The 4th of July was a day of celebration in my small community of Duncanville, Texas. Like thousands of cities, towns, and villages across America, we marked the day with a festive parade and fireworks.
For over a decade, I have been asked to drive a float in the parade for the Daughters of the American Revolution’s Old Chisholm Trail Chapter. Nine Daughters, two children, and two retired military officers participated in the parade.
The Daughters decorated the brand new Silverado High Country with flags, colored ribbons, and a sculpted servant’s heart, since the parade’s theme was “Spirit of Service.” The full-size pickup truck, looking striking in a Cajun Red Tintcoat body, idled for an hour and a half while the ladies went about adorning it. Even though the temperature was over 90 degrees, the V8 engine didn’t show any signs of fatigue nor did it overheat.
All along the parade route, shouts from the float like “Happy birthday America,” “Thanks for coming,” and “Happy Fourth” were heard. In return, the crowd yelled back, “God bless America,” “Happy birthday,” and “We like your truck.”
At the end of the parade, our rendezvous point became quite crowded with spectators wanting to look more closely at the Silverado. Some wanted to get in and take it for a test drive.
The High Country offers best-in-class V8 power, towing, and fuel efficiency (17 mpg combined). The 6.2-liter engine commands 420 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 460 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,100 rpm.
The exterior of the Silverado has a front design with bold horizontal elements and a sculpted hood that allows for a wide, aggressive stance. The turn signal and brake lights on the truck are designed around the contour of the main lights.
Aerodynamics are well factored in, with aero shutters that help ensure that the air necessary for cooling is directed through the radiator and flowing smoothly around the truck. This helps with low drag coefficient, thus reducing air turbulence while increasing fuel efficiency.
Inside the double cabin, an exclusive Jet Black leather-trimmed interior comes with embroidered head restraints and a heated, leather-wrapped steering wheel. It also features power-adjustable pedals and the Enhanced Driver Alert Package.
My wife enjoyed the power-adjustable pedals but wished the truck had a handgrip somewhere at window height on the inside of the doors to help passengers climb into the cabin. There is a folding handle near the top of the door frame, but it is hard to locate and open and you have to use your wrist strength to pull yourself into the front seat. The front passenger had an excellent grip to allow boarding, however.
On the other hand, the 6-inch rectangular assist steps in chrome, which come with textured step pads, along with the chrome mirror caps and lit door handles do make mounting easier and safer.
The Silverado includes a seven-speaker Bose Premium sound system. The MyLink Radio with navigation, housed inside an 8-inch color touchscreen, lets you store up to 60 favorites including radio stations, contacts, and destinations.
There is also a wonderful remote-control system. It was so nice to use especially when temperatures soared over 100 degrees. Just click on the remote key fob and the engine starts with air conditioning and SiriusXM Satellite radio. After a few minutes, the cab is perfect and ready for your presence.
The four-door cab has room to comfortably seat up to five, or six with a special configuration. In addition, the forward-hinged rear doors make it easy to get in and out of the rear bench seats.
The under-seat storage bin with dividers was most efficient, as the ladies needed every bit of storage room for their personal items while they participated in the parade.
Silverado has a Tow/Haul Mode that holds the gear longer to ensure adequate pull when carrying heavy loads or driving up steep grades.
The rear-vision camera displays dynamic guidelines to show where the vehicle is tracking.
The High Country trim is equipped with the Integrated Trailer Brake Controller feature and StabiliTrak electronic stability control system, which work in conjunction with the Trailer Sway Control functionality to help detect trailer sway and apply correction controls.
The Max Trailering Package allows you to tow up to 12,500 lb. The package includes a heavy-duty rear axle, high-capacity rear springs, and an integrated trailer brake controller.
The standard Silverado bed (“box”) is 6 feet 6 inches in length. However, there is an 8-foot bed for drywall hauling that comes with a regular cab.
My favorite technology was found in the tailgate, which lowers with one hand so that you can unload cargo easily. It is equipped with power locks, and the tailgate locks and unlocks at the same time as the doors.
Silverado is proud that it uses high-strength steel to produce a truck of fine quality truck. Items like pillars, roof rails, and rocker panels are constructed using high-strength steel to help create a quiet cabin.
Just like the crowds from the parade, I very much enjoyed the Silverado High Country. Its good looks, advanced technology, and smooth ride and handling helped me identify with generations of Silverado owners.
The features that come with the top-of-the-range High Country trim—power sunroof, 22-inch wheels, and LED lighting, for example—add an additional $7,330 to the base price of $55,308 for a total cost of $62,638.
Durhl Caussey writes a car column read around the world. He may be reached at this paper or at [email protected].
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