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Review: The 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Duramax Diesel is Put to the Test

A diesel-powered half-ton truck isn’t a new idea, but when your two primary rivals enter that niche, you have to make some moves to stay in the game. The Silverado has been down this path before; back in the late ’90s, you could get a 1500 with a V-8 diesel. But since Chevy stopped offering a diesel half-ton truck, the 1500 has been stuck with all-gasoline engines. The 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 meets the challenge set by the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel and Ford F-150 Diesel with a 277-hp 3.0-liter turbodiesel l-6 that’s good for 460 lb-ft of torque—and we’ve got track-tested performance numbers.

When features editor Scott Evans drove the 2020 Silverado 1500 Duramax at its press launch, he estimated acceleration from 0 to 60 mph would take 8.7 seconds. But with our Vbox in place, a skidpad to ourselves, and road test editor Chris Walton behind the wheel, it took 7 seconds flat for the Silverado RST Duramax 2WD to go from 0 to 60 mph. That’s outstanding performance, complemented by the 15.4 seconds it took to complete the quarter mile at 90.7 mph. These numbers are right in line with the Ford F-150 diesel 4×2, which went from 0 to 60 mph in 7.1 seconds and ran the quarter mile in 15.6 seconds at 88.9 mph.

Evans didn’t get a chance to tow during the press event, but we made sure to get all kinds of towing numbers and driving impressions during our test. The 1500 Duramax 2WD is rated to tow up to 7,600 pounds, and at almost full capacity (7,500 pounds), the Silverado 1500 Duramax went from 0 to 60 mph in 16.4 seconds and completed the quarter mile in 20.8 seconds at 66.6 mph. Those numbers aren’t bad, and the Silverado feels even better from behind the wheel. The diesel engine is buttery smooth, yet it has lots of torque. It pulls a trailer as if it isn’t there, and its 10-speed automatic transmission shifts swiftly even with all that weight. Unlike the F-150, the Silverado doesn’t lurch or struggle when pulling that weight, and it performs flawlessly even when going uphill.

On the steep incline at Davis Dam, near the Arizona–Nevada border, the Silverado 1500 Duramax passed 70 mph and had enough power left to go even faster. And even with all the “frustration” we threw its way, the Silverado diesel controlled the trailer very well. We also liked that the turn signal blinks six times instead of three when the truck is in Tow/Haul mode.

For those who tow a lot, Chevy offers its invisible trailer technology on the 1500 Duramax. This uses a camera installed on the back of the trailer that works with one of the truck’s rear cameras to create an image on the infotainment screen with the view of the rear of the truck without the trailer (hence its name). This is a nice feature, especially when the trailer is so big that it blocks your rear visibility. Although our truck didn’t have it, we briefly tested this tech on the Silverado 2500, and we dig it.

We appreciate the changes Chevrolet has made to the suspension for the 2020 model year. The Silverado 1500 we drove last year didn’t ride as nicely as the Duramax and 2.7-liter RST we drove recently. The ride feels much more refined, and although the Silverado doesn’t feel as good as the Ram 1500, the updates are very noticeable.

Diesel engines are known for being louder than their gas counterparts, but this is not the case with the Duramax. Engineers made sure the engine was quiet and made improvements to the truck’s NVH for a smoother ride. One thing we wish Chevy improved was the brake pedal feel. Although the truck has plenty of stopping power, you really have to press on the pedal to come to a stop.

Once you get inside, the cabin is disappointing. Chevy didn’t make enough updates to the Silverado’s interior, and it only looks worse when you compare it to the attention to detail Ram put into its interiors. Chevy’s old design and selection of materials, particularly the hard leather, don’t help the Silverado 1500. What you do get is an 8.0-inch touchscreen compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a new HD rear camera that projects a better image when you’re backing up to a trailer.

As with all Silverados, there are some new additions to the bed. The three fixed tie-downs on each corner and the standard CornerStep built into the bumper give the Silverado an advantage over its competitors. The bed also has more volume; designers added 3.5 inches on each size to accommodate larger objects.

With a $48,685 as-tested price, the 2020 Silverado Duramax RST 2WD is a great value. The 3.0-liter Duramax is available on the LT, RST, LTZ, and High Country trims (a $3,890 upgrade over the 2.7-liter engine for the LT and RST; a $2,495 option for the LTZ and High Country). We’re glad Chevy is offering a diesel engine in the Silverado 1500, but we’re happier that the engine’s performance and capability make it stand out from the crowd.

2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
BASE PRICE/AS TESTED	$46,135/$48,685
POWER (SAE NET)	277 hp @ 3,750 rpm
TORQUE (SAE NET)	460 lb-ft @ 1,500 rpm
ACCEL, 0-60 mph	7.0 sec
ACCEL, 0-60 mph (LOADED)	Not tested
ACCEL, 0-60 mph (TOWING)	16.4 sec #
QUARTER-MILE	15.4 sec @ 90.7 mph
QUARTER-MILE (LOADED)	Not tested
QUARTER-MILE (TOWING)	20.8 sec @ 66.6 mph #
BRAKING, 60-0 MPT	126 ft
BRAKING, 60-0 MPG (LOADED)	Not tested
DOUBLE LANE CHANGE SCORE	3.68
DAVIS DAM FRUSTRATION	17.9 sec @ 1,200 ft ##
CRUISE CONTRO 65-MPH OVERRUN	2.4 mph
EPA CITY/HWY/COMB	23/33/27 mpg
* 1,500-lb payload \| ** 4,000-lb trailer \| # 7,500-lb trailer
35-55-mph uphill acceleration with 3,160-lb ## 7,750-lb trailer*
VEHICLE LAYOUT	Front-engine, RWD, 5-pass, 4-door truck
ENGINE, TRANSMISSION	3.0L turbodiesel DOHC 24-valve I-6, 10-speed automatic
CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST)	5,041 lb (59/41%)
WHEELBASE	147.4 in
LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT	231.8 x 81.2 x 75.6 in
ENERGY CONS, CITY/HWY	164/114 kW-hrs/100 miles
CO2 EMISSIONS, COMB	0.83 lb/mile