As a kid, I remember gazing up at the stars from the short bed of my dad’s old beat-up pickup. He loved that rust bucket and made sure we had a deep appreciation of that truck as we grew. The years have flown by my love for trucks never abated. In my quest for excellent gas mileage, I had resigned myself to compact cars that were practical and lacked the power I craved. Fast forward to 2020 and it seems that the more things have changed the more they stay the same. In comes the Silverado.
The year of our Lord 2020 has been full of drastic changes, to say the least. As we continue to adjust to our new “normal” I think it’s important that we find the silver-lining wherever we can. Unless you’ve been under a rock you’re well aware of all the travel restrictions and as a self-proclaimed roaming gnome, I too have felt the pressures of sheltering in place. The summer arrived and hope was restored. Everyone was hitting the road to get a very necessary reprieve from their homes. Everywhere you looked people were using our interstate highway system to explore the beauty of this country.
When Chevrolet approached me about test-driving their 2020 Silverado RST 2WD with Duramax® 3.0L Turbo-Diesel I jumped at the chance. Since things are still touch and go with Covid restrictions, we decided that a road trip to the world’s most famous beach (Daytona Beach) would be the perfect way for me to experience their best in class features. I currently drive a four-door compact car and get great gas mileage. While I hate being bullied when trying to merge into rush hour traffic I kept telling myself that the “good” gas mileage was worth it.
It’s all in the Details
The 2020 Silverado RST 2WD with Duramax® 3.0L Turbo-Diesel is America’s most fuel-efficient pickup and a 2020 KBB.com best resale value: top 10 recipients. Check out the details below to get a better picture of what the 2020 Silverado brings to the table.
Fuel Efficiency: Running on diesel fuel, this Silverado delivers full-size truck capabilities with the highway fuel efficiency of some family sedans. With an EPA-estimated rating of 29 mpg highway and 23 mpg city, the Silverado offers a class-leading fuel economy.
3.0L Duramax Inline-Six Turbo-Diesel Engine: Engineers started with a clean-sheet design to develop the all-new engine for the first diesel offered in Chevy’s light-duty truck lineup since 1997. Capable of changing perceptions of what a diesel engine can offer in refinement, the Silverado 3.0L Turbo-Diesel is perfect for those who want the capability and driving range of a diesel in a lightweight truck.
Size + Strength: Delivers more truck, more value, more choice with a focus on mixed materials, the new Silverado is 450 lbs. lighter on average than the previous generation, but it is larger, more capable, and has more interior passenger and cargo room.
Power + Performance: Offering best-in-class 277 horsepower and 460 lb. –ft of torque allow this. Silverado to tow up to 9,300 pounds and offers a maximum payload of 1,870 pounds.
Technology: The segment-first available Advanced Trailering System features an in-vehicle trailering app that offers customized trailer profiles. Silverado offers more camera views than any other truck (15 available cameras) — all working to improve your towing job from start to finish. They can make it easier to get hitched up, provide confidence while you’re on the road, and even help you maneuver into tight spots when you’re ready to park.
4G LTE WiFi: Enables drivers to explore new features like a built-in Wi-Fi hotspot capable of pairing up to seven devices, as well as improved access to existing OnStar safety and security services.
Hitting the Highway
After reviewing all the 2020 Silverado’s features I was thrilled to get her on the open road. Daytona Beach is known the world over for its NASCAR racing, easy-going atmosphere, and for being the former epicenter of America’s college spring break shenanigans. While spring break has become much tamer through the years Daytona Beach has cemented itself as an iconic destination. I was slightly embarrassed to say I hadn’t been, so I was excited to see what all the fuss was about.
Miami is about 300 miles from Daytona Beach which makes it the perfect staycation. Before I headed out I remembered I had a friend who had just moved and needed to pick up a few small palm trees and other plants for his apartment. I figured since I had a truck I should make the most of it.
Once at the nursery, I was able to easily park( thanks to the backup camera) and load up his new plants with no stress. At one point we realized that we had forgotten to open the tailgate and our hands were already full of a 7-foot palm. I was able to easily hit the gate release on the keychain and it was down in a jiffy. Those little conveniences make a big difference when you are lugging a delicate palm through an uneven gravel parking lot.
After a successful plant drop-off, I picked up my road trip companion and headed out. Floridians are notoriously terrible drives and I was nervous to be driving such a large truck but the lane change alert with side blind zone alert gave me the confidence to really enjoy the ride. The sound system was excellent and my friend was able to get some work done with the help of the 4G LTE Wifi.
After our safe arrival in Daytona, we realized we hadn’t used half a tank. I was impressed by the fuel efficiency. I’ve never driven a diesel-powered vehicle and I had assumed that diesel burned faster than regular gas. Clearly, I was wrong. The 2020 Silverado boasts 29mpg highway/23mpg city. Even after returning to Miami I still had a quarter tank left.
Looking towards the future
I’ll be buying a car in the next year and after this experience, a 2020 Silverado is definitely on the top of my list. The amazing fuel economy, smooth ride, and amenities make this a great option for my busy lifestyle. I used to stay away from pickup trucks strictly because of the poor gas economy but the mileage that 2020 Silverado provides blows all my previous reservations out of the water.
If you are looking for a dependable, safe, and fuel-efficient pickup truck look no further. I can see myself picking up large antiques from my favorite thrift shop, helping friends move (you know they are going to ask), and hitching my RV up for my next road trip adventure. The 2020 Silverado RST 2WD with Duramax® 3.0L Turbo-Diesel is an excellent choice for the weekend warrior, road-tripping millennial, and everyone in between. For engine upgrades, there are many ways to upgrade your Chevy 5.3 LS engine and in an article written by RoadCartel.com titled ‘5.3 Vortec HP Upgrades.’ They discuss the different 5.3 ls performance parts and go in depth on what engine upgrades you can perform.
The Aspiring Gentleman was hosted by Chevrolet. All opinions are my own.
