As the classic movies such as “National Lampoon's
Christmas Vacation” and “White Christmas” are fired up on DVD players
throughout Knoxville this December, visions of trucks (and sugarplums) are
dancing in many heads. Since the holiday season is upon us, we realize that
Santa himself would probably prefer a V-8 with enough horsepower to tug along
the entire North Pole as a power source for his cheer-bringing sleigh. But as
the tides shift greatly as they have many times before, many different variants
of engines have been gaining popularity as of late, and before now, buyers who
wanted a truck with better fuel efficiency simply had to purchase a truck that
didn't sport size.
The last generation Ford Ranger consequently bit
the dust, and then the midsize Toyota Tacoma and Nissan Frontier admittedly
paved the way for the smaller truck to thrive, while becoming a desirable
option to many. As the allure of smaller engines becomes more and more
commonplace, we have been pleased to note that GM has decided to produce the
2.7-liter, turbocharged 4-cylinder as the standard engine in the volume trim
for the half-ton Chevy
Silverado. We know that a 4-cylinder engine in a half-ton pickup is not
exactly what some people picture when they think of brute force, but times are
changing.
The new 4-cylinder produces 310 horsepower and 348
lb-ft of torque and is paired with GM's
8-speed transmission while sporting an EPA certification of 20 mpg city,
and 23 highway. Chevy invited the well-seasoned testing staff at the Leftlane blog to Arizona to
test the mid-trim pickup in the mountains, on route AZ-87 into the Tonto
National Forest. Once the testing crew turned south on AZ-188 toward Tonto
Basin, the narrow road gave them a chance to push the Silverado
a bit in the turns, which it handled like a seasoned champ. The tire and
suspension tuning gained props during the flat highway sections of the trip,
and this was also when the comfort level and soundproofing elements were
admired for their high quality.
Just to make sure that this red-rock laden drive
in Arizona was tested with all of the proper options, Chevy provided a Ford
F-150 to check out for ample comparison. One characteristic that was really
noticed was the brakes: The F-150's right pedal was quite a bit softer and
required more travel overall than the Silverado
to complete the same amount of stoppage. The tiny screen and high level of
switches and buttons aren't very easy on the eyes when you are situated in the
F-150's interior, and the truck gurus at Leftlane claimed heartily that
“if this is the future of half-ton powertrains, we're on board.” We heartily
invite you down to West Chevy this
holiday season to check out the entire lineup of trucks we have in stock, and
make some holiday plans for your New Year's most exciting new purchase!
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