Chevrolet recently invited us to preview the completely redesigned Next-Generation 2027 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. After nearly two hours of raw data, engineering priorities, design discussion, and Q&A with the team, here is what we learned about where Chevy is taking its best-selling truck.
What you need to know about the 2027 Chevrolet Silverado:
- Next-generation 5.7L and 6.6L V8 engines debut, though horsepower and torque ratings are still being held back.
- The LT trim is discontinued, replaced by a core “Silverado” trim.
- The 2.7L TurboMax now pairs with a 10-speed automatic.
- ZR2 and High Country get more than 60 inches of combined digital display.
- A panoramic sunroof is now available, a Silverado first.
- ZR2 off-road hardware includes standard 35-inch tires, front and rear E-lockers, and jounce dampers.
Here at GM-Trucks.com, this new generation is personal. Our team has owned every generation of GM full-size truck for the last 15 years. In the current platform alone we have owned two: a 2019 Silverado LTZ and a 2022 Silverado ZR2. Because that ZR2 still lives in our stable and we know it like the back of our hand, we were eager to see how Chevrolet would move the bar on capability, refinement, and interior tech for this next generation.
The short version: a heavily updated interior, more standard off-road hardware, a retired trim name, and two new V8s.
Before the nuts and bolts, some credit to the rumor mill and our own design sleuths. When the patent drawings leaked and went viral, we drafted custom AI renders to predict the production truck. Now that we have seen the real sheet metal, the patents were almost dead-on and our renders were nearly exact. Chevrolet kept the evolutionary, confident posture everyone expected and put its energy into execution.
An All-New Exterior
The 2027 Silverado 1500 gets a new exterior with a bolder stance, a stronger face, and more premium detailing. Design director Phil Zak said the goal was a truck with presence at first glance while keeping its authentic truck character. The changes show up in new LED headlights and taillights, more pronounced wheel-opening moldings, and updated rocker treatments.
Say goodbye to the fake exhaust cutouts that looked like HDMI ports. Standard dual exhaust now runs from the Custom trim on up for a cleaner look out back.
The 2027 Silverado Trim-by-Trim
Chevrolet is moving to a seven-trim lineup with three lifted models. Here is where each one fits.
Work Truck (WT)
The base trim stays purpose-built for fleets and commercial operators, with a focus on uptime, serviceability, and daily work. Configurations are set up for common upfits in construction, utility, and municipal use, and the interior uses durable, easy-to-clean materials. It still gets the new digital displays and driver-assistance tech that are standard across the lineup.
Custom: Full-Size Value
The Custom is the value trim for buyers who want full-size capability without the price climb. For 2027 it adds standard dual exhaust and 20-inch Technical Gray machine-faced wheels.
Silverado: The New Core (Goodbye, LT)
Chevrolet has retired the LT badge. The core volume trim is now called simply Silverado. The notable part is the packaging: order a Silverado in 4WD and the Z71 package is standard, adding skid plates, hill descent control, and off-road suspension. A head-up display is optional.
Custom Trail Boss: Entry Off-Road
The Custom Trail Boss is the entry point into factory off-road. It comes with a 2-inch lift and 34-inch mud-terrain tires, without the premium off-road extras.
Trail Boss
The Trail Boss shares the 2-inch lift and 34-inch tires but adds a dedicated off-road hood and its own proportions. Inside, there are two unique interior themes with Torch Red-edged seatbelts and fabric accent inserts in a custom perforation pattern. A head-up display is optional.
ZR2: The Off-Road Flagship
As current ZR2 owners, this is the trim we looked at hardest. The 2027 ZR2 runs 35-inch mud-terrain tires, a 2-inch lift, and a dedicated off-road hood with a power dome. It gets standard front and rear electronic lockers, and the Multimatic DSSV dampers have been retuned and paired with jounce dampers to improve composure on trails and on pavement.
Inside are higher-bolster sport seats, Torch Red accents and seatbelts, and real forged carbon-fiber trim on the doors and console, which Chevrolet says is a first for the ZR2 and GM’s first use of forged carbon. A head-up display and rear camera mirror are standard.
