2012 Chevy Silverado 1500 doesn’t disappoint

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Loyalty for the Chevy brand runs deep in Texas. Chances are, if your daddy and granddaddy were Chevy truck enthusiasts, then you are diving a Silverado, too. The 4WD Crew Cab LT Texas Edition is rolling proof that the loyalty is a reward for all the right reasons.

Silverado 1500 in Victory Red

I had driven this truck both on and off road in the past, but a week in the driver’s seat of this 2012 model year vehicle reinforced all of my previous experiences.

While styling is not new on this truck for 2012 (a major redo is coming for the 2014 model), it wears its age well. Hardcore Silverado drivers always talk about how robust their trucks are and this is no exception. There have been some comments on reader forums that the 4WD rode hard but I did not find that to be the case. The work that GM has been doing on all of its vehicles has paid off and this truck is considerably quieter than previous models.

The interior is generous in terms of space and, while not elaborate or exotic, fit and finish are fine. The test vehicle had an ebony interior but I migh have picked the lighter titanium or cashmere for our Texas summers. The center stack is well designed with all controls for infotainment, climate, etc., angled slightly toward the driver. This is a nice subtle feature that makes everything very accessible.

Interior stack and console

Load capacity for this model is 1,700 lbs., with GVW rating of 7,000 and rear axle ratio of 3.42 for the vehicle I tested.

The basic Silverado 1500 LT is sticker priced at $35,545 and includes the 4.8L V8 with a 4-speed automatic transmission, 17-inch wheels, Z85 handling and trailing suspension, dual-stage driver and passenger airbags, head curtain side airbags with rollover protection and side-impact airbags for both the driver and front seat passenger. Also included are stabilitrak stability control with trailer sway and hill start assist. Leather-wrapped steering wheel, satellite radio, air conditioning, power locks, tilt steering and cruise control are also part of the package. But things really get interesting when available options bring this ride up to Texas Edition status.

Everyone specing this vehicle out should add the rear vision camera (a well-spent $450) and, for extended life, the protection package which includes rear wheelhouse liner and bedrail protectors ($290); trailer brake controller ($200) and skid plate package ($150) are also extremely important for this highly-capable sport truck.

A convenience package ($860) adds rear park assist, remote vehicle start, rear window defogger, remote vehicle start and a couple other things.

Our truck had a seat package that converted the standard offering to front buckets with a 6-way power seat for the driver for $995.

At a delivered price of $41,417 (about $10,00 after the Texas discount more than base) the engine jumped up to a Vortec 5.3L V8 engine — 315hp (@5,200 rpm), 335 lb.-ft. of torque(@4,000 rpm) and a 6-speed automatic transmission with manual shift feature on the column, a heavy-duty trailering package, locking rear differential, 20-inch chrome clad wheels, ez lift and locking tailgate, dual zone AC, radio controls on the steering wheel, Bluetooth, USB port and other infotainment upgrades, fog lamps and chrome door handles and mirror caps.

For 2011, which included a few months of this 2012 model, Chevy sold more than 415,000 Silverados, and about one in five trucks was sold in Texas.  For all the specs and options available, check out www.silverado.com or www.chevrolet.com/trucks.

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