2011 Chevrolet Silverado 1500

The 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Regular Cab is available in just two trims- Work Truck and LT. However, the story does not end here. Both the trims have separate engines. Similarly, there are two drivetrains on offer and 2-different bed sizes come with them. It starts at a base price of $21,235. Talking about the features, it gets all the basics and nothing spectacular like the higher trim which not only do you get improved features, but also a more upmarket feel. 
 

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Though the LT is priced a bit higher than the base trim, we would recommend it because of its higher engine power, and a lot of added features like premium cloth and leather trims inside the cabin, etc. However, if you have budget constraints, the base variant will also satiate all your needs, adequately.

As standard, there are two engines on offer that power this beast of a truck. The base engine is a 4.3-liter naturally aspirated V6 which belts out quite low 195 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of maximum torque. It is mated to a 4-speed automatic transmission system with a rear-wheel-drive setup. The 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Regular Cab LT on the other hand possesses a much more powerful 4.8-liter naturally aspirated V8 engine under the hood. The engine is capable of producing up to 302 staggering horses and a maximum torque of 305 lb-ft kicking at 4600 revs. Similar transmission has been fitted to this engine like the base one. 

In real-world accelerations, the truck does perform the way it is meant to. Now, we can all agree that trucks are not about drag races and are praised for their torquey nature while carrying a lot of weight. The Silverado with the base engine takes its sweet time to accelerate from 0-60mph in 10.3 seconds and a quarter of a mile in just 17.4 seconds. The higher-powered V8 engine accelerates quite faster and is a second faster in the 60 miles an hour acceleration and about 2 seconds faster in covering a quarter-mile than the base engine.

The GM brothers have the same engine and both the Chevrolet and GMC have similar timings in each test. The Ford impresses the competition with its supreme engine power of 302hp and 278lb.-ft from its standard V6 engine, which also differentiates it from the rest of the trucks. It does accelerate quickly too, taking 7.9 seconds to the 60mph mark, and is closely followed by the Toyota truck that takes 8.6 seconds.

Not the best-in-class in terms of fuel economy, but the 2011 Silverado 1500 does deliver around 15 miles per gallon in the city, 20 miles per gallon on the highways, and a combined economy of 17 miles per gallon. With a decently large fuel tank capacity of 26.0-gallon, the combined range is as high as 442 miles. The figures are not good considering what the competition is capable of. The figures fall two more miles down with the V8 engine, while the tank size remains the same. 

Ford again impresses with its outstanding fuel economy for a truck, despite its brawnier engine, and is followed by the Toyota averaging 19 and 18 MPG, respectively. The similarities between the Chevrolet and GMC Sierra 1500 Regular Cab extend even to their fuel efficiency and the subsequent range that they cover. The 2011 F-150 also leads in terms of mileage covering a staggering 442 city miles and 598 highway miles. 

The interiors of the 2011 Silverado 1500 are well-built with a good fit and finish but the comments can be made only to the higher trim as the base trim packs huge blocks of cheap plastics all around the cabin which makes the overall experience bad. The blacked-out dashboard has a spacious glove box on the right, the infotainment system on the center, and a steering wheel that comes leather-wrapped on the higher trim. The instrument cluster offers enough information to the driver and is quite big. The seats are comfortable mostly but the vinyl seats are not the best for the base trim. The premium cloth ones offered on the LT are better. 

The cabin can fit up to 3 people and has a lot of head and legroom on offer, making it an apt fit for both taller drivers and passengers. However, the middle seat can be reclined if not in use and has three cup holders for added convenience. The bed behind the cabin is capable of holding up to 60.7 cubic feet of capacity which are impressive numbers and can tow up to a whopping 9,100 pounds.

All four trucks offer impressive spaciousness with the 2011 Toyota Tundra Regular Caboffering slightly better legroom. Both Ford and Toyota have a slightly better build quality than the Chevy and GMC. The 2011 Ford F-150 Regular Cab once again steals the show with a slightly bigger cargo capacity than the competition that can hold a total volume of 65.5 cubic feet. 

Standout interior features:

• Cruise control
• Leather steering wheel
• Simulated alloy on the dash and door panels
• Single-zone front air conditioning
• Premium cloth seats
• Front reading lights

How intuitive is the 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Regular Cab’s infotainment unit?

The OnStar 9.0 system has paved its way to the 2011 Silverado 1500 quite smoothly and makes the overall experience so much better. While the base Work Truck trim only has a few functionalities like a 4-speaker audio setup, AM/FM radio, etc. The LT gets a few additions to the list with the OnStar system for better connectivity and entertainment and that includes satellite radio, an optional navigation system, etc. 

Standout infotainment features:

• 4-speaker audio system
• Satellite radio
• Auxiliary audio input
• MP3 player
• Bluetooth connectivity

With a traditional pickup truck stance, the 2011 Silverado 1500 Regular Cab looks bulky and tough and looks similar to the other American trucks in the competition. The front has squared double halogens on both sides and a relatively huge intake grille divided horizontally. The rear is kept minimal with boxy taillights, a rear bumper, and an exhaust cutout. The truck’s overall design ensures its capability for high load tasks and is not bound to on-road limits. 

Talking about the dimensions, the 2011 Silverado is on par with the competition when it comes to length, width, and height. The curb weight is set at 4,463 pounds, while 7.7 inches of ground clearance is on offer. The wheelbase is quite long at 133.0 inches. 

Ford and Toyota weigh the same but the latter is considerably bigger than the competition and is 213.2 inches long. The Silverado and GMC share similar dimensions except for the fact that the latter is lighter weighing 4,463 lbs. The Toyota Tundra Regular Cab is most suitable for hardcore offroading because of its higher ground clearance of 10.8 inches and longer wheelbase of 126.8 inches than the competition. 

Standout exterior features:

• Chrome wheels. (Optional)
• Heated mirrors
• Keyless entry
• 17-inch wheels
• Rear-window electric defogger

While there are a lot of safety features on offer with the 2011 Silverado 1500, the safety ratings provided by the federal agencies do give mixed feelings about the truck. The NHTSA has rated the truck with a 4-star overall crash resistance rating which is decent but the IIHS has rated the same with average scores that include “Good” in the moderate overlap front category, “Adequate” in the side crashworthiness, and “Marginal” for the roof strength. 

Standout safety features:

• Emergency braking assist
• Tire pressure monitor
• Stability control
• Post-collision safety system
• Electronic brakeforce distribution

The 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Regular Cab is a good truck on a budget and offers decent value with a few features, adequate performance, optional specifications, etc. But, it is not the best in the market as it has its caveats. At a few hundred dollars more, the 2011 Ford F-150 offers everything you need from a truck and that starts with incredible engine power and refinement.