Tested: 2024 Chevy Silverado 2500HD Delivers the Goods, Not the Greats

If you look at the engine specs of Chevrolet Silverado 2500HDs over the years like the back of a baseball card, the engine output of the Duramax diesel has grown like Barry Bonds’s weight during his playing days. While all Duramax V-8s have displaced 6.6 liters, they started 2001 as a doe-eyed 185-pound center fielder cranking out 300 horsepower and 520 pound-feet of torque. Bonds eventually—and notoriously—juiced his way to a pitcher-intimidating 228 pounds, but the Duramax has Bonds’s gains beat. Today, the L5P Duramax slugs diesel to make 470 horses and 975 pound-feet.

In isolation, the engine is a monster. More might than any one person really needs, but where’s the fun in that when the Ford F-250 cranks out 1050 pound-feet (1200 from the High Output version) and the Ram 2500, by way of Cummins, musters 850 pound-feet (1075 in the 3500)? That the Ford has 8 percent more torque is so inconsequential, the only ones who care are those who measure themselves in ways other than height.

If you’ve read all the way into this third paragraph, it’s very likely that you already own a heavy-duty Chevy and little will sway you from the brand loyalty your Calvin sticker personifies. Or perhaps you’re really in the market for an HD truck and you’re upset that we haven’t mentioned the tow ratings yet. So, here goes: For 2024, the Silverado 2500 maxes out at 22,430 pounds with a gooseneck hitch. That’s about triple the mass of the heaviest Airstream made, so it’ll likely be good for you.

The High Country Duramax Crew Cab 4WD model we tested is more show horse than workhorse, but even an Arabian tip-toeing is a force to wrangle. Nevertheless, between the Z71 package’s all-terrain tires, this truck’s four-wheel drive, and its lack of the Max Trailering package, our tester is limited to towing 18,100 pounds with a fifth wheel or gooseneck hitch, or 18,500 pounds behind the bumper. But figuring this out required at least three consultations with our tech and fact-checking departments (your author wisely set his Slack status to Do Not Disturb). It’s confusing to nail down, and if you want the highest possible tow rating, you’ll want to make sure you select that Max Trailering package and a regular cab. It upgrades the 2500’s rear springs, shocks, rear axle, and frame to 3500-level stoutness.

A step up from the LTZ trim, the Silverado High Country nets body-colored bumpers, a Bose stereo, stainless beltline trim, LED taillamps, a spray-in bedliner, LED bed lighting, a wireless phone charger, heated outboard rear seats, side steps, a power tailgate, and many, many other bells and whistles, most of which are optional on other trims. The High Country’s cabin is the fanciest of all Chevy trucks with front ventilated buckets (no bench is available) and a 13.4-inch center touchscreen featuring Google built-in and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Only a few hard plastic panels in this near-luxury-grade interior might be shared with the base WT trim. And credit where it’s due for gambling on a blue interior. It’s a lovely break from the typical black and beige.

The optional Z71 package (just $325) brings off-road-tuned dampers with a very truckish ride, as well as hill-descent control and protective skid plates. Most HD truck buyers would find the jostle pretty normal considering the capability underfoot. But the biggest trucks from Chevrolet and GMC used to be some of the lightest in their classes, and that svelteness was felt behind the wheel. This test truck is heavier than both the most recent Ford F-250 and Ram 2500 diesel we tested. GM’s HD trucks still use an independent front suspension (the only in the segment), but the Ford’s tuning is remarkably smooth. Again, HD truck drivers will find it rather normal, but it just seems like this newest Chevy 2500 took a step backward in terms of refinement.

The Duramax V-8 has 32 valves and single turbocharger. The tach indicates a 4600-rpm redline, but you never make it there as foot-on-the-floor shifts happen around 3000 rpm and there is a fuel cut at 3500, should you opt for manual mode. Driving the 2500 around barely stresses the engine. From a standstill, 60 mph arrives in 6.4 seconds. Not too bad for an 8260-pound rig—that is, until the 8100-pound F-250 does it in 5.5 seconds. For the record, the last Ram 2500 crew cab we tested weighed 8060 pounds and needed 7.6 seconds to hit 60 mph.

With an Allison 10-speed automatic, the Silverado gets around shuffling and skipping gears often and we can’t think of a better column-shifter application. Putting a shifter on the console occupies otherwise primo Slim Jim and pistachio real estate.

There are likely already comments saying that electric pickups make more torque. Blah, blah, blah. That’s great. EV trucks are great. But until you can get a bench seat in the front of a Cybertruck or have a rear window slider to toss a soda can into the bed of a Rivian R1T or lay an eight-foot sheet flat in a Silverado EV without messing with a midgate, electric truckin’ just ain’t the same as a dad-gum diesel. And, at $85,855 as tested, this Chevrolet seems like a bargain compared to the electrics (it’s almost $10K less than a Ford F-150 Lightning we tested). Besides, tailgating in the bed of a heavy-duty pickup before a ballgame is just as American as the pastime itself. No matter what your brand is, people will notice, and some will stop to ask about torque and towing, but you should keep it interesting and make sure to show off that blue interior.

Source: Reviews - aranddriver.com