2026 CHEVROLET SILVERADO

AFTER COOLING A BIT, OUR LOVE AFFAIR WITH PICKUP TRUCKS HEATING UP AGAIN

After cooling off a bit in 2024, America’s love affair with pickup trucks seems to be warming up again.

Ford, which lost the top spot in overall U.S. vehicle sales to Toyota’s RAV4 two years ago, regained the lead for 2025, beating out long-time rival Chevrolet and its Silverado pickup with over 620,500 F-Series sold. With sales hitting 577,000, the Chevy’s Silverado earned the second spot over RAV4 sales of 479,000.

Trailing the leaders in the truck segment for 2025 were the Ram 1500, GMC Sierra, and Toyota Tacoma.

The year has started off with Ford retaining its lead but seeing a 19 percent drop in F-Series sales to under 48,000. Numbers for the Silverado have yet to be announced, but the Chevy ia expected to stay at No. 2 and perhaps a bit closer to the lead at least for the segment.

The Silverado 1500 serves as the keystone model for Chevy’s gtruck fleet, sitting between the slightly smaller Colorado and the larger heavy duty Silverados. 

The 2026 Chevy Colorado is offered in nine trims with the Work Truck serving as the base. A variety of engine choicrs, cab configurations, and bed capacities are scattered throughout the portfolio, giving buyers a multitude of options to fit their needs.

This review is based on the 2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LTZ Crew Cab that sits near the top of the lineup. Its 5.3-liter Ecotec3 V8 engine is rated at 355 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque and is mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission. 

While power is adequate, fuel efficiency falls short of its F150 and Ram 1500 rivals. The Silverado 5.3L V8 is rated at 16 miles-per-gallon city, 20 highway, and 17 combined compared to 18/24/20 for the F150 5.0L V8  and 18/22/19 for the HEMI V8 in the Ram 1500. The advantage for the F150 EcoBoost V6 and Ram Diesel V6 are even more significant.

With a starting price of over $60,000, the 2026 Chevy Silverado 1500 LTZ offers a lot in the way of comfort features in the cabin.

Chevy’s Infotainment3 with built-in Google connects your Smartphone for hands-free calling, navigation, and music streaming. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, and the 13.4-inch touchscreen offers a high-resolution screen to work all those systems.

Chevy’s Autotrac Transfer Case (for control of all-wheel drive functions), Stabilitrac for trailer sway and hill start assist, and trailer brake control also are standard.

Dual Zone Climate control, front leather appointed ventilated and heated front seats, a rear folding bench seat with storage, and a heated wrapped steering wheel are among standard interior features. 

Exterior features include a cornerstep rear bumper, LED cargo area lighting, LED fog lights, and front recovery hooks.

With a starting MSRP of $61,300, the LTZ trails only the High Country and ZR2 models when it comes to Silverado. My test LTZ also came with several extras like power running boards (a must), adaptive cruise control, and a multi-flex tailgate that ran the final total to $69,635 including the hefty $2,595 destination charge.

Keep in mind the Work Truck base Silverado starts at under $37,000 with other trims registering in the $40,000 and $50,000 range.

What I liked about the 2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500: There are infotainment features aplenty and the touchscreen display is easy to use. The cabin is spacious and comfortable with 43.4 inches of legroom in the second row. The V8 engine packs plenty of punch.

What I didn’t like about the 2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500: The size  is a handicap when looking for parking spots in many mall parking lots and parking garages. Power retractable running boards are a must but cost extra.

Would I buy the 2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500? I’m just not a truck person, but there is a reason the Silverado has regained the No. 2 spot in U.S. pickup sales behind Ford’s F-150 Series. It’s a very serviceable truck and good looking as well.