Half-ton or a heavy-duty truck? Chevrolet is one of leaders in both segments and the GM will offer models for your taste. In this case, you can choose either a smaller Silverado 1500 or the Silverado 2500 HD truck. We will try to show some differences and advantages of each version. Check out the comparison Silverado 1500 vs 2500.
We will compare dimensions, specs, towing capacity, and trim levels. Both segments have their advantages and downsides, of course, which make Silverado 1500 vs 2500 choice very important for your job.
Chevy Silverado 1500 vs 2500 – Heavy-Duty or the Full-Size Truck
Heavy-duty Silverado 2500 truck is there to haul heavier loads. General Motors improved the towing capacity of the half-ton by adding the Duramax diesel engine to the lineup. Still, that is not enough to match high outputs of the 6.6 turbodiesel V8 unit. With it, the HD truck brings over 900 lb-ft of torque. So, the power and torque in Silverado 1500 vs 2500 battle are on the side of a larger truck. On the other hand, the full-size pickup is more efficient and fuel-friendlier.
Size
The more power means the higher towing capacity. To load all the cargo, the Chevrolet Silverado 2500 must bring larger body, wheelbase, and the bed. Overall length of the truck is 250 or 265 inches (Crew Cab). Standard box is 79 inches, while the short bed is 51 inches long. On the other hand, the Silverado 1500 is smaller with 68 inch bed. Standard box is only a couple of inches shorter.
Trim Levels
There are no too many differences in trim levels. The Silverado 1500 vs 2500 battle is even here. Four standard models are WT as the entry-level trucks, LT, LTZ and High Country. The smaller pickup also got the new trim for this generation – Trail Boss. Furthermore, we could hear that the company is developing the ZR2 off-road model for both tiers. This is going to be the huge boost and the package will boost the half-ton truck’s chances against Ford F-150 Raptor and Toyota Tundra TRD Pro.
Changes for 2020
While the half-ton segment was recently updated and the new generation is on roads, the HD trucks are waiting for the redesign. Still, there is some news about both segments. First, Silverado 1500 will update the lineup and refresh the interior. The ZR2 package should be the major change. On the other hand, everything is new on the Silverado 2500. The heavy-duty pickup will get the Chevrolet badge instead of the bow-tie logo up front. The size remains the same, and the shape will suffer some modifications.
Silverado 1500 vs 2500 Prices
As a smaller model, Silverado 1500 is cheaper. The base truck costs $30,000, which is $10k less than the base price for the Silverado 2500. Then, we have the Silverado 1500 vs 2500 diesel comparison. A 3.0 Duramax is available for Double Cab LTZ and High Country trims for the full-size model and costs slightly less than $50,000. On the other hand, Crew Cab, Long Box, and the WT package are the most affordable combination where you can find a 6.6 Duramax unit for the Silverado 2500, and this one will cost $55,000. LTZ package adds $10k.