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Silverado caters to drivers' needs

Chevrolet has done its homework in a bid to expand its share of pickup sector

In pickup parlance, the chase isn't just on, it never really stops. With the arrival of the 2014 Chevrolet Silverado, the pace is definitely quickening. In 2012, 265,000 domestic-and foreign-based 1500-, 2500-and 3500- series pickups were sold in Canada and 40 per cent belonged to Ford. GM's Silverado/Sierra models finished solidly in second place, ahead of Chrysler's Ram and well ahead of the Toyota Tundra and Nissan Titan.

With the all-new Silverado 1500-series, Chevrolet appears to have done its homework and paid close attention to what buyers are looking for to haul and tow their stuff. There are more powerful engines as well as improvements and upgrades in nearly every other category you could imagine.

The one area that Chevy's truck designers appear to have tinkered with the least is the sheet metal. The new Silverado bears more than a passing resemblance to the outgoing model. In front, the twin stacked headlights remain, but the grille is now much more prominent and tougher looking. As well, the hood and fenders bulge out more aggressively than before.

Behind the tailgate, the handy "Corner Step" bumper has recessed footholds that, combined with built-in handholds inside the box, make accessing the bed much easier.

The dashboard and control panel that houses the optional eight-inch touch screen are positioned in a tidy pod for easy viewing and all the oversized knobs and switches are workglove-friendly and clearly marked.

All body styles - regular, extended Double Cab (now featuring front-hinged rear doors with outside handles) and four-door Crew Cab - are attached to a reworked frame with more high-strength steel, extra bracing for stiffness and improved body mounts that help isolate road noise and vibration.

The revised suspension places the wheels on each axle farther apart with a goal to improve overall ride and stability.

For 2014, Chevrolet has made a few changes to the Silverado's box size/cab combinations. Now you can order the Crew Cab with a

longer 80-inch (200-centimetre) bed as well as the standard 68-inch (175-centimetre) version.

Perched between the frame rails is a choice of three new all-aluminum cam-in-block engines. The entry point is a 4.3-litre V6 that features the same displacement as the previous V6, but the output has significantly increased to 285 horsepower and 305 pound-feet of torque from 195/260. Optional is a 5.3-litre V8 with 355 horses and 383 pound-feet on tap, up from 315/335.

Later in the model year they'll be joined by an available 6.2-litre V8 rated at 420 horsepower and 440 pound-feet of torque, which shares its parts with the new Corvette sports car V8.

All three power plants feature direct injection, which tailors the fuel load for the task at hand. They also have continuously variable valve timing (which allows in more fuel and air depending on the power needs) and cylinder deactivation that cuts off up to half the cylinders in light load and cruise situations.

The transmission for all is a six-speed automatic. The result, at least for the more muscular V6, is a significant fuel economy improvement.

You can order your 2014 Silverado as a strippeddown, rubber-matted V6 work rig with a $27,150 sticker price or head all the way up to the new and thoroughly tricked-out High Country 4x4 trim with a correspondingly high list price.

Whichever pickup matches your needs, know that Chevrolet has made the right changes for a more refined and fuel efficient Silverado to keep pace with Ford.