The Ever-Evolving Chevy Silverado 1500: Reviewing America’s Favorite Workhorse From 2017 to 2023

Are you in the market for a trusted workhorse? You’re in luck at Ryan Chevrolet, where you’re sure to find a used Chevy Silverado for sale near Swartz. The Silverado 1500 is an American favorite and a top seller in the area, where drivers appreciate this truck’s incredible work ethic, longevity, and versatility to handle life on and off the pavement. It’s the most well-rounded truck on the market, and it’s even more appealing on our used lot where you can put your hard-earned money to work.

The Silverado 1500 debuted in the late 1990s, showcasing Chevrolet’s efforts to build a highly capable truck with more comfort, convenience, and tech. As it redefined the full-size truck segment, the Silverado 1500 continued to evolve to incorporate modern design cues, more potent engines, and a long list of innovative technologies that heighten your experience in the driver’s seat. This evolution makes models built between 2017 and 2023 attractive to our customers looking to get more for their money in America’s favorite truck.

To help you find the best used Chevy Silverado 1500 possible, we’ve done some of the most challenging work for you: the reviewing of your options. We’re here to highlight the major updates in every Silverado 1500 built since 2017—so are you ready to kickstart your search? Let’s get going…

2017 Silverado 1500: More Capability, More Features

Following a mid-cycle refresh in 2016, the 2017 Silverado 1500 saw only a few updates for the year. However, those updates were significant enough to make the 2017 Silverado 1500 appealing to drivers looking for a budget-friendly road warrior with plenty of features and an impressive towing capacity. How so?

The 2017 Silverado 1500 led the segment with a class-leading trailering capacity of 12,500 lbs on crew cab models. Additionally, Chevrolet added Graphite Metallic and Pepperdust Metallic to the Silverado 1500’s exterior color palette. Beyond this, the 2017 Silverado 1500 was the first to make Teen Driver mode standard and, depending on the trim and package, boasts driver-oriented tools like Low-Speed Forward Automatic Braking.

2018 Silverado 1500: Centennial Edition and New Tech

The 2018 Silverado 1500 is perfect for Swartz drivers looking for more standard features and a truck with head-turning aesthetics. Chevrolet introduced its first truck in 1918 and celebrated that incredible feat with the 2018 Silverado 1500 Centennial Edition. This celebratory model was only produced in 2018, featuring an exclusive appearance package that outfits the Silverado 1500 in Centennial Blue paint and Chevrolet heritage badging. It’s the perfect commemorative model that joins a long list of other special editions, like the Black Out, Special Ops, Rally 1, Rally 2, Redline, Midnight, and Realtree.

Beyond the Centennial Edition, the 2018 Silverado 1500 introduces Cajun Red Metallic and Havana Metallic to its color palette and is the first Silverado 1500 to come standard with a rear-vision camera. Chevrolet adds a few more features, updating the tire pressure monitoring system to provide an audible tire fill alert. The 2018 Silverado 1500 also has the MyLink 7.0- or 8.0-inch radio system that, depending on the trim, features navigation and a Wi-Fi hotspot.

2019 Silverado 1500: Redesigned, Eight Trims, and Six Powertrains

Swartz truck fans will fall in love with the 2019 Silverado 1500, which Chevrolet redesigned from the ground up to make it lighter, more capable, and innovative. The 2019 Silverado 1500 has an eight-trim lineup with six powertrains, including additions like a 5.3L V6 and 6.2L V8. Dynamic Fuel Management improves this Silverado 1500’s efficiency and performance, and Chevrolet gives you more control over the truck’s performance via the Drive Mode Selector.

Larger in nearly every dimension, the 2019 Silverado 1500 is also more functional, capable, and innovative. Chevy adds the class-leading Durabed, offering best-in-class cargo volume, a segment-exclusive power tailgate, and an integrated power outlet. Inside, the Silverado 1500 is just as impressive and introduces the Chevy Infotainment 3 system on a 7.0- or 8.0-inch display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, navigation, in-vehicle apps, advanced voice recognition, personalized profiles, and more.

