Chevrolet Silverado 1500 2007 $17,995

What s New for 2007 The 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 is all-new from the tires to the roof. Key improvements in cabin trim build quality safety features and towing capacity make the Silverado the odds-on favorite in the full-size-pickup class. Introduction For years the Chevrolet Silverado has taken countless and well-deserved shots from the automotive press for its bland cabin that featured cheap materials and mediocre build quality. Yes Chevy s pickup was a great workhorse with impressive all-around performance but the cabin s abundance of hard plastics spotty assembly and lack of personality did nothing to score votes from our editorial staff. The 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 receives a full redesign that addresses nearly all of the previous truck s faults. (Be aware that Chevy is continuing to sell the old Silverado in 2007 as well; it s called the Classic. ) Even just a casual glance around the new Silverado s cabin reveals much-improved materials and build quality with uniform grain patterns and tight panel gaps. The interior of the LTZ trim in particular with its lustrous wood and metallic accents has a luxurious ambience that would do a Cadillac proud. On the outside Chevy s half-ton pickup truck features updated styling. A large grille wider and taller than previous models and a prominent gold bow tie are flanked by premium-look reflector-optics headlamps. The power dome hood rises from the front end alluding to the workhorse power plant beneath it and the more aggressively sloped windshield conveys improved fuel economy due to enhanced aerodynamics. Underneath the truck has a redesigned front suspension and rack-and-pinion steering for better steering feel handling and ride quality. A strengthened frame contributes to impressive towing capacity. And the Chevrolet Silverado s engine lineup already a strong point gets even stronger this year as output is up nearly across the board. Safety has also been addressed via the adoption of stability control side-curtain airbags and rear park assist. Although Chevy nailed all the biggies there are a few small demerits. One is that the new Silverado uses a four-speed automatic transmission instead of the superb six-speed unit seen in the GMC Yukon Denali and Cadillac Escalade. For the most part the four-speed works fine but occasionally it can leave the engine flat-footed as it takes a beat or two to downshift to supply a burst of power. The other minor quibbles are a turning radius that s a few feet larger than rivals such as the F-150 and Titan and overly hard door armrests. Overall however we re quite impressed with the all-new Chevy Silverado 1500. It should prove to be a smart choice for a full-size pickup. Shoppers in this segment should be aware though that along with the new Silverado this year also brings the completely redesigned Toyota Tundra which like the Chevy is extremely well-rounded and ready for hard work. So in the half-ton pickup truck segment we re talking about a two-horse race in which the versatile comfortable and well-built Silverado is worth betting on. Body Styles Trim Levels and Options The 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 is a full-size pickup truck. There are three body styles available: standard cab extended cab and crew cab. Standard cabs can be had with either a standard or long bed. Extended cabs can have a short standard or long bed. In the interest of maneuverability crew cabs come only with the short bed. Regular cabs can be had in base Work or midlevel LT trims while the extended and crew cabs can also be had in plush LTZ form. The Work trim comes with the basics including air-conditioning (extended and crew cab versions) a trip computer OnStar telematics vinyl seating a 40-20-40-split front bench seat and a tilt steering wheel. The LT trim actually consists of two subsets 1LT and 2LT. The 1LT adds deep-tinted windows chrome grille trim alloy wheels a CD player cruise control full power a

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