With an overall rating of 4.5 stars, the 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD is a strong contender for this year’s best pickup truck. It’s built tough, and as a result, it is one of the most popular work trucks. The best thing about the Silverado is that its towing capacity is unmatched. Its Duramax diesel engine combined with its Allison transmission gets this beast of a vehicle up to 445 hp, which gives it an incredible 910 lb-ft of torque.
It’s safe to call this vehicle a powerhouse, but not just because of its size. The driving dynamics are amazing, as is watching it tow up to 23,300 lbs., which is something even testers of this vehicle were not expecting. This is because both Dodge and Ford failed by far to compete with that number.
Even with all of this power and strength, it still has a praiseworthy amount of fuel economy. Test drivers of this vehicle also insist that it’s a smooth, fun ride inside a quiet interior, offer by far the best of both worlds in a balance between comfort and performance. It’s clear that Chevy engineers and designers are still working hard to make work pickup trucks both powerful and capable of behaving as an everyday get around. And they wanted it to look good too!
2018 brought the addition of many new colors and styling updates. Buyers will be excited to see a flashy new Silverado in the new available colors: Havana Metallic, Cajun Red Tintcoat, and Iridescent Pearl Tricoat. Both the interior and exterior look like a dream. Here are some of the best qualities of the 2018 Chevy Silverado 3500 HD.
Silverado’s Spacious Interior
The interior rating for the 2018 Silverado 3500HD is 4 stars. Its layout is nothing short of intuitive and luxurious. Just because it’s a pickup truck, doesn’t mean it can’t be a stylish ride. Many reviewers consider its look to be very handsome, but also spacious and functional. Its function comes with its ability to haul a massive amount of cargo both inside and out.
The amount of space both within the cabin and around the rear seating is substantial. Testers even joke that you would have a hard time not finding a place to store your stuff. With three cabs to choose from, and two available bed lengths: the 6.6-foot and 8.0-foot beds, drivers have more space than they might even require. Testers were able when folding down the rear seating, to fit 15 pieces of carry on luggage in the back. Imagine! Chevy designers have apparently also made it their mission to design interiors filled to the brim with cubby space. This includes what critics consider a work-bench-sized console, incredibly sizable door pockets, and a hidden compartment under the rear seat.
Silverado’s Highly-Rated Infotainment
It’s incredible that the 2018 Chevy Silverado has so much storage space when you consider how it is fully stocked with intuitive infotainment all throughout the cabin. With a wow-factor rating of 5 stars, Chevy pulled out all the stops. Tested for high response times, and connectivity, the 2018 Chevy Silverado’s infotainment has the highly sought after Apple CarPlay and Android Auto with controls everywhere the driver looks. The modern-looking 7.0-inch MyLink touch screen has finally replaced the outdated 4.2-inch screen and is now standard in all models. Having the touchscreen is an interactive experience with a display that is fun and easy to use. Combine this with USB ports and 12-volt outlets, the Silverado has the most connectivity in its class.
Further upgrades allow you to purchase the 8.0-inch gauge-cluster display, the 110-volt outlet, a wireless charging pad and Bose audio.
Silverado’s Powerful Engine
The 4.5 star rated powerful Duramax diesel engine is considered class-leading. Up to 445 horsepower and 910 lb-ft of torque, capable and quick it’s an engine that is the envy of truck enthusiasts. The 2018 model revised the engine from 2017, further improving the vehicle’s powertrain. These improvements included a better induction system, better transmission, and better internal components.
The standard powertrain for 2017 was a V-8 Vortec 6.0-liter that got up to 360 horsepower with only 380 lb-ft of torque. This engine was paired with the Hydra-Matic 6-speed automatic. Though it pales in comparison to the diesel engine, it’s still refined, speedy, and powerful. And despite all of this power, it’s still surprisingly fuel-efficient.
Silverado’s High EPA-Rating
The fuel-efficiency rating for the 2018 Chevy Silverado 3500 is 4.5 stars as well! That’s a great rating, and typically EPA doesn’t evaluate heavy vehicles, but it made an exception. The real-world testing was no match for the Silverado’s ability to maintain its mileage while still producing massive amounts of torque.
Highway driving was the Silverado’s strong suit, and at a GPS-verified 75 mph in cruise control, it scored best-in-class with a 19 mpg highway. The fact is, for vehicles this huge and powerful, that is an impressive number. And it’s even more surprising when held up to the competition. Even compared to other pickups with identical engineering, Silverado still has the highest scores. Clearly, this type of score is no accident. Engineers knew what they were doing.
Silverado’s Impressive Safety Features
And with a vehicle this powerful, it should give the driver peace of mind to know that it is rated 4 stars in the safety and driver assistance rating. When purchasing the top two trims, the owner of the vehicle is given the works including a fully featured camera system. Standard, they can expect a backup camera system, which is also useful for its towing feature. As is tire-pressure monitoring now and its tire-fill alert feature, that warns the driver audibly if the tire has deflated or when it is full when being inflated.
The 2018 Chevy Silverado 3500 is even safe enough for kids! The large back seat and wide door openings allow for the installation of child seats. The LATCH anchors keep them securely in place. Even in the smaller double cab, first row passengers don’t have to suffer the loss of any legroom the accommodate this seating.
All Silverado HDs now have Teen Driver mode, a very popular feature that allows parents to monitor their teen’s driving at all times. This feature gives parents full knowledge of the location and speed of the truck, and whether or not the seat belts are buckled.
If you need a heavy-duty truck for work or pleasure, there is no doubt that the 2018 Chevy Silverado 3500HD is the pinnacle of the truck market. Offering a blend of performance, technology, and comfort not found elsewhere in the truck market. Your local Chevy dealer will be happy to set you up with a demo and test drive so that you can view all these features for yourself.