The available ZR2 Bison Edition returns in collaboration with American Expedition Vehicles (AEV), adding front and rear AEV bumpers, rocker protection, 18-inch beadlock-capable wheels, and skid plates covering the front underbody, transfer case, rear differential, and fuel tank.
High Country: Modern Flagship
The High Country sits at the top and moves away from its Western look toward something more modern. Outside, there is a new High Country badge, standard 22-inch After Midnight machine-faced wheels, darker trim, and an exclusive Tritan Satin grille.
Inside, a Silverado-first panoramic sunroof, light and dark interior themes, a debossed High Country logo on the console, Natural Tan-edged seatbelts, real wood decor, and Tritan Satin accents. An available microfiber suede package is the top option. A head-up display and rear camera mirror are standard.
Cabin Tech and Controls
Every 2027 Silverado gets a new digital cockpit with an edge-to-edge layout: a 16.3-inch center screen and a 12.2-inch driver display, standard across the lineup.
ZR2 and High Country add a standard 11.5-inch passenger screen, which together with the cluster, center screen, and head-up display brings the dash to more than 60 inches of combined display.
There is dual wireless charging and a reconfigurable Multi-Flex center console that can serve as a work surface.
One thing we were glad to see: Chevrolet kept physical switches for the controls you use most rather than burying everything in menus. Super Cruise returns, and it is still the only hands-free system in the class that works while towing.
The New V8s: Beyond Displacement
The lineup keeps four powertrains, led by the new 5.7L and 6.6L V8s. Chevrolet says the pair makes the Silverado the most powerful naturally aspirated V8 family in its class. The engines are built at GM’s Flint, Tonawanda, and St. Catharines plants.
In the Q&A, executive chief engineer Mark Dickens said these are not just older blocks bored out for displacement. The added size came with new combustion technology to meet emissions and fuel-economy targets while raising output. They are part of GM’s latest small-block V8 family.
One detail that came up during the session: an active exhaust is paired with the 6.6L.
The 2.7L TurboMax carries over with best-in-class standard torque and now pairs with a 10-speed automatic, and the early word from the team was that it drives well. The segment-exclusive 3.0L Duramax diesel also returns.
What Is Next
This was a first look, not the full reveal. Horsepower, torque, fuel economy, and pricing will roll out over the next few months, ahead of the start of production later this year.
Other media attending the preview asked about the two questions enthusiasts always raise. On a supercharged LT4-style engine to chase the Raptor R and TRX, leadership would only say it is something they have explored, with nothing to announce. On a future Silverado hybrid, product marketing manager Ryan Harrington said the team explored it but is happy launching with the four engines it has.
We will get to the technical sessions and first drives later this year and will report the real numbers as they land.
In the meantime, join us in our 2027 Silverado forum and let the discussion begin.
What do you think about the new 2027 Chevrolet Silverado? Comment and let us know!
Related 2027 Silverado Coverage
- How the leaked patent drawings and our AI renders predicted the new design
- The Gen 6 5.7L and 6.6L V8 rumors, before Chevy made them official
- The 5.7L V8 leak and the diesel range rumor that kicked it off
- 2027 Silverado ZR2 spy shots and the off-road upgrades we spotted
- Our sources on the 2027 Silverado reveal from the dealer conference
- Why the Silverado EV was delayed as GM leaned back into gas and hybrids
Zane Merva is the Executive Editor of GM-Trucks.com and the President of the New England Motor Press Association (NEMPA). A veteran automotive journalist with over 26 years of experience, Zane is a designated ‘Car Talk’ Expert and has been a contributor to The Boston Globe. He possesses a unique evaluative perspective, having road-tested more than 2,000 vehicles across every major manufacturer. While he is a recognized authority on General Motors truck platforms—including the Silverado, Sierra, and Colorado—his expertise is grounded in decades of deep competitive analysis that few in the industry can match. His commentary has been featured by major OEMs and media outlets, including Hyundai and PR Newswire