2020 Silverado 1500: New Trailering and Driver Assistance Tools

Despite its all-new redesign for 2019, the 2020 Silverado 1500 sees a few significant improvements to its powertrain and technology lineups. Chevrolet fine-tunes the Silverado 1500’s multi-engine lineup by extending the availability of the engines, like offering the 6.2L V8 and ten-speed automatic transmission on the Custom Trail Boss and mid-tier trims.

Likewise, the 5.3L V8 with Dynamic Fuel Management is under the hood of the High Country 4WD and LT Trail Boss trims, while the 3.0L Turbo-Diesel is available on the LT or higher trims. By making these engines available in more trims, you can more easily find a 2020 Silverado 1500 with the perfect powertrain for your needs.

Swartz drivers will also appreciate the 2020 Silverado 1500’s tech-savvy features. The Silverado 1500’s Bed View Camera complements this truck’s eight-camera system that offers fifteen views. New tools like Adaptive Cruise Control also promise a more enjoyable experience on highways, mitigating the stress of constantly setting and resetting the Silverado 1500’s cruising speed by monitoring traffic and making the necessary adjustments for you.

2021 Silverado 1500: Introducing the Glorious Multi-Flex Tailgate

How do you plan to use the Silverado 1500 as you navigate your life? If you rely on your truck to haul cargo and tow heavy loads, look no further than the 2021 Silverado 1500. Chevrolet made headlines when it debuted the industry’s first multifunctional tailgate, the Multi-Flex, which has six functions, including load stops, an inner gate, a flat work surface, and a full-width step. This tailgate adds to the 2020 Silverado 1500’s functionality and complements its higher towing capacity of 11,500 lbs with the V8 under its hood.

The 2021 Silverado 1500 is also more innovative than ever, adding more trailering tech to instill confidence and lessen the learning curve of pulling a trailer. These technologies include a Trailer Length Indicator, Rear Trailer View, and Rear Side View Enhancement. You’ll also enjoy more connectivity features, like wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

2022 Silverado 1500: Design Updates, Super Cruise, and the ZR2

Are you looking for a truck to do double duty as a weekday road warrior and weekend adventurer? The 2022 Silverado 1500 is the perfect option, with Chevrolet introducing the all-new ZR2 trim.

The ZR2 takes everything you love about the Silverado 1500 and readies it for the backcountry, adding uniquely tuned springs, Multimatic DSSV spool-valve dampers, front and rear e-lockers, an off-road chassis, a uniquely tuned suspension, skid plates, and a high-approach steel front bumper. With the ZR2 rolling off the factory floor ready for the trail, you can expect a used 2022 Silverado 1500 ZR2 to offer the same competency on and off the pavement at a fraction of the price.

For our Swartz customers who aren’t looking for an off-road warrior, the 2022 Silverado 1500 is still an excellent option. Chevy gives this truck a more modern front end that complements its updated cabin with high-quality materials. The 2022 Silverado 1500 is also rich in technology, with more active safety features, a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, and a 13.4-inch center touchscreen. If you can find a High Country trim, you’ll also enjoy the industry’s first hands-free driver assistance tool: Super Cruise.

2023 Silverado 1500: A Re-Tuned Duramax Turbo-Diesel Engine

Following several major design updates in 2022, the 2023 Silverado 1500 sees only one major update that will have the attention of our Swartz drivers: Chevrolet refines the Silverado 1500’s proven 3.0L Duramax Turbo-Diesel to deliver more power by redesigning the steel pistons, updating the turbo compressor, adding new fuel injectors, and fine-tuning the temperature control system. The result is a 10% increase in horsepower and a 7.6% increase in torque for a new output of 305 hp and 495 lb-ft of torque, yielding a maximum trailering capacity of 13,300 lbs.

Finding the Best Pre-Owned Silverado 1500

The Silverado 1500 has a remarkable history, with Chevrolet constantly updating and enhancing this truck to answer drivers’ needs and exceed expectations. So, how do you decide which Silverado 1500 is the best for you? First, consider your life in Swartz and how you plan to use your truck…

If you’re looking for a work partner with more conveniences, models with the Multi-Flex tailgate and Durabed are excellent options. If you’re looking for a budget-savvy workhorse, you know that shopping for an older model will offer the reliability and capability you expect from America’s favorite workhorse. Regardless, you can’t go wrong with Chevrolet and the beloved Silverado 1500.