Propickup Digital Magazine
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/144446
FIRSTDRIVE By Bruce W. Smith A touch of old, a load of new in the 2014 Chevy Silverado ½-tons Silverado's Fresh Face M Integrated steps and a stake pocket designed to fit the hand in the Chevy Silverado bumper make it easy to get into the bed. ost GM pickup owners will hardly notice Chevy's 2014 ½-ton pickups. The body styling on the new generation truck, although given a mild refresh with headlights and aero upgrades, is still a Chevy Silverado that looks very similar the 2013s. But if they take the time to slide behind the wheel for a ride down the road, the difference between the newest gen Bow Tie and the previous models is striking. For those like myself who drive a late-model GM ½-ton every day, the first five minutes behind the wheel of the new Silverado reveals a significant leap forward in comfort, ride, handling and power. In fact, that first drive quickly makes even a 2013 feel really old. I noticed the changes the moment I went to open the doors. GM designers went back to the "traditional" inset-style doors instead of the ones in the last generation that wrap up into the roof and extend to the bottom of the cab. The old doors generated a lot of wind noise at highway speeds – and they didn't do a lot to help strengthen the cab structure. The new truck has also had the "B"-pillar moved forward, which creates a 4-inch wider entry/exit gap at the front of the rear door and gives an extra 2-inches for foot room for the backseat passengers. This cab refresh also does away with the suicide-type rear doors used on the previous "Extended Cabs." Chevy's new "Double Cab" trucks, which replaces the Extended Cab models of old, use front-hinged doors that are much larger to make rear entry/exit for backseat passengers a lot easier. The result of the new doors and re-designed side mirrors, along with the addition of increased sound deadening and sound absorption elements in and under the truck, makes the 2014 Silverado the quietest truck on the road. Then there's the 5th generation 5.3L V-8 that features direct-injection and a host of poweradding, fuel-economy boosting technology. 24 PROPICKUP August 2013 PP0813_Chevy First Drive.indd 24 7/11/13 11:17 AM