." (Automobile)
"The 5.3-liter V8 engine is the class benchmark for refinement. It produces a muffled burble at idle and a satisfying growl during acceleration. We're less enthusiastic about the 6.2-liter V8. It's markedly louder at idle and while accelerating. Wind and road noise are well suppressed on all models." (Consumer Guide)
What Owners Say
While there aren't too many reviews of the 2013 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 pickup - after all, this same design has been around since the 2007 redesign - owners that have posted reviews on sites such as Edmunds, Yahoo Autos, Cars.com, either love the truck or hate it.
Among the more favorable comments are that the Chevy Silverado 1500 gives you about 300 miles on a tank of gas, that it rides and sounds great, has plenty of power, and the fold-up back seat leaves a nearly flat floor perfect for storing items in the cab or as a spot for the dog.
Negatives include the price and/or payments, the somewhat dated interior, and one owner who said he had to return to the dealer for a wiring issue that led to no tail lights (after three weeks).
Owners writing on Cars.com, however, are universally enthusiastic about their Chevy Silverado, rating it an overall 5.0 out of 5. From regular cab to Z71 4X4 to Z71 4X4 LTZ, owners rave about the looks, the performance, the "sweet deal" they got, and the fact that this purchase is their third or fourth Silverado.
Model/Trim Lineup
There are no major changes to the 2013 Chevy Silverado 1500 lineup for this last year of the current design. Returning are the Work Truck, LS, LT, LTZ and XFE. Configuration combinations are plentiful for cab and cargo bed in both two- and four-wheel drive.
The Silverado 1500 is available in regular cab, extended cab and crew cab body styles. In regular and extended cabs, the bed is either the standard 6.5-foot bed or an 8-foot long bed. Crew cabs only come with a 5-foot-8 short bed.
Regular cabs are limited to the base Work Truck and mid-level trims. Extended and crew cabs are available in LS, LT and the top-of-the-line LTZ trim.
The base Work Truck sports only the bare necessities, including air conditioning in extended cab and crew cab versions, a tilt steering wheel, vinyl seats, 40/20/40-split front bench seat, a trip computer, OnStar telematics, and a four-speaker sound system with auxiliary audio jack.
The LS Silverado adds premium cloth seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, auto-dimming rearview mirror, and a lockable compartment with power outlet integrated into the center cushion of the split front seat.
In LTZ trim, the Silverado 1500 includes 20-inch alloy wheels, leather seats, 10-way power-adjustable heated front bucket seats, remote engine start, Bluetooth, dual-zone automatic climate control (in extended cab and crew cab models), an exclusive wood dash design with metallic accents, and a Bose audio system with a six-disc CD changer, a USB/iPod interface and rear audio controls.
Popular options include a sunroof, 18- and 20-inch wheels, a power-sliding rear window, heated power-folding outside mirrors, an EZ-Lift tailgate, a rear-seat entertainment system, rear parking sensors, a rearview camera, a navigation system, ventilated front seats, various towing packages, and the Z71 Off-Road package (which includes skid plates, off-road suspension, 18-inch wheels and body-colored front end).
An All-Star package includes the 5.3-liter V8 engine, a towing package, a locking rear differential, 17-inch alloy wheels, Bluetooth, audio upgrades, dual-zone automatic climate control, a six-way power driver's seat and the EZ-Lift tailgate.
The Silverado XFE (which stands for extra fuel economy) is a rear-wheel drive 5.3-liter V8 powered LT crew cab featuring a lowered suspension and drivetrain adjustments specifically to improve fuel economy.
Performance
Most reviewers in the automotive press that review full-size pickups are impressed with the number and variety of engines that are available in the 2013 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. There are five engines in total, which is more than any of the Chevy Silverado's competitors.
The base engine is the 195-horsepower 4.3-liter V6, which delivers 260 pound-feet of torque and EPA-estimated fuel economy of 15 mpg city/20 mpg highway in two-wheel drive (2WD) and 14/18 city/highway mpg in four-wheel drive (4WD).
The 4.8-liter Flex-Fuel V8 provides 302 horsepower and 305 pound-feet of torque. Here, the EPA city/highway fuel economy estimates are 14/19 mpg (2WD), 10/14 mpg (2WD, E85), 13/18 mpg (4WD), 10/13 mpg (4WD, E85).
In the 5.3-liter Flex-Fuel V8, horsepower is 315 @ 5,200 rpm and 325 horsepower @ 5,300 (E85). Torque is 335 pound-feet of torque @ 4,400 rpm, (348 pound-feet with E85).
Next up is the 403-horsepower 6.2-liter Flex-Fuel V8, providing 417 pound-feet of torque @ 4,300 rpm. EPA city/highway fuel economy is 13/18 mpg (2WD), 9/13 mpg (2WD, E85), 12/18 mpg (4WD), 9/13 mpg (4WD, E85). This engine is considered the tops in its class, with significantly more power and torque and very little fuel economy penalty, thus making it the engine of choice for those who want more power and/or towing capacity.
Finally, there is the 332-horsepower 6.0-liter V8 Hybrid. The EPA estimates for this engine are 20/23 mpg in both 2WD and 4WD. The Hybrid also has a two-mode system that can operate on electric-power only at low speeds, or deliver an electric assist to the V8 engine during highway speeds or when towing.
The smaller engines are paired with an outdated four-speed automatic, but the two V8s come with a standard six-speed automatic transmission that features a well-calibrate tow-haul mode and cruise-grade braking.
Interior
Most reviewers comment that the interior and the instrument panel on the Work Truck, LS and LT versions of the 2013 Chevy Silverado are simple and straightforward. One of the most vocal in this regard is the comment from Kelley Blue Book that the Silverado has "knobs, switches and door handles that can easily be operated while wearing gloves," a welcome feature for anyone working in colder climates.
Other auto reviewers note that the base model won't exactly excite the senses, but it does meet the needs of work-truck owners who need durability in their full-size pickup and don't mind hosing off mud, if necessary. Moving up the ladder to higher trim levels brings much more sophistication in comfort features and improved fit and finish overall.
There are high marks as well for the navigation system, along with the heated and ventilated seats offered only on the Silverado 1500 LTZ. But all front seats provide a comfortable driving position with available power-adjustable pedals.
Crew cab models have comfortable 60/40-split bench seats in the rear that feature flip-up seat cushions that provide a nearly flat load floor.
Most reviews cite merely adequate interior storage and the somewhat haphazard organization of the center console, as well as small cup holders.
The top-of-the-line LTZ is much plusher, with a refined instrument panel decked out with wood inlays, soft-touch surfaces and additional ambient lighting.
Safety & Reliability
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave the 2013 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 an overall four star rating (out of five). The Silverado earned four stars for overall frontal crash protection and five stars for overall side crash protection. Testing by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) resulted in the 2013 Chevy Silverado being awarded the top score of "Good" for frontal-offset crash protection, but a second-best score of "Acceptable" in side-impact tests.
Standard safety equipment on the 2013 Chevrolet Silverado includes antilock brakes, electronic stability control and traction control, OnStar, front seat side airbags and side curtain airbags.
In the Max Trailering package, four-wheel disc brakes are available.
In terms of reliability, the 2013 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 has earned a four and one-half Power circle rating from the J.D. Power and Associates Predicted Reliability rating. This means the 2013 Silverado 1500 is halfway between better than most and about average for reliability.
2013 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Trims
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Popular Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Trim Comparisons
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