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Pros
- Big, tough and imposing
- Great engine choices
- Extremely capable
Cons
- Not class-leading payload and towing
- Driver aids cost extra
What’s new?
- No significant changes for 2023
The HD of the 2023 Chevrolet Silverado HD truck line stands for heavy duty. This is Chevy’s range of 2500 and 3500 pickups and chassis cab models, built for hard work and capable of towing great weights. Prices start at $40,500.
Big tasks require big trucks. The Chevy Silverado 2500 and 3500 models can handle most demands a work situation will throw at them. The 3500 is the same size as the 2500, but Chevrolet strengthens the chassis and offers a dual rear wheel setup. The 3500 is the choice for extreme payloads and/or towing abilities.
Trim levels for the three-quarter-ton 2500 HD are Work Truck, Custom, LT, LTZ, and High Country. The one-ton 3500 HD is similar, only minus the Custom trim. There are also chassis cab variants of both models that come without any kind of bed.
The half-ton Chevy Silverado 1500 is reviewed separately.
2023 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 regular cab pricing
The most affordable 2023 Chevy Silverado HD is a rear-drive 2500 version with a long bed and a regular cab in Work Truck trim. It has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $40,500, plus a destination charge.
The 3500 in the same specification starts at $41,700. All sorts of permutations follow, including double or crew cabs, standard-length beds, dual rear wheels for the 3500 variants, and 4-wheel drive. A 3500 crew cab in High Country trim, 4-wheel drive, and dual rear wheels is $70,800.
Read: Americans’ love affair with pickup trucks might be derailing their retirement plans
The cost of 4-wheel drive differs according to variants, but it starts at $2,800. Then there are extras like a gooseneck/fifth-wheel package, snow plow/ambulance/fire/rescue packages, diesel engine, off-road package, driver assistance features, and various cameras to make trailering easier. It wouldn’t be too hard to spend another $10K on a 3500 High Country.
The big rivals are the Ford
F,
Super Duty, from around $39K, and the Ram HD, which starts closer to $43K. If some buyers wanted something between the Silverado 1500 and the 2500, a Nissan
NSANY,
Titan XD comes in at around $47K, although it’s more lavish than the Work Truck trim level.
Before buying a new Silverado HD pickup, check the KBB.com Fair Purchase Price to see what others in your area paid for theirs. These heavy-duty trucks from the Big Three all enjoy strong resale values.
Check out: The cars, trucks and SUVs with the best resale value
Driving the 2023 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 regular cab
The 2500 has a maximum payload of 3,979 pounds, while the 3500 can take up to 7,442 pounds. Heavy-duty pickups like these Chevy trucks tend to have their suspensions calibrated for optimum ride quality with some weight in the bed. But when the work day ends and it’s time to drive home, the 2023 Silverado HD remains quite comfortable.
With variable-ratio steering, the top two LTZ and High Country trims require less effort from their drivers. The real sources of strength, however, are the engines. The standard 401-horsepower gasoline V8 is stout, while the turbocharged V8 diesel engine makes a phenomenal 910 lb-ft of torque, endowing the 3500 with the ability to tow 36,000 pounds.
Interior comfort
The regular cab has seating for three across a single row. The double cab has twice the number of seating rows, and the crew cab has roomier accommodations for six.
The one change this year is that the front seat belts in the double and crew cabs have adjustable guide loops — optional in the Work Truck and LT, standard in the LTZ and High Country.
Following the usual pickup script, the most affordable Work Truck trim is workaday basic, with manual windows plus vinyl seating and flooring. Mid-level trims have cloth upholstery, and leather seating surfaces come in the top version. Drivers can operate things like heating controls while wearing gloves.
Rival trucks like the Ford Super Duty and Ram HD reach higher levels of luxury than the Silverado HD’s High Country trim. The Chevy can’t offer massaging front seats or a large infotainment touchscreen.
Exterior styling
As well as a choice of cabs, the 2023 Silverado HD offers a choice of standard (82.3 inches) or long (98.3 inches) bed lengths. The latter has a cargo volume of 83.5 cubic feet, which is an aspect where the Chevy Silverado heavy-duty truck beats its rivals.
Every version has a rear bumper corner step as well as another step on each side. The Work Truck has 17-inch steel wheels; higher trims have alloy wheels.
It also won’t have escaped anyone’s notice that the Silverado HD is huge. That’s the way these heavy-duty trucks roll.
Six cool features
1. Infotainment system
It’s user-friendly and comes with a 7-inch or 8-inch touchscreen (depending on trim), Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone integration, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi and satellite radio options.
2. 4-wheel drive
Sometimes there aren’t any roads because they aren’t built yet. So the 2023 Silverado HD truck range offers the option of a highly capable 4-wheel-drive system with a transfer case and low-range gearing. Off-road packages also come with extra underbody protection and specialized suspensions.
3. Multi-flex tailgate
This clever item is optional across the Chevy Silverado HD range. A kind of tailgate inside a tailgate, it provides several useful functions — like a work surface or step — and even offers a Bluetooth speaker.
4. Trailer view systems
Cameras around the vehicle can show things like a close-up of the trailer hitch, what’s happening around the trailer’s sides, and even a “transparent trailer” image for a virtual clear view behind.
5. Exhaust brake
An extra benefit of choosing the diesel engine is this feature. Adjustments to the exhaust side of the engine cause it to turn more slowly, reducing the vehicle’s speed. This provides an extra layer of control on long downhill stretches with a heavy trailer connected. And it takes some of the strain off the actual brakes at the wheels.
6. Power take-off
This is an option with the diesel engine. It uses the engine to run a separate appliance, like a compressor or pump.
Engine and transmission
A 6.6-liter gasoline V8 generating 401 horsepower and 464 lb-ft of torque is standard in the Chevy Silverado HD truck range. This connects to a 6-speed automatic transmission with rear-wheel drive as the default configuration or 4-wheel drive with a low-range transfer case on the options list.
For maximum towing ability of 36,000 pounds, the 2023 Silverado HD provides a turbocharged 6.6-liter V8 running on diesel. It makes a mighty 445 horsepower and 910 lb-ft of torque. Same RWD/4WD choice as the gas V8, but this unit comes with a 10-speed automatic transmission from Allison — a highly respected third-party supplier.
The Environmental Protection Agency does not calculate any fuel economy estimates for heavy-duty three-quarter-ton and one-ton trucks like the 2023 Silverado 2500HD and 3500HD.
6.6-liter V8
401 horsepower @ 5,200 rpm
464 lb-ft of torque @ 4,000 rpm
6.6-liter turbocharged diesel V8
445 horsepower @ 2,800 rpm
910 lb-ft of torque @ 1,600 rpm
KBB’s car review methodology.
This story originally ran on KBB.com.
