The Chevy Silverado 1500 High Country isn’t the best truck in the segment, but you should still buy it.

The primary-generation Silverado was launched two and a half a long time in the past, and has been a part of the booming pickup truck section ever since. Vans in all sizes and shapes are huge enterprise within the USA, and so they’re going all-electric now: the Silverado nameplate strikes into electrical period with the Silverado EV. Inner combustion engines are nonetheless the favourite, nonetheless, so vans just like the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 stay in excessive demand, with workhorse vans on the one finish of the spectrum and plushly appointed pickups on the different.

The Excessive Nation mannequin of the Silverado 1500 goes up in opposition to the GMC Sierra 1500 in Denali trim. For probably the most half, the distinction is in cabin house and experience high quality, due to the Denali’s magnetic adjustable shock absorbers. Nonetheless, the value distinction is an enormous issue: from $68k for a V8 specced Excessive Nation with 4WD to round $85k for an equal spec Denali. Is it brief on luxurious, or simply extra centered on balancing ruggedness with out there consolation? To place it merely, the Excessive Nation is a luxurious truck with a trim title that implies mountains and forests are its pure habitat.

We spent every week with a V8-powered Excessive Nation on the finish of winter – the right time to discover the native mountains and forest.

Exterior: Purposeful

For the Excessive Nation, Chevrolet takes a Silverado and provides it 20-inch machined alloy wheels with all-terrain tires. Our model arrived sporting the non-obligatory 22-inch wheels with all-season tires – this comes as a part of the Excessive Nation Premium Package deal – nevertheless it’s value reiterating that, regardless of being the luxurious designation, the Excessive Nation does not come customary with a sunroof and you will have to spec the bundle to get it. You do get chrome door handles and deep-tinted glass, although.

The Excessive Nation provides some model to the in any other case ubiquitous truck look with body-color bumpers. The rear contains a nook step, there are rectangular chrome steps operating down the edges, there is a spray-in bedliner with the Excessive Nation emblem embedded in it, and an influence tailgate is customary. Summed up, the Silverado 1500 Excessive Nation is an imposing truck from the entrance, and a sensible pickup from all ofther angles. It is solely out there as a Crew Cab with the shorter 5′ 8″ field.

Inside: Outdated-College Luxurious

Chrome exterior trim is now old-school, so carrying that on inside is smart should you’re seeking to preserve that model. The vibe contained in the Silverado 1500 is whiskey and cigars, not skinny latte and an iPad, which feeds into that old-school feeling. It boils right down to style, however we preferred it, and assume the perforated leather-based stitching-accented seats and the open-pore wooden trim works for what the Excessive Nation goals to be.

As for traditional options, the Excessive Nation will get just a few luxuries to set it other than lower-rung fashions, together with:

• Wi-fi machine charging
• Energy tilt-and-telescope steering column
• Distant begin
• Entrance middle console with cupholder and file holder capability
• USB ports
• Heated steering wheel
• Heated and ventilated entrance and heated rear seats

As customary, the Up-level Rear Seat with Storage bundle is included, permitting the rear seats to be folded as much as create extra usable stowage choices. This additionally means you get seatback storage on the precise and left, a middle fold-out armrest with cupholders, and the underseat storage. It is a helpful truck characteristic for storing issues you don’t need uncovered to the weather in a truck mattress.

Infotainment and Tech: Properly Weighted

Infotainment is accessed on a 13.4-inch landscape-oriented display with Google inbuilt. It reacts quickly to enter and is straightforward to make use of. A 3-month trial of Sirius XM is included, as is a Bose Audio system with seven audio system and a Richbass subwoofer. Extra importantly, no less than for now, wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are additionally customary.

This excessive up within the mannequin lineup, the truck is generously kitted out with security assists and driver aids. On the Excessive Nation, towing is made simple by the usual inclusion of hitch view and trailer aspect blind zone alert. The Excessive-Capability Suspension Package deal can also be a given on this trim.

