Purposefully designed to haul the largest loads over the toughest terrain, trucks like the Chevy Silverado 2500 aren’t what generally pops into our minds when we think of luxury. Instead, we are grateful for basic big trucks that pull livestock trailers, drag campers from site to site, and take us to work every morning. Chevy is about to change all of that. Yes, we’ll remain grateful, but we’re all about to get a heavy dose of big truck envy once the 2024 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD hits the streets.
Chevy is giving the Silverado HD models a much deserved glow-up with the new model year. While some of the features and options are familiar to Chevy truck drivers, the 2024 model year will be the first time many of these features have appeared in a heavy duty truck. While drivers have been increasingly impressed with Chevy’s HD offerings over the past several years, there are many areas where the manufacturer is pulling out all the stops and giving drivers have an unheard-of experience each time they climb behind the wheel of their Silverado 2500.
Changes to the 2024 Silverado HD Lineup
Perhaps one of the most exciting parts of the 2024 Silverado 2500 is that there will be more of them. According to Chevrolet, the beloved ZR2 off-road package will be added to the current lineup, which includes the base Work Truck, Custom, LT, LTZ, and High Country trims. While this is still fewer than the current eight trims offered on the smaller Silverado 1500, it is an improvement over the days when heavy duty trucks came in one style: big. The ZR2 is expected to join the lineup later in 2024, so details are sparse at time of writing, but rest assured we’re tuned in to give you more.
In addition to adding the off-roading chops of the ZR2 trim to the lineup, Chevy is adding the High Country Midnight Edition. As the name suggests, this edition gives the Silverado 2500 a dark and stealthy appearance, with black hood vent, lower skid, badging, grille, and 20-inch high-gloss wheels. The special editions we’ve come to know and love, including the Z71 Sport and Chrome Sport Editions, as well as the Alaskan Snow Plow Special Edition, will continue to be offered.
A Fresh Interior
While perhaps not as intriguing as a new model, the interior of the Silverado 2500 HD has gotten an intense overhaul for the 2024 model year. The Work Truck trim, which is intended to be low-cost and fleet friendly, won’t be participating in the mega-makeover, but the LT trims and above will.
Included in this cabin refresh are new 13.4-inch infotainment and 12.3-inch driver information screens, featuring new graphics that align the HD trucks with the Silverado 1500. This creates a smoother experience for drivers who find themselves hopping from one truck to another at the job site. Adding to the high-tech cabin of the Silverado 2500 HD are features such as wireless device charging and built-in Google Assistant compatibility. For those who aren’t as interested in cabin tech upgrades, consider the total of 10 cupholders, rear seat climate controls, leather and wood accents, and more hidden storage than ever before.
Compared to the days when HD truck drivers had to pay extra for air conditioning, today’s trucks are truly luxurious. Sure, there may be a learning curve for operating the new infotainment system (which now includes buttons and knobs in addition to the touchscreen), but remember when we all switched from cassette tapes to CDs? We’ll get used to it.
Safer, Mightier, and More Capable Than Ever
The 2024 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD doesn’t just look better and feel more luxurious, but is truly a more capable truck in many ways.
Safety and driver assistance technology is relatively new for HD drivers, but Chevy has equipped the Silverado family with an impressive suite of technology, including Front Pedestrian Braking, Forward Collision Alert, Automatic Emergency Braking, and Lane Departure Warning. Adaptive Cruise Control is newly available for 2024, and will even work properly when trailering, as well. Considering that HD trucks didn’t have any type of cruise control just a few years ago, this feels like an impressive win.
Big trucks mean big power. While the engine options for the 2500 HD won’t change for the 2024 models, the Allison 10-speed automatic transmission will now be standard equipment whether drivers select the standard 6.6L V8 gas-powered engine or the Duramax 6.6L turbo-diesel V8. Previously, gasoline drivers got a six-speed automatic transmission, but the Allison 10-speed promises better power delivery and smaller steps between gears. Furthermore, the turbo-diesel engine has been retuned to provide a massive 470 hp and 975 lb-ft of torque.
With this in mind, Chevy is also making the Max Tow Package available to all of the Silverado 2500 HD trims. This increases the model’s towing capacity to a maximum of 22,500 pounds when the turbo-diesel engine is selected.
Additional new bells and whistles for towing and trailering fans include an enhanced Transparent Trailer view, which will work with fifth-wheel and gooseneck trailers to allow drivers to “view” what’s happening behind the trailer. Trailer Side Blind Zone Alert will also have an extended range to provide drivers with a greater view of what’s going on next to them, as well. All in all, Chevy is determined to create a heavy-duty truck that offers all of the features drivers need without exceeding the budget and requirements drivers have.
Building the Perfect Truck
Chevy has made it abundantly clear to drivers that they understand there is no “one size fits all” option when it comes to trucks. While that has been the case for the Silverado 1500 series, it’s about time the 2500 and 3500 HD trucks get their moment in the spotlight, too.
Over the past decade, trucks have become mightier than ever, with bigger beds, more payload capacity, and greater towing capacity than ever. It’s not just a matter of transportation– these trucks are designed to be important work partners. That means dealing with not just serious loads, but navigating gravel, mud, snow, and more.
The 2024 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD promises to be the most capable HD series to date, but the manufacturer hasn’t forgotten the human element, either. While some drivers are less than impressed at the digital revolution occurring in their trucks, there are some advantages to enjoying a few creature comforts. Imagine how nice it will be for the whole crew to have their own cupholder, for example. Chevy’s dedication to the hardest-working truck and driver team is a welcome reprieve from the days of vinyl, crank windows, and AM-only radio.
