2027 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 First Look: Too Little Too Late or Just in Time?

• What's new: It's redesign time for the 2027 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, and along with a pair of new V8s, there are big interior and technology updates.
• Why it matters: Currently, the Chevy sits all the way down at the bottom of our full-size truck rankings. These changes could bump it up a few notches.
• Edmunds says: The Silverado's age wasn't doing it any favors, and its improvements in the cabin and under the hood put it back on the right track.

Naturally, that doesn't include the supercharged V8s found in the Ram 1500 TRX and the Ford F-150 Raptor R, though our fingers are crossed that Chevrolet eventually offers something similar to compete with those trucks. Maybe something borrowed from a Corvette? Never say never.

We are glad to see the turbodiesel engine option continue, and the Silverado and the GMC Sierra 1500 will remain the only full-size pickups to offer that alternative fuel option. One bummer, though: If you want the big V8, you'll have to jump up to the ZR2 or the High Country trim to get access to it. The Trail Boss only gets the smaller V8.

The most notable omission here is the lack of a hybrid option. Ford and Toyota both sell hybridized versions of their big trucks, and after living with an F-150 PowerBoost hybrid for several years, we came to love that powertrain. For now, if you want something with more efficiency in mind from Chevy, you're going to have to go for the diesel. 

New look

There are styling changes on the outside, but they are fairly subtle. The overall look of the Silverado hasn't changed much; the vertical sides and big grille remain, but the LED headlights and taillights have been tweaked so you can tell it apart more easily from the previous generation. The off-road models still wear the styling the best, with the Trail Boss and ZR2 getting some cool detailing on the hoods and big tires that fill out the wheelwells much better.

More important are the changes inside; the truck we got to examine was a Trail Boss, a model that I'm very familiar with after shooting an off-road video with the current-generation truck. The materials and look of the cabin have noticeably improved. Some touchpoints still feel a bit plasticky, but many of the spots you'll interact with regularly have gotten a touch-up, and the layout has also really improved storage for small items (another pain point with the previous truck). 

To do this, Chevy copied Ford's and Ram's homework. You'll get the fold-out flat surface first seen on the F-150; that's a great spot if you need to work or eat a quick lunch. The Silverado also gets a movable cupholder module in the center that opens up the center storage bin much more — that used to be a Ram-only feature.

The back seat has also gotten better; it's still very roomy, but the lower cushions are a bit softer, and the seatback angle is much more conducive to longer trips. The last one was too upright, which made it uncomfortable for passengers and made it difficult to fit forward-facing car seats. Plus, a panoramic moonroof is now available, making the cab feel even more expansive.

Big screens standard

The interior of the Silverado is now awash with screens, with a 16.5-inch touchscreen and a 12-inch driver display coming standard on all models, including the Work Truck. The highest trims add a third screen in front of the passenger with privacy glass, so you can stream content without the driver seeing it and connect an additional Bluetooth device separate from the cabin audio so your passengers can listen to whatever they want without interrupting your podcasts, music, or just pure silence.

These screens also house a new infotainment system (also found in the new GMC Sierra) that is still Android-based, but the menus and structure have been simplified in a good way. We only had a short time to play with the screen, but I liked the new layout and that many of the functions you'll use regularly can be accessed via a quick menu you reach by pulling down from the top of the screen.

We also like that GM is providing eight years of data to power the maps and audio streaming, much more than you get with other automakers.

Lastly, the charging situation has also improved: The wireless charging pad or pads (higher trims get two) now feature MagSafe, so your phone won't slide around. However, if you don't have a MagSafe phone, the angle of the chargers makes them unusable; Chevrolet says a solution for those phones is coming, and we'll get more details on that later this year.

How much will it cost?

The new Chevy Silverado will start at $41,395 for the base WT (aka Work Truck). More popular trims like the Z71 (which is now a standalone model, no longer an options package) is priced from $50,695, and the Trail Boss will set you back at least $63,995. The most expensive new Silverado, the ZR2, tops out the range at a hefty $79,995 — but hey, it's still less than Ford wants for a V6 F-150 Raptor, and you ca get that huge 6.6-liter V8 here, too. 

For a full breakdown of what you get in every Silverado trim, how much every single one costs, and how much more than are now compared to last year's model, check out our full pricing breakdown here.