Inside Chevrolet’s 2018 Pickup Truck Lineup

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Inside Chevrolet’s 2018 Pickup Truck Lineupalabn / Shutterstock

As one of the leading truck manufacturers in America, Chevrolet puts out an excellent lineup of trucks each year. Here are Chevrolet’s truck lineup for 2018:

The 2018 model year, though not bringing any sweeping model changes, has introduced a few improvements to the already excellent lineup of Chevy pickup trucks. With some new features married to already excellent trucks, the 2018 Chevy lineup is just another example of the company’s continuous improvement.

2018 Colorado

The 2018 Chevy Colorado hasn’t changed too much from the previous model year, but a few slight updates have been made. Most notable is the fact that the lower-level trims have received an upgrade from their previous 4.2-inch basic display to a seven-inch touchscreen, while higher trims have been upgraded to an eight-inch screen. The truck is now also available in new blue metallic and steel metallic exterior colors.

The trim levels and starting prices of the 2018 Chevy Colorado are as follows:

The 2018 Chevy Colorado is available with three different engine options. First off is the 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, which produces 200 horsepower and a towing capacity of 3,500 pounds. For those who need more power, there’s also a 3.6-liter V6 that puts out a much higher 308 horsepower and offers a towing capacity of 7,000 pounds. If towing capabilities are your main priority, though, the best option is the 2.8-liter turbo-diesel engine option. Though its horsepower is low at only 181, this engine allows the 2018 Colorado to tow a load of up to 7,700 pounds. The 2.5-liter engine gets 20 mpg in the city and 26 on the highway, while the V6 option gets 19 mpg in the city and 25 on the highway. The turbo-diesel gives the 2018 Chevy Colorado its highest fuel economy at 22 mpg in the city and 30 on the highway.

The Chevy Colorado stacks up quite well against competitive vehicles, and was rated at number two in the U.S. News and World Report review of 2018 compact pickup trucks. Pros of this year’s Colorado include a relatively low starting MSRP and its high towing capacity when outfitted with the turbo-diesel engine option. The cons of this truck include a somewhat cramped cab and limited storage space, making it impractical for longer trips.

The 2018 Colorado has been very well received by reviewers, with the ZR2 trim even winning the Four Wheeler Pickup Truck of the Year award.

2018 Silverado 1500

Chevy’s classic Silverado 1500, like its Colorado counterpart, received an upgrade from a 4.2-inch control screen to a seven-inch standard screen for the 2018 model year. The newest Silverados also include a new tire pressure monitoring system and a rear camera, previously available only as an optional add-on, as a standard feature. All trim levels of the Silverado 1500 have also received an audio system upgrade, with a new six-speaker system in place of the previous four-speaker one.

The trim levels and starting MSRPs of the 2018 Chevy Silverado 1500 are as follows:

The 2018 Chevy Silverado 1500 comes with three high-power engine options. The first, a 4.3-liter V6, boasts 285 horsepower and a towing capacity of 7,600 pounds while getting 18 mpg in the city and 24 on the highway. Next is a 5.3-liter V8 that puts out 355 horsepower, can tow up to 11,100 pounds and has the same fuel economy rating as the smaller V6. Also available is a 420-horsepower 6.2-liter V8 that can tow up to 12,500 pounds. This largest engine option gets 15 miles to the gallon in the city and 21 on the highway.

Though the Chevy Silverado 1500 has a lot to offer, it hasn’t received universally good ratings from reviewers. Edmunds lists the truck at 3.5 out of five stars, a rating that is only a bit above average. In part, this is due to the high starting MSRPs, especially in the upper trims. Some drivers have also complained about the ride not being particularly smooth. Despite these cons, though, there are several major pros to the Silverado, most notably its very high towing capacity and quiet cabin.

2018 Silverado 2500HD

The 2018 Chevy Silverado 2500HD, the larger cousin of the Silverado 1500, also received some updates for the latest model year. Most of these changes, including the enlargement of the control screen from 4.2 inches to seven inches and the inclusion of a rear monitoring camera as a standard feature, closely mirror the updates made to the Silverado 1500. However, the higher trims of the Silverado 2500HD received a proprietary visual update that includes a black mesh grille insert with two chrome cross bars. This new look makes the already impressive 2018 Chevy Silverado 2500HD appear even more aggressive.

Trim levels and starting prices of the 2018 Chevy Silverado 2500HD are as follows:

Two different engines are available to power the Chevy Silverado 2500HD. The first is a standard 6.0-liter V8 that produces 360 horsepower, while the more powerful option is a 6.6-liter V8 turbo-diesel that puts out 445 horsepower. Owing to its classification as a heavy truck, EPA-tested fuel mileages aren’t available for the Silverado 2500HD, but an independent test undertaken by Car and Driver found that the V8 turbo-diesel engine was able to get 19 mpg on the highway. Equipped with the standard V8, the Silverado 2500HD can tow up to 13,000 pounds, while the v8 turbo-diesel allows it to tow up to 14,500 pounds.

The 2018 Chevy Silverado 2500HD stacks up well against other heavy duty trucks, maintaining an impressive 4.8 out of five stars on Cars.com’s rating boards. The vehicle’s pros are heavily centered on its capabilities, as the turbo-diesel engine provides excellent power and towing capability. Like its smaller counterpart, the 2500HD also has a quiet cab, even with its more powerful engine options. The cons of the vehicle are mostly minor design flaws, such as the steering wheel being a bit offset from the driver’s seat and the windshield being a bit too small compared to the size of the truck for a full range of vision. The Chevy Silverado HD range, which also includes the 3500HD, won Kelley Blue Book’s 2018 award for best resale value in the full-size truck class.

2018 Silverado 3500HD

The largest of the Silverado line, the 2018 Chevy Silverado 3500HD received the same basic updates as its smaller counterparts. Like the other two Silverado lines, the 3500HD has received an update from a 4.2-inch control screen to a standard seven-inch screen with an eight-inch available upgrade. Likewise, the Silverado 3500HD has also had its previous four-speaker sound system switched out in favor of a six-speaker system and a rear-view camera added as standard equipment. Like the 2500HD, the Silverado 3500HD also received a minor visual update in the upper trims for its 2018 model year. The visual update followed the style of the 2500HD, including a black mesh grille with chrome crossbars.

The trim levels and starting prices for the 2018 Chevy Silverado 3500HD are as follows:

The 2018 Chevy Silverado 3500HD comes with the same two engine options as the 2500HD. Equipped with the 6.6-liter V8 turbo-diesel, the truck can tow up to 23,200 pounds, making it one of the best consumer market towing vehicles available. Like the 2500HD, the Silverado 3500HD is a large enough truck that it is not required to undergo EPA mileage testing. However, Car and Driver observations of the 2017 3500HD, which was mechanically identical to this year’s model, found that it got 13 mpg in the city and 16 on the highway when equipped with the turbo-diesel engine.

The 2018 Chevy Silverado 3500HD is an exceptionally powerful vehicle that is excellent for heavy work tasks. Few competitors are able to match the capabilities of the Silverado 3500HD, particularly in towing capabilities. Its pros in work capacity are accented by the fact that it is only a bit more expensive than the 2500HD, making it a great value. The truck maintains a quiet cab and offers a fairly smooth ride. Like the 2500HD, though, the 3500HD has its share of blind spots made possible by the relatively small windshield. The 3500HD split the Kelley Blue Book award for best resale value with the 2500HD line.

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