2021 Chevy Silverado HD

• Overview

  

  Pickup trucks come in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes, a midsize truck will suffice if you’re just moving something small like a table and chairs or a few lawnmowers. But there are times you have to move a real heavy load. Whether it has to be towed or can just fit in the payload, nothing is built for these tasks like a heavy-duty truck. Chevrolet has two of the finest on the road today, the Silverado 2500HD and the Silverado 3500HD. Experts agree that the 2021 Chevy Silverado HD series are some of the best, most dependable trucks on the road.

  Many folks wonder what the difference is between the two Silverado HD models. It comes down to gross vehicle weight and overall profile. The Silverado 2500HD has a gross vehicle weight of about 10,650 pounds, while the Silverado 3500HD tips the scales at an estimated 11,350 pounds. This is due in part to the heavy-duty chassis of this truck.

  Also, the Silverado 3500HD has a slightly higher profile of 80 full inches, while Silverado 2500HD stands at 79.8 inches tall. Since it is hard to tell the difference with the naked eye, Chevrolet has helped out with special badging for the two heavy-duty trucks. However, whichever one you choose, you will be getting a truck that can not only stand up to the toughest task but look really good doing it. That is because Chevy has paid a great deal of attention to detail with the 2021 Chevy Silverado HD.

  401 - 445

  Horsepower (hp)

  464 - 910

  Torque (lb-ft)

  36,000

  Max Towing (lbs)

  Starting at

  $34,700*

• Trims

  

  Back to Basics: The WT and Custom

  The 2021 Chevy Silverado HD has a surprisingly affordable price range. The base model is the WT, which stands for “work truck” and has an MSRP of $34,700 for the Silverado 2500HD and $35,900 for the Silverado 3500HD. This truck features a very helpful black work assist step, so you will have little trouble accessing the payload bed from the side. The next trim on the Silverado 2500HD is the Custom with an MSRP of $39,500, which features 20-inch machined aluminum wheels. This trim is not available on the Silverado 3500HD. 

  Middle of the Road: The LT and LTZ

  The LT has 18-inch machined aluminum wheels and the Z71 off-road features when equipped with a gas engine. 20-inch machined aluminum wheels and a 4-inch chrome assist step comes with models with the turbo-diesel engine. The LT also has a standard 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot, a compass, and OnStar & Chevrolet connected services. The Silverado 2500HD LT has an MSRP of $38,800, while the Silverado 3500HD LT has an MSRP of $40,000. The LTZ also has Z71 off-road features, 20-inch polished aluminum wheels, a 10-way power driver seat, and a 120-volt box-mounted power outlet, with an MSRP of $49,100 for the Silverado 2500HD and $52,100 for the Silverado 3500HD. 

  Top of the Line: The High Country

  The top trim level is the High Country, and it truly has it all, including 20-inch 16-spoke aluminum wheels, HD surround vision camera, heated front seats, and a heated, leather-wrapped steering wheel. This trim comes with four-wheel drive standard. The Silverado 2500HD High Country has an MSRP of $62,200, and the Silverado 3500HD High Country has an MSRP of $63,400.

  All 2021 Chevy Silverado HD trucks come equipped with the Chevrolet Infotainment 3 system on a color touchscreen. Most models feature a 7-inch touchscreen, while the higher trims offer it with an 8-inch HD color touchscreen standard. This integrates key vehicle information with entertainment systems and connectivity like Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Bluetooth. It also includes an AM/FM stereo with SiriusXM satellite radio on most models.

• Performance

  

  Engines

  Chevy offers the 2021 Chevy Silverado HD with your choice of two different engines, which are both the same for the 2500HD and 3500HD. The base engine is a 6.6-liter V-8 gas engine that produces up to 401 horsepower and 464 lb-ft of torque. It has a very durable cast iron engine block and uses direct injection and variable valve timing to improve overall engine efficiency. The optional engine is a very powerful 6.6-liter Duramax Turbo-Diesel V-8. This utilizes a specialized air induction system and a variable geometry turbocharger to boost overall engine performance. As a result, this Turbo-Diesel provides 445 horsepower and an impressive 910 lb-ft of torque.

