2009 Chevy Silverado 1500 Crew Cab

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Silverado at a Glance 

Four –speed automatic transmission with Vortec 4.8L V8

Coil–over-shock front susp.

Multi-leaf rear spring susp.

Boxed frame design

Hydro formed technology

Power rack and pinion steering

Autotrac transfer case

5 Year/100,000 mile powertrain warranty

 

When I drove the Silverado 1500, I put the vehicle through its paces just as I had done with the Nissan Titan and the GMC Sierra 4WD Crew Cab weeks before. Silverado won hands down. It drove better, steered easier, and had the command of power needed for a large truck.

Silverado was pleasing to the eye with its auto headlamps with Flash-to pass, chrome rear bumper and side auto dimming. The chrome surround grille made it look rugged, but gave it an elegant flare. The comfort amenities were numerous, and made even more tasty when XM satellite radio and the Bose Premium speaker system were added.

Leather-wrapped steering wheel, power locks and windows, along with a power seat made me feel more like I was driving an expensive luxury car than a classy tough pickup. However, the cab would have been easier to mount had there been a strong, durable handle available, just to the inside of the interior cab door. With a bum leg, I had trouble getting inside, as did my wife who nearly had to vault into the vehicle passenger seat because there was nothing for her to hold onto.

I found the Silverado 1500 had great utility and capability. Rear doors that open to 170 degrees, making them wider than any other full-size pickup. Bolt-on door hinges ensure proper door alignment and require little effort to open and close. I put my four grandkids in a back seat that provided more than ample space for little wiggly bodies, and several sheets of plywood in the pickup bed to help build a project long overdue. The full-drop power window and the power side-sliding rear window, that operates with a switch in the upper console, allow the kiddos to yell at Granddad how best to unload the plywood as well as shouts of encouragement when high Texas winds nearly sailed the plywood and me over the windmill.

The standard price for the Silverado is $32,000, but the one I drove had another $6,000 in options such as: Trailer brake control, Cargo management system, and Safety package. The Silverado gets 5 stars for driver front and passenger government safety ratings, as well as for side front seat and crash rear seat ratings. Gasoline: city MPG is 14 and 20 highway MPG. 

Durhl Caussey writes a car column read around the world. He may be reached at this paper or dcaussey@sbcglobal.net.