2016 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD Reviews, Pricing & Specs

For the folks who want to tow and haul oversize loads and look good doing it, Chevrolet offers its 2016 Silverado 3500HD. This full-size (1...

For the folks who want to tow and haul oversize loads and look good doing it, Chevrolet offers its 2016 Silverado 3500HD. This full-size (1 ton) heavy-duty pickup received a significant redesign for the 2015 model year, but this year's model nevertheless offers a few added tweaks to its options packages, exterior color choices, and technology.

The Silverado 3500HD comes in 4 trim levels: the base Work Truck (WT), the LT, the LTZ, and the top-shelf High Country. The WT and LT are offered in all 3 cab configurations, including the 2-door, 3-passenger Regular Cab, the 4-door, 5- or 6-passenger Double Cab, and the spacious 5- or 6-passenger Crew Cab. The LTZ comes in Double Cab and Crew Cab configurations, and the High Country remains available only with the Crew Cab. Two bed lengths are also available on the 3500HD lineup, a 6.5-foot “standard” bed (Crew Cabs only) and a 8.2-foot long bed.

The 2016 Silverado 3500HD continues to offer either single rear wheels (SRW) or dual rear wheels (DRW), often referred to as “dualies”, and standard rear-wheel drive (RWD) can be augmented by an optional on-demand, part-time 4-wheel-drivetrain (4WD) that features a 2-speed transfer case and auto-locking hubs. All trim levels again tote a standard auto-locking rear differential and standard trailer sway control.

Upgrades for the 2016 Silverado 3500HD stable include 3 new colors: Siren Red Tintcoat (Double Cab only), Butte Red Metallic (Crew Cab only), and Red Hot. Higher trim levels get a new remote locking tailgate, a wireless charging system, a reworked power-steering rack, and some changes to the options packages. The MyLink touchscreen display, unfortunately, is now downsized from 8 inches to 7.

Standard power for the 2016 Silverado 3500HD comes from a 360-hp 6.0-liter Flex-Fuel V8 engine. Under the management of the standard 6-speed shiftable automatic transmission, the V8 puts out 380 lb-ft of torque, good enough to tow up to 14,600 pounds of trailer when properly equipped. A significant increase in power is available to all 3500HD trims with an optional 6.6-liter turbodiesel V8 powerplant. Look for 397 hp and a jaw-dropping 765 lb-ft of torque from this potent oil-burner when mated to a beefed-up version of the 6-speed shiftable automatic, along with an increased towing capacity of 23,200 pounds. As usual, no mileage figures are available for any 1-ton pickup on the market.

Depending on the selected trim level, Chevy’s 2016 Silverado 3500HD features 18-inch steel or alloy wheels, a heavy-duty towing rig, power-folding and power-adjustable mirrors, GM’s E-Z Lift tailgate (now with the standard power locking feature), remote engine start, a power-sliding rear window, and side-steps. Cabins feature cloth, vinyl, or leather upholstery, heated power-adjustable front seats, keyless entry, full power accessories, memory for driver settings, a rear-view camera, and front and rear parking sensors.

All 2016 Silverado 3500HD iterations once again come with standard cruise control, while lower trim levels offer a tilt-only steering wheel, and higher trim levels boast telescoping tilt-wheel steering. Lower trims carry manual air conditioning, higher trims dual-zone automatic climate control, ventilated front seats, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, and upgraded interior accent materials.

The 2016 Silverado 3500HD WT comes with a 4.2-inch driver information display and an AM/FM stereo complemented by either 4 speakers in the Regular Cab editions or 6 speakers in the Double Cabs and Crew Cabs, along with a memory card slot. Technology in the higher trim levels includes Bluetooth-interfaced OnStar and MyLink infotainment systems that include the downsized 7-inch touchscreen, integrated smartphone apps, and 4G LTE WiFi hotspot capability. Entertainment comes from a CD/MP3 player and satellite radio, with the High Country again toting a standard 7-speaker Bose premium audio system.

Optional equipment for the 2016 Silverado 3500HD lineup includes 2 rear axle ratios, towing mirrors, a power sunroof, GPS navigation, power-adjustable pedals, a heated steering wheel, and rear-seat DVD entertainment. The available Z71 Off-Road package also returns, with beefier shock absorbers, heavy-duty front stabilizer bars, descent control, and unique styling tweaks--but this package is now available only on trucks equipped with 4WD.

The 2016 Silverado 3500HD comes with such standard safety equipment as 4-wheel antilock braking (ABS), traction and stability control, front side-mounted airbags, and front and rear head-protection airbags. Look for all trims other than the WT to feature daytime running lights, OnStar emergency telematics, and a post-collision safety system. The LTZ and High Country trim levels also add front fog/driving lights, a remote antitheft alarm, and standard turn-signal-integrated mirrors. The Driver Alert package is optional for all trims, and includes lane-departure warnings, a forward collision alert, and a safety-alert driver’s seat.

Owners still find the current versions of this up-sized Chevy truck a hassle to park, not to mention to fit in the garage, and some issues with build quality persist, but virtually all owners agree that the Silverado 3500HD’s power and performance makes light of even the heaviest work. Expect the 2016 Silverado 3500HD to again rival Ford’s F-350 and Ram’s 3500 for dominance in the heavy-hauling market.