  Transmission

  There are two different transmissions available for the 2021 Chevy Silverado HDs. If you choose to go with the 6.6-liter V-8 gas engine, it will come equipped with a 6-speed automatic transmission. If you opt for the available Duramax Turbo-Diesel, you will have an Allison 10-speed automatic transmission. This will come in handy as the extra gear speeds will provide you with greater control over your truck.

  Towing

  One of the biggest reasons to buy a heavy-duty truck is its ability to tow the heaviest trailers. In this regard, the 2021 Chevy Silverado HD does not disappoint. This is especially the case when you add a fifth-wheel or gooseneck hitch to your truck. The 2021 Chevy Silverado HD is offered with either rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive. If your primary concern is trailering, then choosing a Silverado HD with a rear-wheel drivetrain will increase the amount of trailer your truck can tow.

  As you will see, the Silverado 3500HD is able to tow heavier loads than the Silverado 2500HD. This is a direct result of the Silverado 3500HD having a greater gross vehicle weight than the Silverado 2500HD. A full 700-pound difference on most comparable trims of the two trucks.

  If you choose to equip your Silverado HD truck with the 6.6-liter V-8 gas engine, you will have the ability to tow up to 17,370 pounds. This is the same figure for the Silverado 2500HD and the Silverado 3500HD. If you opt for the Duramax Turbo-Diesel instead, you will see those figures go up as a result of that incredible amount of torque generated by that engine. 

  The 2021 Chevy Silverado 2500HD with the Duramax Turbo-Diesel can tow an impressive 18,510 pounds. However, the champion in this regard is the Silverado 3500HD with the Duramax Turbo-Diesel that can tow up to 36,000 pounds, one of the highest amounts for any heavy-duty truck available on the market today. So, if you need to tow really heavy trailers, then the 2021 Chevy Silverado HD is the truck for you.

  Payload

  The other reason to get a heavy-duty truck is its ability to carry cargo in its trailer bed. The 2021 Chevy Silverado HD gives you a choice of a standard bed or a long bed. If you choose the Silverado 2500HD with the Duramax Turbo-Diesel, you can carry up to 3,715 pounds of cargo, while the same truck with the V-8 gas engine can carry up to 3,979 pounds. 

  The figures go up considerably when you choose the Silverado 3500HD. When equipped with the Duramax Turbo-Diesel, the Silverado 3500HD can carry up to 6,532 pounds in its payload bed. This figure goes up to 7,442 pounds of cargo when the Silverado 3500HD is equipped with the V-8 gas engine.

• Interior Space

  

  Passenger Cab

  The 2021 Chevy Silverado 2500HD gives you the choice of a regular cab, crew cab, or double cab. The regular cab has one row of seats, two full-size doors, and seats up to 3 passengers. The double cab truck seats up to six passengers. It has two rows of seats, two full-size doors, and two half-doors. The largest cab is the crew cab, with two rows of seats and four full-size doors. It seats up to 6 passengers as well, but getting in and out is a little easier. The 2021 Chevy Silverado 3500HD only comes in the crew cab configuration.

  The front row of the regular cab is slightly roomier than on the crew cab and double cab, offering slightly more headroom of 43.11 inches compared to 43.03 inches, and shoulder room of 66.06 inches to 66.02 inches. However, it has slightly less hip room of 60.90 inches compared to the back rows' 61.18 inches. All three cab styles offer a roomy 44.53 inches of legroom in the front row.

  The crew cab provides more overall room to passengers in the back seat than the double cab. Passengers in the rear row of the crew cab will enjoy 40.12 inches of headroom, 43.4 inches of legroom, and 65.3 inches of shoulder room, as compared to 35.24 inches of headroom, 35.24 inches of legroom, and 64.88 inches of shoulder room in the double cab. Both cab configurations provide the same 60.24 inches of hip room.

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