by Michael Satterfield - 08/02/2022
Despite the price of gas the full-size truck market is still thriving, while Ford and Ram have decided to offer more sporty variants of their trucks like the Raptor and TRX, Chevrolet seems to have gone a different route, offering a range of more sophisticated packages, like the High Country, which is the top trim level for the Silverado.
Unlike the TRX, Raptor, and the new hybrid TRD Pro, which does tickle that part of my brain that loves muscle cars and trophy trucks, the High Country feels like a grownup's truck. It's a vehicle I could tow my race car with, go to the local garden center for yard work, and still feel comfortable driving up to the valet stand at a black tie gala. As someone who grew up on a ranch, the idea of a luxury pickup truck takes some getting used to, the last Chevrolet Silverado we owned had a manual transmission, crank windows, and a rubber floor mat.
The new Silverado is a very different beast, packed full of techs like automated emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and automatic headlights standard. Adding the Technology Package gets a very easy-to-read full-color head-up display and a rearview camera mirror that offers transparent trail view. I towed our Jeep Grand Wagoneer project down to the paint shop and all of the added tech made driving through Houston traffic a lot less stressful.
The interior is the High Country is an elegant blend of leather, wood, and stunning technology, including a fully digital gauge cluster and a 13.4-inch infotainment screen that welcomes you with alpine mountain-themed start screens upon entering. What really stands out is the GM hand-free Super Cruise that is only offered with the top trim level. This new version of Super Cruise even supports hands-free driving while towing and includes a few features called automatic lane change that can overtake slower vehicles automatically.
The blue leather interior was a surprise, luxury trucks have tended to be very conservative so seeing something other than black, brown, and tan leather was exciting. The open-pore wood inserts elevate the entire interior and I would say that the High Country edges out the F-150 Platinum and Ram 1500 Limited in terms of interior quality. The infotainment includes everything buyers at this price point come to expect, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, Google voice assistance, wireless charging, and a premium sound system.
Under the hood, the High Country comes with a 5.3-liter or 6.2-liter V8 or a 3.0-liter Duramax Turbo Diesel. Our test truck had the 6.2-liter V8 which makes 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque, this gives the Silverado a towing capacity of 13,300 lbs with the Max Trailering Package. But even the 5.3-liter V8 can handle over 11,000 lbs so look at what you will be towing as the 6.2-liter is a $2,495 option you might not need.
Price as tested:
- Base Price: $60,300
- 6.2L V8: $2,495
- Technology Package: $1,870
- Power Runningboards: $1,195
- Max Trailering Package: $850
- Destination: $1,695
- Total MSRP: $68,850
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