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2008 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD Bottom Line

By Rex Roy Rex Roy, Editor

TheCarConnection.com's editors read the latest reviews on the new 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD heavy-duty pickups to write this comprehensive review. Experts from TheCarConnection.com also drove various versions of the Chevrolet Silverado HD, including the 3/4-ton 2500HD and the 1-ton 3500HD. These experiences enable this team to offer you a definitive opinion on this heavy-duty full-size pickup. This review also compares the 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD with other vehicles in its class to give you the best advice even when other reviews present conflicting opinions.

Likes:

  • Duramax diesel power
  • Six-speed automatics
  • Functional interior design
  • Simplicity of controls
  • Standard XM radio

Dislikes:

  • Styling could be tougher

Buying Tips:


Be sure you can live with a turning circle of more than 50 feet when you're considering a truck like the 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD. Also, consider the fuel bills--and the declining resale value of big trucks as gas prices continue to rise.

Who needs 660 pound-feet of torque? Someone who needs to drag 13,000 pounds around, that's who. And the only 3/4-ton truck that can tackle that job is the 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD, armed with the optional 6.6-liter Duramax diesel V-8

Chevrolet's heavy-duty truck, introduced as a 2007 model, changes little for the 2008 model year. It shares some essential pieces with GMC's Sierra heavy-duty trucks, along with some mechanicals from the big GM SUVs (Tahoe, Suburban, Yukon, and Escalade). You can visually discriminate between a light-duty Silverado 1500 from its more capable brethren, thanks to the HD's raised hood and divergent grille design. While different, compared to the Ford Super Duty, the Chevy looks tame.

The 2008 Chevrolet Silverado heavy-duty trucks are offered in 3/4-ton and 1-ton versions, the 2500HD and 3500HD. Three cab styles, three cargo box styles, and five wheelbase lengths are offered, so the Silverado can be ordered to fit specific jobs--such as towing up to 16,700 pounds.

This year's changes include standard XM Satellite Radio, available power driver seat on regular-cab Silverado HDs, and revamped gauges. Two new red paints are offered, and Duallie models get 17-inch wheels, up from 16-inchers offered last year.

The editors from TheCarConnection.com have experienced the power of the Duramax diesel in the Silverado HD. Matched to the heavy-duty Allison six-speed transmission, the power seems never ending--like Niagara Falls. The gearbox is especially good, with smooth shifts.

The two available interiors for the 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD are similar to those in the light-duty models, and they're comfortable and practical.

Other Choices:

If you’re interested in the 2008 Chevrolet Silverado HD, also consider:

Reason Why:

The Ford vs. Chevy wars continue to rage in the heavy-duty segment of the pickup truck market. An all-new Ford Super Duty was introduced for the 2008 model year, and it is a heck of a truck, complete with a revised Power Stroke diesel. That engine isn't a true "clean" diesel yet, but will be soon. There's no mistaking the Super Duty's style, which is certainly more distinctive than the Silverado HD's. Features like the optional in-tailgate stepladder are also innovative and go unanswered by Chevy.

While the Dodge Ram 1500 has been relegated to a distant third place in the pickup truck sales race for years, in the heavy-duty segment, the 2008 Dodge Ram 2500 and Ram 3500 models compete nearly neck and neck with the Ford Super Duty and Chevrolet Silverado HD pickups. The Dodge's six-cylinder Cummins diesel nearly matches the power of Chevy's Duramax and the Ford's Power Stroke, even though it's running with two fewer cylinders. Unlike Ford and Chevy, Dodge's heavy-duty models look just like their light-duty Ram 1500 models.

The Bottom Line:

The 2008 Chevrolet Silverado HD is a focused work truck with excellent capabilities.


Other Choices:

The Ford vs. Chevy wars continue to rage in the heavy-duty segment of the pickup truck market. An all-new Ford Super Duty was introduced for the 2008 model year, and it is a heck of a truck, complete with a revised Power Stroke diesel. That engine isn't a true "clean" diesel yet, but will be soon. There's no mistaking the Super Duty's style, which is certainly more distinctive than the Silverado HD's. Features like the optional in-tailgate stepladder are also innovative and go unanswered by Chevy.

Next Steps:

Check Insurance Rates

for the 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD

Check Financing Rates

for the 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD

Check Local Classifieds

for a 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD near you

See the Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD in Other Years:

2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001

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