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2007 Chevy Silverado LT Crew Cab 4x4 Road Test

The full-size pickup truck segment, previously the sole domain of Detroit’s Big 3, has been under threat from imports in recent years. And while I’ve recently driven and been impressed with the latest fromJapan, I don’t think that GM should be too concerned about these upstarts just yet after spending a week with Chevy’s new Silverado. Yes GM has done its new trucks right, and in most aspects the Silverado easily measures up to the imported competition and in some ways surpasses it.

A quick glance shows that it holds little back from a styling standpoint. Its new grille and vertical headlight design isn’t quite as radical as the previous truck’s chrome strikethrough grille and horizontally divided quad headlamp clusters, but it’s thoroughly attractive just the same. And where the front end is arguably more conservative, the truck’s bulging, angular fender flares are as muscular as the half-ton segment has ever seen. From the rear? Well, it’s a pickup truck…

The new Silverado LT: too good for the job site? (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

what did you expect? Two taillights, a tailgate and a very long bed, all combining into one good looking package no matter the viewpoint.

Whilethe exterior is good, GM’s left its shock and awe campaign the privilege of the Silverado’s occupants. Even in base trim it’s extremely nice, but my LT tester was as well executed as the much vaunted Tahoe. Actually, most of the dash design comes straight over from GM’s much improved full-size SUV, including the matte-finish dash plastics, soft-touch trim, upscale interior accents and premium-like switchgear. No wonder it was just awarded Truck of the Year honors at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

There’s more to it than just a nice interior,

The interior is superb. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

mind you. My LT came with the upgraded 6.0L V8 that transfers a motivational 367 horsepower and 375 lb-ft of torque through a four-speed automatic gearbox. Not only is it among the most powerful in its class, but unlike any of the imports it comes standard with cylinder deactivation, a feature GM previously called Displacement on Demand and now refers to as Active Fuel Management. Basically it shuts down four cylinders under light loads in order to conserve on fuel. The process is not noticeable, and even more seamless than the ultra-smooth transmission. The Silverado is also available with a 5.3-liter V8 featuring the same cylinder deactivation system, as well as a 4.3-liter V6 devoid of such fuel saving technology.

Like the drivetrain, my Silverado tester’s ride was about as smooth as large trucks get. This has its advantages on inner city streets and alleyways, as I imagine it does when off-road, although the opportunity never

Bed rails are handy for clamping down loads. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

came. Still, I was surprised at how comfortable the truck was and more so how well it handled the curves. Now don’t misquote me, I’m not about to tell you it’ll keep up with a Solstice GXP on a handling course or anything so silly, but as far as full-size pickup trucks go it’s an agile vehicle, feeling smaller than it truly is.

Yes, it’s large,which makes parking a challenge in some lots and when curbside in the core of any city. It nearly stretches from parking meter to parking meter, and fortunately for my sake parking spots near the ends of roads seemed to spring up in front of me, allowing me to sneak in with one end hanging out over what would have otherwise been another spot. My guess is that most people who buy into the large four-door pickup category aren’t using it to commute to the inner city, and being that I live in the ‘burbs Shore I spent most of my time without such confining spaces… i.e. parking the truck wasn’t much of a problem where it’ll probably get used most.

My guess is that it’ll

Don't think for a minute that the imports are better. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

be used more for hauling gear around, not to mention trailering. Fortunately the Silverado’s new GMT900 chassis, when combined with the aforementioned 6.0-liter V8, offers a maximum tow package of 10,500 lbs, which ties Ford’s top-line F-150 for the best in the business.The revised frame is also more than 234-percent stiffer than the old GMT800 setup, which translates into greater stability under load, better crash protection and greater agility I spoke of earlier.

A few options that I enjoyed, and enjoy on most GM vehicles for that matter, included the remote start feature, which now works from 195 feet away, and the top-tier audio system, which in the case of the truck I tested included a six-disc, CD and MP3 compatible head unit with AM and FM, of course, plus an external audio plug for an iPod or the like, and my personal favorite, XM satellite radio.

There is so much more to talk about that this short review simply can’t cover, but suffice it to say that the LT model I tested was as good as anything that its Big 2 competitors are currently throwing at it, and as capable as anything from Japan. Actually, in many ways it was better than its full-size rivals, which is no doubt why it won truck of the year.

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