Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD

When you need more capability than a Silverado 1500 can provide but you're resisting the temptation to buy more truck than you need in a Silverado 3500HD, the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD stands ready to serve. With its bold and purposeful design, stout gasoline and turbodiesel V8 engines, and practical and useful cargo box, the Silverado 2500HD can handle up to 18,500 pounds of conventional or gooseneck trailer and haul as much as 3,979 pounds of cargo in its deep cargo bed.

Chevy redesigned the Silverado 2500HD last year, giving it a more distinctive look on the outside in comparison to the Silverado 1500 but using the same interior design and materials. The truck's cab is roomy and comfortable, but in terms of design, materials and technology, it isn't a high point when matched against what the Ford F-250 Super Duty and Ram 2500 have to offer.

For 2021, the Silverado 2500HD comes with several new special-edition packages, and Chevrolet expands the availability of safety and bed-view camera technology to lower trims. The 6.6-liter gas V8 offers flex-fuel capability for the new year, and available wireless connection capability for the Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration systems help to eliminate what otherwise might be a messy tangle of USB cords.

Overall, we like the Silverado 2500HD and find it to be a decent pick for a heavy-duty truck. But it'll also be worth your time to also check out the Ford F-250 Super Duty and Ram 2500HD since each truck has a few advantages over the Silverado.

Which Silverado 2500HD does MatoCar recommend?

Of the Silverado 2500HD's five trim levels, we recommend the LT trim level. It's available with every configuration and powertrain combination, giving buyers maximum flexibility with regard to equipment and options. Whether you want cloth or leather seats, a light or heavy technology load, or any of the numerous special-edition packages, the LT trim provides a path to tailoring the truck just the way you want it.

Chevrolet offers the 2021 Silverado 2500HD in three cab configurations: regular cab, double cab (a four-door crew cab but with a smaller rear seating area) and full crew cab. Depending on the configuration, you can choose between WT (Work Truck), Custom, LT, LTZ and High Country trim levels.

Each one has a standard 6.6-liter V8 (401 horsepower, 464 lb-ft of torque) paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. A turbocharged 6.6-liter V8 (445 hp, 910 lb-ft) is optional, working with an Allison 10-speed automatic transmission. Rear-wheel drive is standard, and four-wheel drive is optional.

WT Standard equipment for this base trim include:

Black bumpers and exterior trim
Locking tailgate
Trailering mirrors
Trailering equipment
Vinyl upholstery
Manual door locks and windows
Single-zone automatic climate control
7-inch touchscreen infotainment system
Bluetooth for two devices simultaneously
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration

Custom Has the WT's equipment plus:

Power-adjustable trailering mirrors
Cloth upholstery
Cruise control
Power windows and locks
Remote keyless entry

LT Equips the Silverado 2500HD with:

Trailer brake controller (allows adjustment of a trailer's brakes from the cab)
Chrome bumpers
Low-effort tailgate (Chevy's EZ Lift)
8-inch touchscreen
Chevrolet Connected Services with onboard Wi-Fi
Satellite radio

LTZ Gains many appearance, convenience and luxury-oriented features, such as:

Enhanced trailering technology
Electronic variable steering assist
Chrome exterior trim
LED headlights
Power-folding and auto-dimming trailering mirrors
Keyless entry and engine start
Remote engine start
Dual-zone automatic climate control
Leather upholstery
Power-adjustable, heated front seats
Heated steering wheel
8-inch high-definition touchscreen infotainment system
Wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto

High Country This loaded-up Silverado 2500HD has:

Standard 4WD
Body-colored bumpers
Chrome side assist steps
Power-sliding rear window
LED cargo bed lighting
Spray-in bedliner
Power tailgate
Upgraded driver information display
Ventilated front seats
Heated rear outboard seats
Integrated navigation system
Enhanced voice recognition system
Bose premium sound system
Wireless smartphone charger
Bed-view camera
Surround-view camera system (gives you a top-down view of the Silverado 2500HD and its surroundings for tight parking situations)
Parking sensors (alert you to obstacles that may not be visible or in front of or behind the vehicle when parking)
Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert (warns you if a vehicle is in your blind spot during a lane change or while reversing)

Many standard features on the upper trim levels are available on the lower trims as options. Other major options, depending on the trim level, include:

Head-up display (displays important information in your sight line onto the windshield)
Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios)
Lane departure warning (alerts you if the vehicle begins to drift out of its lane)
Trailering camera system (can display multiple trailer-based camera views on the touchscreen to aid with towing)
Digital rearview mirror (allows you to see out the back even with a fully loaded cargo area)
Z71 off-road package (upgraded suspension, skid plates, hill descent control)