2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 vs 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD

The 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD had a polarizing exterior design, with a front end and grille that resembled a vintage furnace or a freight train. It was anything but a handsome new vehicle, yet it exuded a strong sense of machismo. Inside, the cabin was more conventional, prioritizing quantity over quality. Despite not having the best fit and finish, the spacious interior, comparable to a living room, made up for it. Trim levels ranged from the basic W/T to the luxurious High Country, each adding more features and comfort as you moved up the line.

In contrast, the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 was an attractive truck with a boxy, chiseled design, flared fenders, and a commanding presence. Our test truck, an LTZ trim with 4WD and a 3.0-liter Duramax turbodiesel engine, looked particularly striking in Northsky Blue paint with plenty of chrome trim and 20-inch polished aluminum wheels. However, the interior felt dated, with glossy plastic, large panel joints, and small infotainment screens that lacked finesse. Despite this, the Silverado 1500 offered a sense of quality and practicality, with wide, supportive seats and ample storage space.

The 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD offered two engine options. The standard 6.6-liter V8 gas engine produced 401 horsepower and 464 pound-feet of torque, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. The optional Duramax turbodiesel 6.6-liter V8 delivered 445 horsepower and an impressive 910 pound-feet of torque, mated to an Allison 10-speed automatic transmission. Both engines could be configured with rear-wheel drive (RWD) or four-wheel drive (4WD) with low range. The diesel engine, in particular, provided excellent pickup and optimal performance, making the 3500HD feel lively despite its size. When properly equipped, it could tow up to 36,000 pounds and had a payload capacity of 7,442 pounds. The LTZ trim featured an advanced trailering system with an app to monitor critical trailer functions.

The 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 offered a range of engines, but our test truck featured the 3.0-liter Duramax turbodiesel, which was a bargain at $995. It delivered 277 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque at just 1,500 rpm, providing smooth and seamless acceleration. The Duramax's towing capacity was increased to 9,500 pounds (9,100 pounds with 4WD), and it had a payload capacity of 1,870 pounds. The top tow rating for the Silverado 1500 was 13,300 pounds with the 6.2-liter V8 engine. The 10-speed automatic transmission paired with the Duramax was flawless, and the Z71 Off-Road Package improved the truck's suspension, making it more capable on rough terrain. However, the standard suspension allowed for too much body movement on the highway and felt skittish on rough pavement.

The 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD was available in various configurations, including regular cab/long-bed, double cab/long-bed, crew cab/standard bed, and crew cab/long-bed. The single cab had one row of seating, while the crew cabs offered two rows of spacious seating with ample headroom and legroom. The Silverado 3500HD also featured helpful bed steps integrated into the corners of the rear bumper and additional step-ups along the side of the bed, making it easier to access the cargo area.

The 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 crew cab was incredibly spacious inside, with wide, flat, supportive front seats that offered 10-way power adjustment, heating, and ventilation. The rear seat could comfortably accommodate three adults, with plenty of headroom and legroom. The test truck had heated outboard seat cushions and a power sliding center rear window section. The Silverado 1500 also offered ample storage space, including dual dashboard glove compartments and built-in storage areas within the rear seatbacks. The cargo bed was the deepest and roomiest among its competitors, with useful features like the CornerStep rear bumper designs and up to 12 tie-down hooks. The new Multi-Flex tailgate design offered six different configurations, although our test truck did not have this option.

The 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD came standard with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, while upgraded trims featured an 8-inch touchscreen with navigation in the High Country trim. The system was user-friendly, with hard buttons and dials, and included trailering features like backup camera guidelines and additional camera angles. The trailering app provided a pre-trailering checklist and critical status updates.

The 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500's Chevrolet Infotainment System 3 was impressive despite its smaller 7-inch and 8-inch screens. The system offered quick loading and response times, modern graphics, and standard features like Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The LTZ trim included a fully-featured infotainment system with an 8-inch HD display, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, navigation, enhanced voice recognition, wireless smartphone charging, and a 7-speaker Bose premium sound system. The Silverado 1500 also offered a head-up display, a rear camera mirror, and numerous trailering technologies, although they fell short compared to the competition.

The 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD came standard with a backup camera and a full array of front- and side-impact airbags. However, advanced safety features like forward collision avoidance, lane-departure warning, automatic emergency braking, automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert were optional. Front and rear parking sensors and a 360-degree parking camera system were also available for an additional cost.

The 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 had a "Marginal" rating for front passenger protection in a small-overlap, frontal-impact collision from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave it an overall four-star rating, with four-star frontal-impact results for the driver and front passenger. Standard safety features included forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, a rearview camera, front and rear parking sensors, automatic collision notification, and a rear-seat reminder system. Optional upgrades included adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, and a Safety Alert Seat driver's seat.