DRIVELIFE
2022 GMSV CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 LTZ PREMIUM Written by DriveLife
The ute market in New Zealand is huge, so much money is spent on all sorts of trucks and then a lot spent after on a mind-boggling range of accessories. As far as general utes go, there is a line in the sand around capabilities; the utes that can tow up to 3.5 tons , and the utes can tow more than 3.5 tons. Why does anyone need to tow more than 3.5 tons, I hear you ask? Well, much like the RV has evolved so have caravans and horse floats, they are a lot bigger these days with some already over 2 tons. Most fifth-wheel trailers generally push over the limit too, leaving you few options. Fred from DriveLife owned a 34-foot fifth wheel RV he bought new in the USA, and loaded it weighed in at 6 tons. There are a lot of options if you only need to tow up to 3.5 tons, but once you go over that, the market options shrink a lot leaving you with only two real options, both American brands: Ram and Chevrolet. After the launch of the new range of Chevrolet Silverado in New Zealand, we got a chance to spend a few weeks in the 2022 GMSV Chevrolet Silverado LTZ Premium, where we plan to put it through its paces of everyday life - and some towing, too. 1 6 CAPRICORN IGNITION JUNE 2022
WHAT’S IN THE 2022 GMSV CHEVROLET SILVERADO RANGE? There are three variants available for the New Zealand market: • Chevrolet ● Silverado 1500 Trail Boss – $119,990 • Chevrolet ● Silverado 1500 LTZ Premium – $130,990 • Chevrolet ● Silverado HD LTZ Premium – $159,990 Across the range there are two main differences; the Trail Boss and LTZ Premium both have the 6.2-litre Ecotech V8 petrol engine and the HD has a 6.6-litre Duramax V8 diesel engine. Both engines are paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission, which should greatly help to improve fuel economy. The Trail Boss and LTZ Premium are very similar vehicles, with the Trail Boss having
a slight height advantage with a 2-inch lift kit. Both vehicles produce 313kW and an impressive 624Nm of torque from the 6.2-litre Ecotech V8. Both have a 91-litre fuel tank and have the same overall dimensions and weight. (Length – 5931mm, Width – 2063mm, Weight – 2481kg – Height – 1963mm, LTZ Premium is 1933mm). The maximum payload rating for each variant is a little different; the Trail Boss is 752kg, the LTZ Premium is 760kg and the HD is 743kg. Tow ratings are the same up to 3,500kg, but the top-end tow limits for each vehicle are different. All three models are rated up to 3,500kg on a 50mm tow ball. However, above that, there are variations. The Trail Boss can tow 4,260kg, and the LTZ Premium and HD can tow 4,500kg on a 70mm or equivalent rated hitch. GMSV indicates that a weight-distribution hitch
