We're all about fairness here at Car and Driver, which is why we started to feel bad that Chevy fans had to sit idly by while we applied our fantasy online car configurating How We'd Spec It process to not one but two different 2015 Ford F-150s. So here we are, folks, kickin' it fair and balanced style, and building out our ideal 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. Just don't tell the Ram guys . . .
MODEL:
Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Crew Cab Short Box 4WD LT Z71 (base price: $43,205)
If our choice of full-size pickup cab and bed layout seems formulaic, it's because mixing a four-door crew cab body with a short-length cargo box returns the best compromise of overall vehicle size, practicality, and passenger-toting capability. (We built out the nicer of our two F-150s this way, for example.) Chevrolet offers the Silverado in seven trim levels, from the base Work Truck all the way up to the Cadillac-cowboy High Country. It's a poorly kept secret that, these days, a decently equipped (but far from fully loaded) four-door pickup is going to nudge up against the $50,000 mark, and our quest to stay under that price, we stuck with the mid-level LT Z71 trim.
To the rather basic standard-features list of the Work Truck and LS models, he LT adds a damped tailgate; driver information display; 40/20/40 split front bench seat with locking underseat storage (because guns); a leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio and cruise-control buttons; 17-inch aluminum wheels; body-color door handles and mirrors; the trailering package with 4- and 7-pin wiring and a 2-inch receiver hitch; an automatic locking rear differential, satellite radio, and OnStar with a 3-month 4G LTE data subscription. The Z71 gear includes an off-road suspension with Rancho shocks, all-terrain tires, a transfer-case shield, front tow hooks, and Z71 badges, stickers, and interior trim. Because winter happens in our home state of Michigan, we also ponied up for four-wheel drive for an extra $3150, bringing our initial cost to $43,205 before adding any options. Like we said, full-size trucks are expensive.
OPTIONS:
Ruby Red Metallic paint ($0)
5.3-liter V-8 ($1295)
LT Plus package ($960)
LT Convenience package ($1490)
Heated front seats ($250)
Front and rear carpeted floor mats ($180)
Bose sound system ($500)
Driver assist handle ($80)
18-inch aluminum wheels ($345)
Chevrolet is pretty tricky when it comes to the Silverado's options sheet. Not only are there seemingly endless personalization choices, but everything—at least on its own—seems fairly cheap. Case in point: Within 10 seconds of entering the options section of the Silverado's online configurator, we had added 18-inch aluminum wheels ($345), a six-speaker Bose audio system ($500, and you get an extra speaker if you select the front bucket seat option—we didn't because bench seats are rad), and front and rear carpeted floor mats ($180). Ruby Red Metallic paint is free and lends the Silverado a classic, trucky appearance; we stuck with a Jet Black cloth interior for its superior coffee-stain-hiding abilities over the gray Ash color.
Even with four-wheel drive and the burly Z71 bits, the Silverado 1500 still comes standard with a 4.3-liter V-6. We like dragging stuff behind our trucks, so the $1295 5.3-liter V-8 was a no-brainer; it brings another 70 horsepower and 78 lb-ft of torque to the party for totals of 355 and 383, and sounds great. Getting in and out of a high truck is made easier with an interior grab handle, so we coughed up $80 for the driver's side assist handle (a passenger-side piece is standard). Once settled inside, our sensitive cheeks enjoy electric heating elements in the winter, and the $250 front seat heaters are reasonable.
We grabbed two big option packages, too, starting with the LT Plus package, which bundles a universal garage opener, rear park-assist sensors, power-adjustable pedals, a power-sliding rear window with a defroster, and heated power-folding side mirrors with chrome caps and auto-dimming function for $960. Next came the $1490 LT Convenience package, which is full of niceties like a 11o-volt power outlet, a telescoping function for the tilt steering wheel column, Chevy's 8-inch MyLink touch screen, remote engine starting, dual-zone climate control, and a 10-way power driver's seat. Oh, and a backup camera also is part of the deal, but we can't help but wonder why such a feature isn't simply standard on a $40,000-plus, 19-foot-long vehicle. Finally, we sprung for the $475 spray-in bedliner to keep our Ruby Red bed scratch-free.
- 2015 Chevrolet Colorado V-6 4×4 Testing: Little Big Truck
- How We'd Spec It: Yes, Basic Jeep Wranglers Still Exist in 2015
- Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Research: Full Pricing, Specs, Reviews, and More
Our flurry of online configuring complete, we were left with a $48,605 truck that still has cloth seats. Our similarly optioned 2015 Ford F-150 XLT crew cab rang in at $47,625, but lacked a 4G LTE data connection and a parallel to the Silverado's off-road Z71 suspension. Just like the Ford, however, the crew-cab Silverado is a compelling, do-it-all proposition: It can run the kids to school and the boat to the lake—or, in our case, it can bring the kids and the track car to the racetrack. That said, these ever-elevating full-size pickup prices are beginning to make Chevy's decision to reintroduce the smaller, less-expensive Colorado look more sensical by the day—after all, a 4×4, crew-cab one of those can be had for much less than $40K.
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