New 2019 Chevy Silverado – What Are the Experts Saying?

[Gorehamj]

 

 

John Goreham

Staff Writer

8-20-18

The new Silverado was offered up to the automotive media this past week for the first time. Journalists, bloggers, experts, and hacks all had a chance to drive the various models and report on their experiences. Our own Zane Merva was there and he did a very comprehensive report you can find here in the Garage forum. Here’s what some other folks from other automotive publications are saying about the new Silverado. We are focusing on the positives here. We’ll hold off on the critics’ opinions until the truck has been fully tested. Our list below is a top-down list based on which organizations we have found to be the best in the biz overall on GM and pickup topics:

Mark Phelan, Detroit Free Press
“Remarkably quiet and easy to drive, the all-new 2019 Chevy Silverado makes a strong bid for the title of America’s best pickup as it arrives in dealerships this month… The Silverado’s light strong frame gets a lot of the credit for that, and for a smooth, quiet ride on rough roads… The electric power steering is smooth and precise.”

 

Michael Wayland, Automotive News
“The 2019 Chevrolet Silverado may set a new industry standard for engineering and ride. It's smooth and nimble, and the V-8 powertrains are a joy to drive."

 

Kirill Ougarov, Automobile Magazine
“The high-end Silverado’s ride was comfortable and confident, the suspension neither too hard nor too soft… Thanks to targeted enhancements made to the front suspension, the 2019 Silverado’s steering is satisfyingly precise… It’s pretty quick and light, too, making the truck rather enjoyable from behind the wheel.”

 

Ryan ZumMallen, Trucks.com
“General Motors’ latest flagship truck brushes flashy trends to the side, instead honing toughness and capability that’s endeared it to a loyal customer base… The braking is now fully electronic, instead of hydraulic, and extremely responsive to the touch…Crucially, the Silverado felt confident under towing, a big deal to potential customers.”

 

Andre Smirnov, TFLTruck.com, ( The Fast Lane Truck)
“After spending several hours behind the wheel, we can say that the new truck rides on a cushy suspension that is able to soak up rough surfaces and a variety of terrain. It does not ride like a big boat. It is still controlled. It’s impressive for a big truck with a solid rear axle with rear leaf springs. The new truck also tends to shrink around you at speed. It often feels like a smaller truck or an SUV while on the highway. You need to remind yourself that this is indeed a large full-size truck.”

 

Chris Paukert, CNET.com

"...after a full day behind the wheel in this latest model, the Silverado seems like it's held on to the essence of what made the old truck so endearing...The 2019 Silverado finally feels like the brand-new truck that it is, especially in higher-end models where its full complement of optional comfort and safety tech is on ready display."

 

Image by Zane Merva
 

[mookdoc6]

These trucks ROCK!  Great Job GM......I can't wait to sniff one out?

[Packers774]

Looks great; I'm not entirely sold on the thin headlights, but as long as its a good ride!

[Sierra Dan]

Electric brakes?

[Jsdirt]

Some people can be bought ... 

 

Just sayin'! 

[newdude]

4 minutes ago, Jsdirt said:

Some people can be bought ... 

 

Just sayin'! 

 

Those quotes are mostly cherry picked on the highs.  Many of the "experts" did knock the interior for not being different enough, some knocked the tech as well. 

[Jsdirt]

Yeah, I figured that. Same as anything, whether motorcycles, boats, airplanes or automobiles.

 

I just think new model tests are ridiculous. It's brand new - of course it's going to be great nearly everywhere.  Most gripes I think are just put there to add substance to the article - most of the stuff is nitpicks. The REAL test and REAL review would be in 5 years of truck usage - towing in mountains, driving in endless city traffic, panic steers & stops from the texter heading right for your 12 from the opposite lane ... that's a tough sell on something they want to sell NOW.

 

Had I known my brakes were going to pulsate with 45 miles on the clock and have 5 warranty brake jobs, that the lower ball joints were going to fail at 38k, then uppers, hub bearings, & one strut at 50k, along with the oil burning around the same time (plus a hundred other failures and problems too long to list), I'd have taken all that money I wasted on the Silverado, and put it into my '72 El Camino, then bought a '68 GMC big block, or a '90's Cummins 6-speed for towing, plus a cheap beater for winter driving.  

 

Hindsight is always 20/20, but one thing I've learned the hard way - buying new is ALWAYS a gamble ...

[O_J_Simpson]

Understand how this works. If a journalist says anything negative at all, they don't get invited back to the next product roll out. Not just GM but every manufacture does this. Journalist are forced to praise the product if they want to stay relevant in product launches. The same journalist that praises the tried a true GM 5.3L natural aspirated V8 engine raves about the state of the art game changing Ford 3.5 Ecoboost turbo V6 engine in his next review. 

Edited August 21, 2018 by O_J_Simpson

[Nargg]

Nice to hear the smoothed out the ride a lot.  GM was great at that before, so they needed to return to that.  I'll still wait for the '21 re-do of the small style details and interior, like they normally do 2 years after.

[Nargg]

2 minutes ago, O_J_Simpson said:

Understand how this works. If a journalist says anything negative at all, they don't get invited back to the next product roll out. Not just GM but every manufacture does this. Journalist are forced to praise the product if they want to stay relevant in product launches. The same journalist that praises the tried a true GM 5.3L natural aspirated V8 engine raves about the state of the art game changing Ford 3.5 Ecoboost turbo V6 engine in his next review. 

No product sold to consumers escapes this issue.  You should read on Apple press reviews, it's like the worst in terms of rules and tight leashes.

 

The praise for the 5.3 AND Ford Ecoboost both are warranted though.  GM is following suit with the new 4 cyl turbo soon.  But the 5.3 keeps upgrading and improving on a tried and true power train that just won't stop.

[rudyb]

I see no merit or value to the claimed “expert” opinion. All trucks tested were hand picked and received special care and treatment during assembly. I’ll wait for the daily drivers to share their own experience.

[okfoz]

the 2019 has got to be the most ugly truck on the planet right now...   GM used to be the cutting edge of attractive, any more they just seem to have an internal competition between designers to see how homely they can possibly make a vehicle and still sell them... Remember the Aztec?  the 2019 is worse than that.

[rudyb]

1 hour ago, okfoz said:

the 2019 has got to be the most ugly truck on the planet right now...   GM used to be the cutting edge of attractive, any more they just seem to have an internal competition between designers to see how homely they can possibly make a vehicle and still sell them... Remember the Aztec?  the 2019 is worse than that.

 

Hahah the Aztec!! The avalanche was only slightly better looking. 

[Donstar]

1 hour ago, okfoz said:

the 2019 has got to be the most ugly truck on the planet right now...   GM used to be the cutting edge of attractive, any more they just seem to have an internal competition between designers to see how homely they can possibly make a vehicle and still sell them... Remember the Aztec?  the 2019 is worse than that.

I don't disagree with your personal opinion but mine is the opposite.  I thought Ford had GM beat in the looks department until the late '90's.  Since 1999 GM has looked the best and is even better in '19, imo!  The roadways would look pretty boring if we all had the same tastes in design!

[okfoz]

16 hours ago, Donstar said:

I don't disagree with your personal opinion but mine is the opposite.  I thought Ford had GM beat in the looks department until the late '90's.  Since 1999 GM has looked the best and is even better in '19, imo!  The roadways would look pretty boring if we all had the same tastes in design!

That is true, we would look like Russia and their one bland design.