Off-road review: Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LT Trail Boss

The increased availability of American pickup trucks in Australia has really seen their popularity spike with buyers. Specifically, the 1500 trucks from Chevrolet and Ram have enticed buyers with more affordable prices.

Ram has had an advantage in the 1500s with its Express model coming in at less than $100K, while GMSV was only offering the up-spec Silverado 1500 LTZ here which retails for $115,990. Now, the local importer has a new entry-level Silverado on the market and not only is it a cheaper option than the LTZ, but we reckon the $106,990 Silverado LT Trail Boss is a better rig in every regard.

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POWERTRAIN & PERFORMANCE

The only powertrain on offer in the 1500 trucks by GMSV is the L86 6.2-litre OHV petrol V8 backed by a 10-speed automatic transmission. The engine makes 624Nm and 313kW, which gets the unladen Chevy along nicely.

This is a new generation of GM small-block engine featuring direct fuel injection and cylinder deactivation, to increase efficiency. Officially rated at 12.23L/100km fuel use, we managed 13.1L/100km on our drive – pretty good for a V8 petrol 2.5-tonne truck with the aerodynamics of a Besser block.

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ON-ROAD RIDE & HANDLING

If you have memories of American cars being soft and wallowy in the suspension department, then the Trail Boss will change your mind. This variant gets a set of Rancho monotube shocks and a 25mm boost in ride height, and it rides firmly without being harsh at all. It corners flat and precisely; although, the steering is a little slow when compared to smaller utes. All in all, it’s a surprising package over all road conditions.

While we appreciate a manufacturer fitting heavier duty all-terrain tyres to any vehicle expected to be driven off sealed roads, the Goodyear Duratrac tyres on the Trail Boss are noisier than most other A/T style tyres we’ve driven on, and they became particularly annoying on the road.

As a marker; we got in to the Trail Boss straight out of a Ranger Raptor which rides on BFGoodrich All Terrain tyres, and it displayed no such road noise. Neither do the well-worn Cooper S/T Maxx all-terrains on my own car, which I was driving straight after the Trail Boss.

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OFF-ROAD

The LT Trail Boss is by far a better off-road option than its LTZ stablemate, thanks to the improved suspension and tyres. The 18-inch alloy wheels in lieu of the 20s on the LTZ not only improve the ride quality but are better suited to off-highway use and rough tracks. The Rancho shock absorbers increase ride height and better control the body over bumps, and the underbody protection is there to ward off scrapes.

Four-wheel drive in the Silverado comes via a transfer case that offers 2WD (rear), on-demand 4x4 (auto) and locked 4x4 in high and low range. With the selector in auto, you can leave the vehicle in 4x4 on all road surfaces and drive is only directed to the front axle when needed, and then you can switch to either of the locked 4x4 settings for off-road use.

The rear axle is fitted with an auto-locking (non-selectable) locking differential which works well when it cuts in as it detects wheel slip across the axle. It’s not as instant as it would be if you could manually lock it yourself, but it’s always there and you don’t need to think about it.

Having a rear locker is a win for the Chevy over the Ram 1500, as it is not offered with one in the new DT series Ram trucks.

You’ll need to be wary of the Silverado’s size on off-road tracks. At just under six metres long and a little more than two metres wide, it takes some getting used to positioning on track so as to not scratch or damage the paint work. There is a useful rear-view camera, plus front and rear parking sensors that let you know what’s behind you – plus, the front bumper is metal to limit damage.

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CABIN & ACCOMMODATION

If you appreciate a spacious cabin, then you’ll love riding in a full-size pickup truck like the Silverado. These things take interior space and features to a whole new level, compared to almost everything else available in Australia.

While there’s ample room for the front-seat passengers to get comfortable in the Chev, it’s the rear seat where folks will notice the huge difference when compared to regular one-tonne utes. Head, shoulder and leg room are all ample, and you could comfortably travel with three adults across the back seat.

The seats in the Trail Boss are cloth-trimmed as opposed to the leather ones in the LTZ, but the front seats remain 10-way power adjustable and heated, but not cooled. The Trail Boss doesn’t have the Bose audio system of the LTZ, but it isn’t bad and the screen is still a good sized eight-inch unit with Apple and Android connectivity. The Trail Boss also misses out on the LTZ’s power sunroof.

With all that interior space comes ample storage options. As well as the huge centre console, this Trail Boss was fitted with an optional storage system under the rear seat. This space is cavernous and has slots in the dividers for carrying your rifles – Chevy sure does know its domestic market.

The space for the centre console comes from not having the gear shifter down there. It is up on the right-hand side of the steering column and, while not as easy to use as the Mercedes-Benz one in the same location, it works okay. Manual gear shifting is a bit awkward, as it is done using a rocker switch on the handle of the column shifter – it’s not as simple as it could be with buttons or paddles behind the steering wheel.

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PRACTICALITIES

The LT Trail Boss might be the pick of the Silverado 1500 duo, but it does lose a bit of capacity to the LTZ. Towing is rated at 4260kg (on a 70mm ball) compared to 4500kg on the LTZ, while payload is 725kg compared to 760kg. It seems crazy that these full-size trucks don’t have the payload of the mid-size utes like Ranger and Hilux, but that’s the way it is.

The 18-inch wheels and A/T tyres are far more practical and comfortable than the LTZ’s 20s. The cargo area is the same size with plenty of tie-down points, and there’s a handy step in the rear bumper that makes it easy to step up in to the bed which is protected by a spay-on liner.

As mentioned, this truck was fitted with a few factory accessories and these include a swing-out storage bin on the off-side of the bed, a full-length storage compartment on the near-side, a roll-up tonneau cover, and the Silverado-branded sports bar. The storage bins do limit your access to the tie-down points.

While the storage options are handy, the side-steps, which are also an optional extra, hang very low and restrict the ramp-over angle when off-road. As well as these factory options from GMSV, the Silverado is heavily supported by aftermarket accessories to tailer it to your needs.

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SUMMARY

While a full-size pickup truck isn’t for everybody, they do tick a lot of boxes, particularly those who want to tow over long distances with a family on board. Think of a large horse float or boat with all the gear you would normally carry for a weekend of play. The space in the cabin and its equipment lend themselves well to long travel times over any and all roads.

The Trail Boss works well off road and on, although you want to be careful where you place it on bush tracks if you want to keep it looking pristine. The size of the truck would make it very easy to scrape a side against a tree or rocks on tight turns.

The petrol V8 engine will put many users off because of its fuel use when compared to a diesel engine, but, for now, that’s all GMSV is offering in the 1500. You could always move up to the Duramax V8 diesel-powered Silverado 2500, which GMSV is about to reintroduce to its showrooms.

CHEVROLET SILVERADO LT TRAIL BOSS SPECS