2007 Chevrolet Silverado Review

The 2007 Chevy Silverado is a complete redesign, and is built on a stiffer chassis. The 2007 Silverado also features an all-new interior that can be outfitted in a variety of ways. The new styling is bold yet still conservative. The main reason the new Silverado looks bolder is that it's three inches wider in front and an inch wider in the rear than the previous generation.   The older-generation trucks will continue to be sold as the 2007 Silverado Classic. The new Silverado is available in a range of body styles with a wide variety of engines, drive trains and suspensions designed to meet every need. The truck's major changes include exterior restyling, vastly improved interior quality, larger cabins, higher maximum towing and payload capacities and improved gas mileage.  The Silverado comes in regular, extended and Crew Cab body styles and offers short, standard and long cargo box lengths; there are eight powertrain combinations, five suspension packages and three trim levels.

Silverado Trims

The 2007 Chevy Silverado is available in several trim levels: WT, LT and LTZ, plus an LS version in standard cab, extended cab and crew cab body styles.  Extended cab and crew cab models have back seats and windows in the side doors that power down. The crew cab has four front-hinged doors.  The extended cab has rear access doors that are hinged at the rear but that open to 170 degrees to provide full access to the rear seating area.

The WT is a basic work truck that comes with a driver information center, AM/FM stereo, 40/20/40 split-bench and vinyl-covered front seat, dual glove boxes, two auxiliary power outlets, tire pressure monitoring system, one year on OnStar service and a four-speed automatic transmission. 

The LT adds a cloth-covered front seat with lockable storage under the seat, a CD player and MP3 compatibility, power windows/locks/mirrors, remote keyless entry, auto-dimming rearview mirror with compass and outside temperature displays, 17-inch chrome-styled steel wheels and power folding and heated exterior mirrors.

The LTZ adds heavy-duty trailering equipment, an automatic locking rear differential, body-colored bumpers, reclining and heated leather front seats with 12-way power, an in-dash six-CD changer with Bose speakers, turn signal indicators in the exterior rearview mirrors and heated windshield washers.

Powertrain and Handling for 2007

The powertrain on the 2007 Silverado is similar to previous years. There is a 4.3-liter V-6 and 4.8-, 5.3- and 6.0-liter V-8 engines paired with a four-speed automatic transmission. The 5.3-liter engine includes fuel-saving cylinder-deactivation technology and is flexible ? capable of running on E85 ethanol and/or gasoline. The 6.0-liter grants the maximum towing capacity of 10,500 pounds.  This capability also requires one of five suspension choices called NHT. The other four suspensions are for a smooth ride, enhanced trailer towing and handling, offroad capability and street performance.  Two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive are available in all three body styles.  Coil springs have replaced torsion bars in the front suspension, and the recirculating-ball steering has given way to the lighter, simpler and more precise rack-and-pinion design. The suspension does a good job of absorbing rough roads.   The truck also has a new rear axle design with shocks absorbers mounted outboard and more upright for better dynamic control.

Inside the Silverado

A higher quality interior outfits the 2007 Silverado, especially in the LTZ trim level.  The mouse-fur ceiling liner has been replaced by classier, woven fabric. The WT and LT trim levels share an altogether different but also improved interior design.  The cabin is more driver oriented, and includes two glove boxes in the dashboard, and a 40/20/40-split front bench seat with the center section of the seat back folding down to form a wide arm rest with lots of storage capacity. The LTZ interior includes bucket seats with a permanent center console with 20 liters of storage capacity. The center stack also puts ventilation and audio controls within easy site and reach of the front seat passenger. Extended cabs feature stadium-style seating with an elevated view for those sitting in the second row. Both the extended cab and crew cab versions offer plenty of rear legroom.  In addition to added front-seat legroom, headroom and hip room, Chevy made the 2007 interiors seem roomier by moving the dashboards down and forward a few inches.  The rear seats are more supportive and offer more legroom in both extended and Crew Cabs.

Chevy Silverado Exterior

The new Silverado now has more conventional stacked headlights flanking an enormous grille, with the large Chevy bowtie set against it. The front bumper incorporates rectangular fog lamps.  The windshield is more swept back, yet the nose is taller and more squared off. The aerodynamics are better, thus the improved fuel economy and a quieter cabin.  GM claims that the Silverado and GMC Sierra are the first full-size trucks to offer both 300 horsepower and 20 miles per gallon on the highway.  The new design gives the 2007 Chevy Silverado a taller and stronger appearance than the previous generation; its some three inches wider in front and an inch wider in the rear. The hood has a wide power dome. Bulging front fenders wrap over the front wheels and incorporate the headlamps within their forward sweep. The rear of the truck features stacked tail lamps on either side of a tall tailgate that has a sculpted center section that mimics and inverts the shape of the fender flares. The LT has chrome bumpers and the LTZ's are body-colored. Wheels range from 17 to 20 inches in diameter.  The cargo bed lengths are 5 feet 8 inches, 6 feet 6 inches and 8 feet. Not all lengths are available with all cab styles and powertrains, though.

Safety

The 2007 Silverado comes with OnStar, dual front airbags, anti-lock brakes, tire pressure monitoring system, front seat belt pretensioners, and antilock brakes.  The StabiliTrak electronic stability system is standard on Crew Cabs and optional on extended cabs but not available on regular cabs.  Side curtain airbags and Ultrasonic rear parking assist are optional for all three body styles.

With its new for 2007 design, the Chevy Silverado has improved in just about every aspect possible.  From better cabin space, to better fuel economy, more amenities, and a more stylish design, the Silverado is an impressive truck.   Read Car and Driver's First Drive for an up close driving experience.  The new Silverado offers a nice ride and taut handling and it was designed to continue its reputation among owners as the 'strongest, most dependable and longest lasting truck on the road.'  The Chevy Silverado 1500 is available in a wide variety of trims, cabs, bed lengths and powertrains.  The Silverado gets an estimated fuel range of 20 mpg Hwy, and 16 mpg City. Read about the Silverado being named Motortrend's Truck of the Year.