The 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 4WD LTZ Crew - Texas Edition - full-size pickup will be a truck to be reckoned with at the annual Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) Truck Rodeo competition - to select the Truck of Texas - being held on Oct. 11-12 near San Antonio.
We have just spent a full week driving a Victory Red 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 4WD LTZ Crew with a Cocoa / Dune interior complete with the Texas Edition Package of 20-inch Chrome Wheels, Bose Premium Audio System and Texas Edition badges.
The base MSRP for this Silverado 1500 4WD LTZ Crew is $42,385 with a very strong compliment of standard features and new styling packaged into what may be the quietest riding pickup in the market today.
Some of those standard features included Electric Power Steering, Trailering Equipment Package, Stabilitrak-Stability Control with Sway Control, Hill Start Assist, Daytime Running Lamps, Disc Brakes with the new long wearing Duralife Rotors, Power Heated Mirrors, Projector Headlamps and Chrome Front and Rear Bumpers.
A couple of the expressly unique features on the 2014 Silverado are the new EZ Lift and Lower Locking Tailgate and Rear Bumper Cornersteps along with the LED Bed Rail Lighting that make loading and unloading cargo bed very easy.
On the inside, the new Silverado is really new with quality styling, materials and accents along with technology up to date for the market demand of today's discriminating truck owner and family.
Inside this Silverado 1500 4WD LTZ Crew were the Leather Appointed Front Bucket Seats with excellent support and bolstering for both driver and passenger, 60/40 Rear Folding (vertical for maximum cargo storage) Bench Seating which is also very comfortable, Remote Keyless Entry and Start, Dual Zone Air Climate Control, Soft Instrument Panel Top Pad-Accent Stitching, Cruise Control, 110-Volt Outlets, Tilt and Telescopic Leather Wrapped Steering Wheel with Audio and Information Center Controls, Rear Vision Camera and Audio System with SiriusXM and HD Satellite Radio, Single Slot CD/MP3 Player, USB Ports and Bluetooth Handsfree Connectivity.
To make sure this Texas Edition Silverado stood out - Chevy added several options to insure this truck delivers solid performance for family use, work and outdoor activities.
In addition to the Texas Edition Package ($1,895), our test Silverado had the Driver Alert Package consisting of Front and Rear Park Assist, Lane Departure Warning, Forward Collision Alert and the Safety Alert Seats ($845); Power Sun Roof ($995); Chevrolet MyLink Audio System with 8-inch Color Touchscreen and Navigation; 6-inch Chrome Assist Side Steps ($700); Heated and Cooled Front Passenger Seating ($650); Full Feature Leather Appointed Front Bucket Seating ($325); Integrated Trailer Brake Controller ($230); 20-inch All Terrain Tires ($200) and Moveable Upper Cargo Tie Downs with LED Lighting in the Cargo Box ($120).
With delivery charges, our 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 4WD LTZ Crew priced at $49,635.
Power plants available for the new 2014 Silverado include the all new aluminum EcoTec3 4.3L V6 (285hp and 305lb.-ft. torque - max tow 6,700pounds); 5.3L V8 (355hp and 383lb.-ft. torque - max tow 11,500 pounds) and the powerful 6.2L V8 ((420hp and 40 lb.-ft. torque - max tow 12,000 pounds).
We have driven the 2014 Silverado pickups with all three power plants in the last two months and have been impressed with their power and torque along with how remarkably quiet these engines are and how seamlessly they execute the Variable Displacement shifting from 8-or 6-cylinder to the more fuel efficient 4-cylinder and back.
After several years of being an also ran - without a new truck with new features and capability to challenge Ram and Ford who have been trading the coveted Truck of Texas trophy back and forth the last three years - for 2013, Chevrolet is coming to the Knibbe Ranch with a new truck to solidly compete for the title.
The 2013 line of Silverado 1500 full-size pickup trucks challenging at the TAWA Truck Rodeo will likely be anchored by what is probably going to be the most popular of model of the new Silverado (especially in Texas where one-in-five pickup trucks are sold in the U.S.) - the LTZ with crew cabs and 4WD.
We drove our test Silverado over 700 miles in the week we had it, including a roundtrip from Austin to Dallas to attend the State Fair of Texas Auto Show preview. Our EcoTec3 5.3L V-8 with 355 horsepower and 383 lb.-ft. of torque was equipped with direct fuel injection, Active Fuel Management (cylinder deactivation) and continuously variable valve timing.
It was mated to the 6L80 6-speed automatic transmission with Driver Shift Control (tap shifting) and equipped with a 3.08 Rear Axle and a two speed AutoTrac Transfer Case - a very capable power train that delivered powerfully, with good economy, on all types of roads during the week.
Driving most of the miles on the highway at speeds of 70 to 75 mph, we achieved 20.9 mpg on the round trip and 18.9 mpg overall for the week - performance a bit better than we expected based on the EPA fuel economy ratings of 16/22mpg City/Highway with an average of 18mpg.
As tested, we found it to be a solid performing family friendly and work capable pickup truck and an extremely good driving experience.
To mount their Truck of Texas challenge, Chevrolet will certainly send their 2014 LTZ Silverado trucks equipped with the Z71 Off Road Package ($780 upgrade from LTZ to LTZ Z71) in order for them to maximize performance during the off road course events of the truck rodeo.
The Z71 package makes this truck a very able off road performer and includes:
• Z71 Appearance Package
• Z71 Off-Road Suspension with Rancho monotube shocks
• Hill Descent Control
• All-terrain Tires
• Underbody Transfer Case Shields
• Locking Rear Differential
• Recovery Hooks
Chevrolet with the new Silverado 1500 pickup is making no bones about their coming to win the Truck of Texas trophy.
The new 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Crew 4WD will certainly have them in the thick of that competition.