Underneath The Hood: There Are Choices

Our Excessive Nation truck got here with the 6.2L EcoTec3 V8 engine, packing 420 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque paired to Chevy’s stout 10-speed automated transmission. That is an out there improve over the usual 5.3-liter V8 engine, and as a substitute of the non-obligatory 3.0-liter diesel. You’ll be able to have your Excessive Nation in both 2WD or 4WD, however choosing the previous means you lose entry to the 6.2-liter V8. Lesser trims can use a Turbo Max engine with 310 hp as nicely, however that does not come into play with the Excessive Nation.

The large V8 is every part we anticipated – and what we anticipated is an engine that’s fairly easy whereas providing pulling energy for days. Gasoline financial system is nothing out of the peculiar for a 4WD truck, with the EPA estimates coming in at 15/20/17 mpg on town/freeway/mixed cycles with the V8 – it additionally makes use of premium gasoline, which makes it an costly car to run. With quite a lot of various driving, we got here in at just below 17 mpg general for the week.

The 6.2-liter V8 is a beast of an engine, that is for sure, however each V8s are extremely thirsty. And even should you’re hoping to make use of the Excessive Nation solely for towing various masses, the extra frugal diesel engine is simply as achieved at hauling, because it’s torque determine is greater. We do respect the vary of choices right here.

Out In The World: Truck Driving Pleasure

The inside of the Excessive Nation does rather a lot to make the Silverado a calming truck to drive. On the highway, the upgraded suspension nonetheless makes for an honest experience and not using a load. Bump off the highway and onto the filth, although, and issues aren’t fairly so easy – though the thicker sidewall all-terrain tires on smaller wheels would make a distinction there.

Heading up into the moist and infrequently icy mountain roads, the Excessive Nation was assured on its all-season tires, and when issues look slippery, the brakes are simple to modulate and management. Our second journey as much as the mountain to shoot pictures solely bought midway earlier than snow and slush on the highway interrupted play, inflicting us to take a look at the tires, shake our heads, after which flip round. With various tires, and snow chains within the again, we all know a 4WD Silverado would have been greater than competent sufficient.

Again on dry roads, we took to the freeway to trial the Tremendous Cruise system. That required a prolonged drive to discover a highway already mapped in order that the hands-free help might work. We have had expertise with Tremendous Cruise earlier than, and never a lot has modified. It is easy and assured to function and makes positive your eyes are on the highway.

What we’ve accomplished since our final expertise is use Ford’s 3.2 model of Blue Cruise within the F-150, which struck us as being somewhat smoother in addition to higher mapped for our space. It is not a night-or-day distinction, and the software program is all the time growing, so we would not take into account it a deal-breaker, although, and if hands-free freeway driving is a must have characteristic and Tremendous Cruise has your common roads mapped, you will discover the Silverado 1500 does simply wonderful.

Conclusion: It is The Most Nice Silverado To Drive

Many of the Excessive Nation’s enchantment lies in its look and standing, and whereas its exterior chrome trim is outdated to the purpose of being passé, it does make an announcement. Now we have blended emotions on the outside decisions, nevertheless it’s all within the eye of the beholder and Chevy is aware of its demographics for this trim. The old-school inside of blacks and browns won’t ever exit of fashion and the Excessive Nation’s bucket seats have been supremely comfy to us.

As a towing machine, notably for lengthy hauls, the Silverado 1500 Excessive Nation is hard to beat by way of consolation. Tremendous Cruise is completely value the additional – assuming you frequent freeways rather a lot and the realm you inhabit is well-mapped. The Excessive Nation begins at $64,695 with the usual 5.3L V8, excluding vacation spot. Upgrading the powertrain and including 4WD additionally provides just a few thousand {dollars} to the invoice.

So far as the place the Silverado 1500 ranks amongst like-minded vans, it does not maintain a candle to vans with the ‘Denali’ badge, nor does it tow as a lot as its Ford F-150 competitor. What makes it stand out is the number of choices it has, giving patrons a alternative of engines, drivetrains, and trim ranges, with this ‘luxurious’ trim costing a lot lower than rivals. For many who need somewhat enjoyable out within the filth, there’s additionally a ZR2 Bison Version that we had a blast with out within the filth. If you happen to’re in search of on-road dirivng pleasure although, the Excessive Nation is the one to get.