Quick Take: It’s Game On With The 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD

2015 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD

It’s game on at Chevrolet. Not content with the coronation of its 2014 Silverado light duty pickup as Truck of the Year by an independent panel of automotive journalists, Chevy rolled out its 2015 heavy duty models.

STATS Starting Retail Price As Tested Price HP / Lb-Ft
2015 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD $49,325 $61,695 397 / 765
Estimated Combined MPG Maximum Payload LBS Maximum Towing LBS
2,793 17,100

Parked alongside were the new GMC Sierra HD pickups from Chevy’s sister division, which for all intents and nearly all purposes are identical to the Silverado models. Combined, the two sold 664,803 pickups in 2013.

Yet they trailed the Ford F-Series, the world leader, which totaled 763,402. Not resting on its laurels, Ford announced that its 2015 F-150 light duty model comes with an aluminum body and bed to cut 550 to 700 pounds for better fuel economy.

Full size pickups are the most profitable and competitive in the motoring world. About one-fourth of them are heavy duty versions, all from U.S. brands, which have fiercely loyal customers. The Tundra and Titan, from Japanese companies, are distant also-rans.

2015 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD Front

From an outside perspective, differences among the heavy duty F-Series, Silverado, GMC, and Ram are marginal. All four perform well at hauling a ton of cargo and towing loads that weigh five tons and more. So it’s a matter of chipping away at the margins to show that your truck is better. That’s what Chevrolet and GMC did at the introduction of their 2015 heavy duty diesel and gasoline models.

There were two comparisons: a downhill run to demonstrate steady-speed towing with the cruise control engaged, and an uphill race to demonstrate the power of the trucks’ diesel engines. With each towing 10,000 pounds, the 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD beat the Ford and Ram slightly uphill. But the result was not conclusive because the three vehicles were equipped with different final drive axle ratios.

However, on the downhill runs, the 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD did the best job of holding the set speed while the Ford and Ram ran away. The idea was to show that the Silverado would be the least harrowing on a long trip. It was impressive, using cruise control integrated with exhaust braking. Buy the Chevy or GMC if you do lots of long distance towing.

2015 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD Interior

Diesel engines are the Incredible Hulks of power plants, delivering not only horsepower but stupefying torque, or twisting muscle. For example, General Motors’ 6.6 liter V8 Duramax diesel delivers 397 horsepower but also 765 pound-feet of torque, enough to tow a trailer that weighs up to eleven tons, depending on the setup.

Also, diesels deliver superior fuel economy, though not like a hybrid or diesel automobile. The U.S. government does not require fuel economy ratings for heavy duty trucks. Your mileage will depend on the load and speed.

2015 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD Seating

The new 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD and GMC heavy duty pickups also are state of the art in the modern pickup idiom: luxury and comfort. You can buy base work models but even contractors, ranchers and tradesmen often opt for the hedonistic versions. The tested Silverado 2500 LTZ with all-wheel drive was such a creature, with a base price of $49,325 and, with all the goodies, a sticker of $61,695.

Even more plush was the diesel GMC Sierra Denali 3500 crew cab model with four-wheel drive and dual rear wheels, about as macho a pickup truck as anyone might imagine. With a $67,505 price, it was equipped as well as any luxury car, with a rear seat entertainment system, leather upholstery, heated and cooled front seats, remote starting, navigation, motorized sunroof and a host of other performance and comfort features.

On the road, the “dualie” drove small, was composed, almost eerily silent and with a comfortable ride that belied its load-carrying rear leaf springs and four rear tires. In a straight line on a trip, it’s hard to beat. On the other hand, you have to be careful negotiating curves, corners and parking lots lest you annihilate some lesser vehicle.

Modern pickup trucks are night and day different from their predecessors of only a decade ago. They are gigantic, comfortable as a hotel’s presidential suite and with power and fuel economy, especially with diesels, that could only be imagined before.