2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Performance

The 2020 Chevrolet Silverado has a solid lineup of powerful engines, including a V8 with best-in-class towing capacity and a turbodiesel that gives this Chevy best-in-class fuel economy. This truck balances a comfortable ride with solid handling for great overall performance.

• "The dirt wasn't the only place we drove the Trail Boss. Since trucks spend most of their life on pavement we wanted to see how this off-roader would handle on the highway. We're glad to report that it's just at home on the pavement as off. We found no adverse handling from the taller stance, and the interior was negligibly louder than the High Country we had been in prior." -- Truck Trend (2019)
• "The 2.7-liter four-cylinder and eight-speed automatic combination will nevertheless be the base drivetrain for most customers. … Don't be fooled by the cylinder count. This engine generated impressive thrust during our brief test drive, and the announced SAE-certified ratings of 310 horsepower and 348 pound-feet of torque feel right on the money." -- Edmunds (2019)
• "Chevrolet says that a weight reduction of about 450 lbs on crew-cab models cuts 0-60 times by about 1/2 second, a notable achievement. That's probably also helped by the 8- and 10-speed automatic transmissions, though we found both were sometimes a bit slow to downshift when the throttle was stabbed from speed. Otherwise, acceleration is quite strong and linear." -- Consumer Guide (2019)

Acceleration and Power

The Chevrolet Silverado comes standard with a 4.3-liter V6 engine that produces 285 horsepower and 305 pound-feet of torque.

Optional engines include a 5.3-liter V8 with 355 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque, a 2.7-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 310 horsepower and 348 pound-feet of torque, a 3.0-liter turbodiesel six-cylinder with 277 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque, and a 6.2-liter V8 with 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed automatic transmission is standard. Eight- and 10-speed automatic transmissions are optional.

Models with the V6 and four-cylinder engines are fine for everyday driving and for light work duty, while the V8s and turbodiesel provide excellent towing capability and authoritative power. Critics praise the refined 10-speed automatic transmission but note that the eight-speed can be slow to downshift or find the correct gear.

Silverados with the all-new turbodiesel engine get an EPA-estimated 23 mpg in the city and 33 mpg on the highway, numbers that lead the full-size pickup class. With four-wheel drive, fuel economy in models with the turbodiesel engine drops to 23 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway.

• "The new 3.0-liter turbodiesel is so smooth and quiet it could almost pass for a gas engine. The 2.7-liter turbocharged gas engine is surprisingly sprightly and powerful, while the V6 and V8 engines are also composed and collected. If budget allows, the 10-speed automatic transmission, when paired with any engine, is a marvel that makes everything better." -- Autotrader
• "Tuning is fantastic, with smooth shifts that border on imperceptible. The 10-speed has the ability to jump several gears at a time, which eliminates the awareness of gear hunting (either up or down) and ensures that power is always on tap." -- Truck Trend (2019)
• "Our drive clearly demonstrated that this engine has guts. It gets the truck moving quickly, and it does so without any raw 'four-banger' unpleasantries. But we're not convinced about the calibration of the eight-speed transmission, which demonstrated occasional indecisiveness." -- Edmunds (2019)

Handling and Braking

The Silverado handles corners with confidence and exhibits a comfortable ride. There's good steering feel and feedback, and specialized trims give the Silverado commendable off-road performance.

• "Ride quality is great, and the factory 2-in lift on Trail Boss models adds compelling off-road chops." -- Autotrader
• "The truck feels surprisingly lithe on the road, building on its predecessor's solid dynamic repertoire. There is none of the jouncing and bouncing once associated with driving an unladen pickup. … Appropriately heavy for a vehicle this size, the wheel responds smoothly and accurately to inputs and feels even slightly heavier in the Silverado's new Sport driving mode." -- Car and Driver (2019)
• "Out on the road, the … Silverado behaves just as you'd expect from a modern pickup truck. The ride is solid and, considering the capabilities, pretty comfortable. The live axle at the rear causes some expected sidestepping at highway speeds over angled bumps and dips. We didn't expect much steering feel from the Silverado, but were pleasantly surprised by the slight tightening up of the wheel when the truck is switched into Performance mode using a knob on the upper left side of the dashboard. Performance mode … also adjusts the programming of truck's transmission for a slightly sportier feel." -- Autoblog (2019)