Even in an era dominated by discussions about EVs, internal combustion pickup trucks still reign supreme in the United States. General Motors has revised its Silverado 2500 and 3500 HD offerings for the 2024 model year, bringing some of the comfort, tech and design elements from the Silverado 1500 to its bigger brothers. The styling refresh also comes backed by updated powertrains, bringing more capability along with the added comfort from behind the wheel.
Chevrolet offers the 2024 Silverado 2500 HD with a choice of two 6.6-liter V-8 engines, one gasoline and one turbo-diesel. My tester was equipped with the gasoline motor, which features variable valve timing and direct fuel injection to help increase performance and efficiency. The engine provides 401 hp and 464 lb-ft of torque, whereas the Duramax makes 470 hp and 975 lb-ft of torque. The diesel comes with a higher payload limit in the 2500 HD, maxing out at 3850 pounds in a regular cab, 4WD configuration. The gasser is good for a max of 3759 pounds with the rear-drive and regular cab setup. Towing package-equipped diesels can pull 20,000 pounds, whereas the gas trucks are only rated for 16,000-pound loads. You can step up to the 3500 HD for higher payload and towing capacity.
Regardless of your powertrain or drive-wheel selection, an Allison 10-speed automatic is the sole gearbox option. This year marks the first time the Allison unit is mated to the gas engine, and it's a significant step up from its six-speed predecessor. The sheer number of ratios helps the truck feel quick on its feet, as you never really have to drop out of the power curve. It surely helps with efficiency too, not that HD buyers are all that concerned with economy. For what it’s worth, I averaged just over 10 MPG during two weeks of mixed use. GM put a lot of effort into isolating the cabin from powertrain noises, with that big V-8 difficult to pick up on in most driving situations.
There’s simply no getting around the fact that the Silverado HD has a curb weight of over 7000 pounds, however. That mass is felt in the controls, regardless of the modern engineering trickery at play. The brakes in particular never let you forget about the amount of truck surrounding you, requiring a lot of pressure to bring the truck to dead rest. This LTZ-spec model came equipped with the brand’s Digital Steering Assist, which is a computer-controlled hydraulic steering system with variable weighting. The system is designed to mirror the feedback and lighter effort provided by the brand’s electronic power steering system in the half-ton offerings. While it feels disconnected from the heft you know is beneath you at lower speeds, the light effort makes navigating lots or side streets less of a chore. The system also helps alleviate some of the busier road behavior older HD trucks could experience on the highway, with a significant ramp up in steering effort at those speeds. This is a welcomed livability improvement, and was particularly noticeable during longer highway journeys.
While GM has done a great job emulating the experience of its smaller trucks with this latest batch of HD offerings, there are some unavoidable compromises. Those impressive tow and payload ratings require dedicated engineering solutions, with a chassis and suspension setup designed to cope with those weights. With no real weight over the rear axle when unloaded, the truck's ride is rough. Even small road imperfections are channeled through the seat and wheel, often looping into an uncomfortable resonance on Southeast Michigan’s decrepit roadways. Tuning is no better over larger impacts, but I never experienced any lack of control or confidence in the truck’s footing as a result. It is of course worth noting that this particular truck was outfitted with the Z71 Off-Road and Protection Package, which includes Rancho twin-tube off-road shocks. The truck also rode on upsized 20-inch chrome wheels, whereas standard Z71 models wear 17-inch rims. Ride quality isn’t a reason you shop for HD trucks, but the comfort level isn’t quite on par with competitors like the Ford F-250.
That’s not to say the Silverado 2500 HD is a wholly uncomfortable place to spend time. The updated cabin is inspired by GM’s T1 SUV lineup, bringing a horizontal motif to the control layouts. The LTZ comes equipped with a large 13.4-inch central infotainment screen, which supports wireless Android Auto and Apple Carplay functionality. My Android phone experienced a few connection issues, but the infotainment itself is relatively straightforward fare. In front of the driver also sits a 12.3-inch digital cluster, which you can reconfigure with a variety of vehicle information screens. As nice as the cluster is, I found myself using the truck’s configurable Heads-Up Display almost exclusively. The LTZ trim level brings niceties like heated and cooled front seats, as well as dedicated rear climate controls and heated rear seats. While I didn’t have a chance to stick a trailer on the back of this particular truck, GM offers a suite of trailer assistance software. This includes items like Adaptive Cruise with trailer functionality, trailer blind spot monitoring, and the unique Transparent Trailer camera setup. The HD Surround Vision camera system made parking this beast an approachable task, even if two spaces were required.
The 2024 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD lineup starts at $45,295. That gets you WT-trimmed truck in a single cab, regular bed body style with the gasoline engine and rear-wheel drive. The diesel powertrain is a $10,615 option across the lineup, and 4WD adds another $2500. A well-optioned LTZ, like this particular truck, stickers for $74,655. Like every HD truck on the market today, the latest Silverado HD is more comfortable and capable than ever before. That said, the segment is as contested as ever, with stout offerings from both Ford and Ram. While this is the best the Silverado HD has been, no single area solidifies it as a must-buy alternative.
Born and raised in Metro Detroit, associate editor Lucas Bell has spent his entire life surrounded by the automotive industry. He may daily drive an aging Mustang, but his Porsche 944 and NB Miata both take up most of his free time.
