Equipment World Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/536721
pro pickup | continued July 2015 | EquipmentWorld.com 82 1st: Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Z71 LTZ 6.2-liter (1,554 points) "A lthough the Silverado did not collect the most points in our 11 empiri- cal tests (the GMC won by just three points), the $54,310 Chevy won fi ve tests outright and placed second in four others," says Williams, who led the comparison testing. As dominating as that might sound, the score sheets show it was the judges' scoring that sepa- rated the Silverado 1500 from its competitors: It placed either fi rst or second with four of the fi ve judges, including yours truly. The single area where the Chevy lost quantitative points was the payload category, because this vehicle was not equipped with GM's NHT max-tow package as the Sierra 1500 was. I, like the other judges, felt the Silverado was the best all-around player, doing everything asked of it with ease. And none of the competitors were as quiet on the road or responsive from a power perspective. I noted that the Sil- verado had the best ride espe- cially when towing, and while not as quick as the Tundra, its engine produced great power at speeds above 50 mph. The truck's 6.2L V8 is magical in how strong it pulls and how quick- ly the 8-speed automatic slams up through the gears when the foot is on the fl oor during the Davis Dam "hillclimb" and on the dragstrip. 1 And the winner is … Chevy Silverado 1500 Z71. The combination of GMs 6.2L V8 power, plush interior, and a quiet, stable ride drove this Crew Cab 4x4 to the top of the 2015 1/2-ton shootout.