Chevrolet Silverado 1500

The 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 adds a new 6-speed automatic transmission paired with the 5.3-liter, 6.0-liter and 6.2-liter engines. A more powerful E85-capable 6.2-liter V8 engine is available on Crew Cab. OnStar 8.0 with Turn-by-Turn Navigation and Destination Download, Bluetooth phone connectivity, XM Satellite Radio with NavTraffic feature, rearview camera system and new 18- and 20-inch chrome-clad wheels are available.





The test vehicle, a light-duty, Extended Cab, two-wheel-drive model with seats for five, showed it's capable of handling both work tasks and family.
There's a big climb up to get inside—made more strenuous by the lack of running boards.
But once there, driver and riders have an excellent view out and over most other vehicles. This helped me manage my speeds and prepare for stops in city and highway traffic well ahead of other vehicles.
I noted, too, that many other drivers gave my Silverado space and didn't ride on my bumper since such a move would mean the driver behind would have no view at all except of my tailgate.
Lots of front-seat headroomThe interior of the Silverado Extended Cab is spacious feeling. The center console between the two front seats is very wide, and the back bench seat can hold three adults, widthwise, with ease.
Then there's the headroom. In the Silverado, it's immense. The 41 inches in the front seat top the 40.8 inches in the Ford F-150. It's more than in the Dodge Ram, too.
Back-seat headroom of 38.4 inches in the Silverado Extended Cab is less, though, than the 40 inches in the Ram Quad Cab. The F-150's SuperCab has 37.8 inches, in comparison.
Still, the Silverado Extended Cab leads the two major competitors in front-seat legroom. It also has more rear-seat legroom than the F-150 SuperCab. But the Ram's four-door Quad Cab has 2.7 inches more.