The Last Five Years: Highlights of the Silverado 1500

The Silverado is at the top of its class. You didn’t need us to tell you that, of course. You may be excited by all of the hype you’re hearing about the all-new 2022 Chevy Silverado ZR2, but we can’t all afford to buy the newest version of everything. Unfortunately, there is a stigma around buying a pre-owned vehicle; it is infected by the word “used,” and we sometimes think of the vehicles as dirty, unkempt, and worn out. This is not always the case, though. Certified pre-owned Chevy trucks are an affordable way of purchasing a recently-released model of a highly-regarded vehicle in good condition.

Certified pre-owned vehicles have not been driven into the ground but have been lightly used – tested if you will. So, if you’re looking for a truck at the top of its class, a certified pre-owned Chevy truck may be the way to go. And, oh baby, have we got some in store for you. The Silverado is as good as it gets when it comes to Chevy trucks, and because it was refreshed for the 2016 model year and redesigned for the 2019 model year, any certified pre-owned model will be a top-notch vehicle, not an old, dated piece of automotive history. The Silverado has had some pretty good moments over the past five model years, so you certainly will not be cheated if you purchase a certified pre-owned Silverado 1500. But to prove it to you, let’s take a look at the highlights of the last five years of the Silverado 1500. We are thinking of the refresh and redesign, so let’s dive into the 2016 and 2019 Silverados.

The 2016 Silverado – A New Face for a Classic Truck

The Chevy Silverado 1500 got a makeover in the 2016 model year. Advertising its new “muscular” features, the Silverado 1500 took on a more pronounced stance with bolder features making for a stronger look. Of course the strength comes not just in looks but in capabilities. The 2016 model allowed drivers to choose from three different EcoTec3 engines, all three of which featured direct fuel injection, continuously variable valve timing, and Active Fuel Management. Additionally, all three options switch to four-cylinder mode under light-load conditions. Let’s break these engines down for you:

• 4.3-liter V-6 engine: This engine provided the most torque of any standard V-6, coming in at 305 pound-feet and offering 285 horsepower. Not bad.
• 5.3-liter V-8 engine: This, at the time, was the most fuel-efficient V-8 in any pickup, offering an EPA-estimated highway efficiency of 23 miles per gallon. Providing 383 pounds-feet of torque and 355 horsepower, the 2016 Silverado’s performance capabilities showed up to the party as well.
• 6.2-liter V-8 engine: This is the big guy. Offering the most power and torque of any light-duty pickup for its time, the engine allows the 2016 Silverado 1500 to perform at amazing levels, with 420 horsepower and 460 pounds-feet of torque. What’s more, this engine is paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission and has the highest towing of any V-8 light-duty pickup for its model year, allowing for up to 12,000 pounds of towing capacity.

Aside from its engineering advancements, the 2016 Silverado 1500 made huge strides in terms of technology. The 2016 model introduced the connectivity features of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (though they were not available on all trims), so if you purchase a pre-owned Silverado 1500 from 2016 or later, connectivity will be no problem, especially with the inclusion of available wireless phone charging. In addition to connectivity features, the 2016 model introduced safety features such as Forward Collision Alert, IntelliBeam high beam assist, and Lane Keep Assist. And the cherry on top: the remote locking tailgate, making life just a little bit easier for you.

The 2016 Silverado 1500 model is not an old, dated vehicle. Pre-owned does not mean ancient, and 2016 was not that long ago. Of course, Chevy vehicles are always progressing, and each new model offers the latest and the greatest, but drivers won’t be left high and dry in the dust with older models. The 2016 model will, in large part, provide you with a lot of the capabilities and technology that you would find on a brand-new Silverado 1500, so you should certainly not think twice about saving some money to buy this one pre-owned.

The 2019 Silverado – Redesigned From the Ground Up

2019 was three years ago now. Can you believe it? The good news is that the Silverado 1500 was still an amazing vehicle three years ago, so not much has changed in that regard. In January of 1918, Chevy delivered its very first truck. In January of 2018, Chevy introduced the fifth-generation 2019 Silverado 1500. Talk about a full circle. The 2019 Silverado was actually quite a remarkable model, which merits a post of its own, as it has the most functional bed of any full-size truck, increased its size, and decreased its weight by a hefty amount.

Mark Reuss, GM executive vice president of Global Product Development, shed some light on this when he was quoted in the initial 2018 press release as saying: “It has a longer wheelbase, more passenger and cargo volume, and yet, thanks to our mixed materials strategy and mass reduction expertise, the new truck is 450 pounds lighter than the current model.” That’s what you want to hear when you’re looking for a pickup. Let’s take a look at the bed alone.

The 2019 Silverado 1500 had, at the time (this was only three model years ago, mind you), the best-in-class cargo volume of any pickup bed. The short box offers 63 cubic feet of volume, a number which was achieved by widening the width of the bed floor by about seven inches. But it isn’t just the quantity of storage space; it is the quality of storage space that matters. That is why the 2019 model took the Silverado’s roll-formed, high-strength steel bed to a new level by using higher-grade steel, increasing the yield strength from 340 megapascals of pressure to 500 megapascals of pressure.

If it wasn’t already obvious the strength is the name of the Chevy Silverado game, then hopefully the increased (both in number and in strength) tie-downs will help you to see that; 12 fixed tie-downs with a doubled strength of 500 pounds of force before bending, plus nine moveable tie points will have you hauling cargo like you’ve never hauled before. It doesn’t end there, either; the bed includes a variety of features such as the power up/down tailgate with key fob operation, a 120-volt power outlet, larger cutouts in the CornerStep bumpers, and task lighting. The bed of the 2019 Silverado is ready for some serious pickup action.

Despite its increased size – due to a 3.9-inch increase in wheelbase and 1.6-inch increase in overall length–the 2019 Silverado 1500 lost 450 pounds. “How?” you may ask. Well, as Mark Reuss mentioned above, the weight was shaved off by the use of mixed materials, and according to Chevy HQ:

“This allowed Chevrolet to use the right material for the application and optimize every component for mass, durability, safety, and functionality to meet our customers’ needs. For example, the body is 88 pounds lighter than before due to mixed materials use. All exterior swing panels (doors, hood and tailgate) are made of aluminum while fixed panels (fenders, roof, and bed) are made of steel. The underlying safety cage uses seven different grades of steel, each tailored for the specific application.”

The 2019 Silverado 1500 was a huge leap forward in ingenuity and capability. Let us remind you that 2019 was just a few years ago, so this is by no means a museum-worthy piece of history that is storing up cobwebs in a garage somewhere; this is a new, versatile, and exciting truck that will likely be better than some competitor’s 2022 pickup truck models.

Not Used, Tested

We don’t want you to feel cheated in purchasing a certified pre-owned vehicle. Don’t think of it as used; think of it as tested. As you can see, just because a vehicle is not the newest model does not mean that it is in any way lacking. In many ways buying pre-owned is the more economically-savvy way to go because waiting a few years allows you to purchase a stellar vehicle like the 2019 Silverado 1500, but do so for a much lower price than if you had jumped on it three years ago at its initial release. So, don’t let the word “used” infect your opinion of a certified pre-owned vehicle. Make a smart move and get a great car for a better price.