2024 Chevy Silverado HD Review: Dang, This Is Nice

The 2024 Chevy Silverado HD is a glow-up. It’s technically part of the same generation that launched in 2020, a truck that was received so harshly that GM’s designers must have gone back to the drawing board immediately. Its performance specs have always been solid, even if it isn’t a frontrunner in the diesel torque war, but the pre-facelift design was the butt of every joke amongst truck owners for a solid six months. Post-facelift, though, it’s a head-turner—and a capable one to boot.

In my week with the revised Silverado HD, it got more compliments than any other rig I’ve tested. And that’s before anyone saw the drastically improved interior that mirrors the half-ton to arguably become best-in-class. Flipping the narrative like that is an impressive feat for a mid-cycle refresh, and with Ford rolling out the new Super Duty right alongside it, the timing is crucial.

This Silverado HD does everything so well you (probably) won’t be worried about the power deficit to your neighbor’s Power Stroke or Cummins. The ride is genuinely good because of Chevy’s unwavering allegiance to independent front suspension, and so long as you buy an LT trim or above, the cab finally feels modern. It ultimately boils down to personal taste—Detroit’s Big Three cranks out fantastic trucks—but the Bowtie brand’s entry is more compelling than it has been in years.

The Basics

You don’t need me to tell you how important the heavy-duty pickup segment is for General Motors. The manufacturing giant persistently battles Ford to sell the most full-size trucks across its Chevy and GMC brands. The Silverado HD is refreshed for 2024 to capitalize on America’s seemingly insatiable demand for hard-working machinery. Nowadays, it caters to the crowd that cares just as much about comfort as anything else.

It’s clear that the new Silverado HD is related to the one it replaces; the execution is just a lot better. Whereas the old truck’s headlights were bisected by the grille, the 2024’s are continuous and form a shape that seems to be inspired by a C-clamp. The Chevy emblem up front is also standard, whereas “CHEVROLET” used to be spelled out across the fascia.

My tester was a Silverado 2500 LTZ with the Duramax, so a pretty desirable spec. The red paint glimmered in the sun, much like the chrome accents that are borderline blinding depending on the light. It’s far from subtle, but it doesn’t scream “American Fighter T-shirts and empty cans of Monster” like some other pickups.

The biggest upgrade is the interior, without a doubt. Rather than the small, OK-quality screen that used to occupy the center stack, there’s a crispy 13.4-inch display that’s easy to see. It serves as the truck’s command center, showing vitals like trailer information and 360-degree camera angles when equipped. Most trims also get a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster that’s equally sharp.

A 6.6-liter gas V8 making 401 horsepower and 464 lb-ft of torque is standard on Silverado 2500 and 3500 models. That said, Chevy builds most of them with the 6.6-liter Duramax diesel, a real brute that makes 470 hp and 975 lb-ft of torque—up from 910 lb-ft before. Both engine options are now paired to a 10-speed Allison automatic.

Driving the Chevy Silverado HD

The truck actually spent the majority of its time working around our family’s campground, carrying picnic tables, firewood, and yeah, a bunch of nasty trash. I didn’t tow any monster loads with it—nowhere near the ¾-ton’s 21,600-pound max—but I used it in much the same way a regular person would. When you have a big truck like this at your disposal, you find reasons to work it.