FEATURES | 8 out of 10
Expert Quotes:
easy-to-use HVAC and entertainment controls and a great screen that is especially helpful when in use as the backup camera
AutoWeek
one area in which the Silverado is showing its age is in the race for crazy storage options
Jalopnik
no door pockets, no under-floor bins—and the front door pockets were the smallest in this trio, as well as the flimsiest
Car and Driver
The overwhelming array of body styles, bed lengths, and drivetrains is enough to make a Silverado shopper weary before they set foot in a dealer. Ah, but it doesn't end there--the Silverado's features list spans just as much of the automotive realm, with work trucks lining up on the same order sheets as $50,000 hybrid trucks with real-time traffic and DVD entertainment systems.
The basic Silverado's a spartan workhorse, though. It comes with few creature comforts: the windows wind up by hand, the locks lock that way too, the bench seats are covered in vinyl, and the AM/FM radio goes away if you want to save a hundred bucks. That's one extreme. The other extreme--with lots of steps between SL and SLT between--piles on luxury hardware like satellite radio with NavTraffic; navigation; OnStar; leather seating; a power sunroof; a power sliding rear window; Bluetooth; a USB port for media players; and of course, dozens of cargo-securing features, down to the bedliner itself.
Options and features are more selective on the Hybrid edition. The base version has cloth seats; steering-wheel audio controls; a USB port; and remote keyless entry. The upscale edition has leather; Bluetooth; navigation; and satellite radio.
Last year, GM updated the Silverado's OnStar system to version 9.0. It now includes automatic crash response, crisis assist, and stolen vehicle slowdown, with a one-year subscription to the Safe and Sound plan.
Conclusion
The 2012 Chevy Silverado runs the gamut from luxury family pickup to bare-bones work appliance.