Pickup trucks and V8 engines go together like peanut butter and jelly. For as long as the automobile market has existed, trucks have been built with big, powerful V8 engines to handle the tasks involved. These tasks generally include pulling a trailer full of materials or equipment, hauling stuff in the bed, and taking a work crew to the job site. For the most part, trucks aren’t built for efficiency, but they can get things done.

In the more than 100 years that pickup trucks have been part of the automotive market, they have become more efficient and have been offered in a variety of sizes. There are fewer V8 trucks available on today’s market than ever before, but some still exist. The most fuel-efficient gasoline-powered V8 pickup truck currently is the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado, which has a 5.3-liter V8 engine. The Chevy Silverado is one of the most popular pickup trucks on the entire market. It was once called the “Heartbeat of America” ​​due to its popularity among Midwest farmers. Today, the half-ton Chevy truck has more power and efficiency than was offered in previous generations.

2024 Chevrolet Silverado 5.3L V8 engine

Fuel efficiency: 16 MPG city/22 MPG highway

Gas mileage of 16/22 MPG doesn’t sound particularly efficient, but in 2024, there aren’t very many V8-powered pickup trucks left. Most of them belong to the Detroit Big Three, with the Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, GMC Sierra 1500, and Ram 1500. The Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 are equally efficient, but the GMC costs more with additional features in each trim level.

Several equipment uses this engine

The 5.3-liter V8 engine is one of the most useful powerplants for the Silverado. This engine is available in many trim levels, making this engine an option for most drivers. With the 5.3-liter V8 engine, the Silverado 1500 can be equipped with either RWD or 4WD, with power sent to either the rear wheels or all four wheels at once.

Per

• Strong towing capability
• Numerous equipment options
• Useful trailer technology

Disadvantages

• Plays second fiddle to the F-150
• Most models are a bit bumpier to drive than Ford and Ram models
• The ZR2’s off-road equipment does not match that of the F-150 Raptor and Ram TRX

Half-ton Chevy powertrain deals

Four great powertrains for Chevy owners

The Chevrolet Silverado 1500 is an extremely popular and versatile pickup truck. It is offered in several trim levels and has a wide range of excellent features. Regardless of the features, this truck has a reputation to uphold, which is being strong, reliable and capable. This means that the 500 ton Chevy truck must have excellent power and performance characteristics to make it useful and the choice of many drivers.

Powertrain specifications

Diesel is still the most efficient

The 3.0-liter Duramax diesel engine is still the most fuel-efficient version of the Chevy Silverado 1500. This engine offers ample power, the most torque, and the best fuel economy while still offering good towing and payload capacity. For owners who need the best combination of power and efficiency, this is the most desirable configuration.

2024 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Size and Configurations

Three body variants

The Chevy Silverado 1500 continues to be available in three body styles that make it one of the most versatile trucks on the market. These body styles offer drivers a regular bed with a bench seat, a crew cab with a small rear seating area, and a double cab with seating for up to six people. The crew cab model allows work crews to ride together, and it is the only body style offered in some of the highest trim levels of this truck. The crew cab is not available with the longest bed.

Three loading area configurations

Like the cab configurations, the Chevy Silverado bed is available in three different bed lengths. Two short bed lengths are offered for all versions of this truck and one long bed that is only available in the base Work Truck trim with the regular cab configuration. The bed lengths available for the Chevy Silverado 1500 are:

• Standard short bed – 6.5 feet long
• Short bed – 5.6 feet long
• Long Bed – 8 feet long

These three bed options give the Silverado the build quality desired in many trim levels and provide excellent space for hauling materials and equipment wherever you need to go.

Equipment variants and functions of the Silverado 1500

The Custom trim is available with the Trail Boss package and the Z71 off-road package to make this truck a 4WD off-road model with a 2″ lift. The LT trim and above bring several options and packages into the mix. The High Country is the only Chevy Silverado trim available with GM’s Super Cruise a semi-autonomous driving system on mapped highways that requires minimal driver interaction.

Chevy Silverado Body Kits

• Work truck
• Custom
• LT
• RST
• LTZ
• Highland
• ZR2

Most popular features of this Chevy truck

Multi-Flex tailgate

The Chevrolet Silverado 1500 is available with a Multi-Flex tailgate with six loading/access positions for ease of use. This tailgate can be used as a step or work surface, providing additional hauling flexibility. The Multi-Flex tailgate is available on every trim level of this Chevy pickup.

Super Cruise

At the highest trim level, GM’s Super Cruise gives you the benefits of hands-free and feet-free driving with this self-driving system that works on specially designated roads. These roads are more than 400,000 miles of highways mapped out in North America. This system also works when a trailer is attached, making it slightly better than Ford’s BlueCruise.

Trailer Camera and Max Trailer Package

If you want to get the most out of the Silverado, the Trailering Camera System offers 14 views of the truck and trailer, including one that hides the trailer from view and provides a clear view of traffic behind the trailer. The Max Trailering Package includes additional cooling, stronger rear springs, revised shock tuning and a more robust rear axle to make pulling heavy loads easier.