2023 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 vs 2022 GMC Sierra 1500

The 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 lineup featured the new Denali Ultimate and AT4X variants, enhancing its already premium and purpose-built trims. This lineup, which comprised eight trim levels—Pro, SLE, Elevation, SLT, AT4, Denali, AT4X, and Denali Ultimate—brought a new level of sophistication and ruggedness to the Sierra. Even though its dimensions remained the same, the Sierra seemed wider and more aggressive due to its updated grille, front fascia, and headlight design. The new split-C headlights blended seamlessly into the grille, giving the truck a robust, cohesive look.

The Denali trim saw its grille change from a mesh pattern to a "tri-linear" theme with thicker, chunkier chrome inserts that provided a tough, extravagant look. The Denali Ultimate went further, featuring dark-colored "Vader bars" inserts. Meanwhile, the SLT, AT4, and AT4X trims offered less showy but equally intimidating grille designs with chrome, black, and dark nickel accents. Additionally, the Denali and Denali Ultimate received new 22-inch wheel designs; bright-polished chrome for the Denali and low-gloss black for the Denali Ultimate.

The interior improvements were even more notable. The redesign made the cabin feel wider and more spacious. The dashboard adopted long, straight lines, aligning with the truck's exterior grille. The new AT4X trim, designed for off-road driving, offered a luxurious cabin with premium leather, contrast white piping, red stitching, genuine Vanta ash wood trim inserts, and a microsuede headliner. The Denali Ultimate took luxury a step further with full-grain leather, open-pore Paldao wood, and tasteful embossing and laser-etching of Mount Denali topographical maps on the woods and leather.

By contrast, the 2023 Chevrolet Silverado 1500's style aimed for a bold, aggressive look, although opinions on its split-bar grille and body panel design were mixed. While some found the small headlights and jutting body panel odd, preferring the more timeless designs of previous generations, others aligned this look with the current Chevrolet vehicle portfolio. Multiple appearance packages like the Rally Edition, Midnight Edition, and Redline Edition added visual flair.

Inside, the Silverado’s cabin offered functionality and two different layouts based on trim. Trims included WT, Custom, Custom Trail Boss, LT, RST, LT Trail Boss, LTZ, High Country, and the new ZR2 Bison package. The WT and Custom trims retained pre-2022 facelift interiors with simpler, hard controls and smaller screens. Other trims boasted a more modern design centered around a large touchscreen. While the base WT trim included essentials like vinyl upholstery and a 7-inch touchscreen, higher trims offered amenities such as cloth or leather upholstery, larger screens, wireless connectivity, and modern controls.

In summary, both trucks offered distinctive looks. The Sierra focused on a cohesive, streamlined design with advanced materials and premium touches, while the Silverado leaned towards boldness with practical interior options.

The 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 could be configured with four engine options, two transmissions, and either rear-wheel-drive (RWD) or four-wheel-drive (4WD). The standard 2.7-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine produced 310 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque, supported by an enhanced eight-speed automatic transmission for smoother shifts. The 3.0-liter Duramax turbo-diesel engine, with its class-leading 277 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque, could tow up to 13,200 pounds when equipped with the Max Trailering Package, making it a top contender in light-duty diesel trucks.

For those preferring more power, the Sierra offered a 5.3-liter V8 engine generating 355 hp and 383 lb-ft of torque, and a 6.2-liter V8 delivering 420 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque. The latter engine was standard on the AT4X and Denali Ultimate trims. A 10-speed automatic transmission supported these engines, providing a smooth driving experience whether on-road or off-road. The Sierra Denali Ultimate was noted for its quiet, compliant ride despite its substantial size and weight, while the AT4X impressed with its off-road prowess, thanks to its Multimatic DSSV dampers and increased suspension travel.

The 2023 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 also offered multiple engine options. Its base turbocharged 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine produced 310 hp and 430 lb-ft of torque. The optional 5.3-liter V8 provided 355 hp and 383 lb-ft, while the 6.2-liter V8 offered 420 hp and 460 lb-ft. The six-cylinder Duramax turbo-diesel engine delivered 305 hp and 495 lb-ft of torque. Power was routed through an eight-speed automatic transmission for the four-cylinder and a 10-speed automatic for the other engines.

The Silverado could tow up to 13,300 pounds when properly equipped with the 6.2-liter V8 and Max Towing package. The smaller 5.3-liter V8 could tow up to 11,000 pounds, with a maximum payload capacity of 2,260 pounds for the base four-cylinder RWD model. In our Trail Boss tester, the turbo-four engine impressed with its power delivery and smooth functionality, while the V8 engines provided the expected energetic performance. The 10-speed automatic transmission was refined and efficient in gear selection.

On the trail, the Silverado excelled with its Trail Boss and ZR2 configurations. The ZR2 Bison package introduced heavy-duty skid plates, steel-stamped bumpers, and improved departure angles, enhancing off-road capability significantly.

In essence, both vehicles provided robust performance, with the Sierra offering a slightly higher towing capacity with its diesel engine and the Silverado delivering a well-rounded array of powerful engine options.

The 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 was known for its roominess and utility. Even its short bed offered best-in-class cargo capacity. The cabin featured ample headroom and legroom, with front headroom at about 43 inches and front legroom at 44.5 inches across the lineup. Rear headroom averaged about 40 inches, and rear legroom varied between 35.2 inches in double cabs and 43.4 inches in crew cabs. The Sierra also offered numerous storage compartments, although the gloveboxes were relatively small.

Ergonomics in the Sierra could be perplexing due to the low positioning of the driver-oriented cockpit’s screens and controls. The abundance of knobs and buttons added to this complexity. Despite these quirks, the Sierra featured massaging seats, although the functionality was not very intuitive.

In terms of cargo and towing capacities, the Sierra’s updated engines significantly improved its maximum trailering rating. The base engine's maximum trailering rating was 9,600 pounds for 2WD models and 9,300 pounds for 4WD ones. The diesel engine could tow up to 13,200 pounds, making it one of the best in class.

The 2023 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 offered a variety of body styles, including regular, double, and crew cabs with different bed lengths. The cargo beds came in short (5 feet 8 inches), standard (6 feet 6 inches), and long (8 feet). The regular cab had a front bench seat accommodating three passengers, with a fold-down center seat back doubling as a center console.

The double cab, with conventional doors, provided easier access to rear seats compared to rival trucks with rear half-doors. Although rear legroom in the double cab was limited, the crew cab offered extensive rear headroom and legroom, with the rear bench capable of folding upwards to create substantial in-cabin cargo space.

Regarding towing and payload capacities, the Silverado could tow up to 13,300 pounds with the 6.2-liter V8 engine and Max Towing package. The base four-cylinder engine’s maximum payload was 2,260 pounds, demonstrating impressive versatility and capability for various needs.

In summary, both trucks excelled in offering functional, spacious interiors and impressive cargo and towing capacities. The Sierra had a slight edge in diesel towing capacity, while the Silverado provided a versatile range of body styles and configurations.

For 2022, the GMC Sierra 1500 came equipped with larger display screens. The driver information display featured a 12.3-inch digital cluster, while the infotainment system boasted a 13.4-inch touchscreen with Google built-in, similar to the Yukon and Hummer EV. Compatible with Android and Apple devices, it included three years of complimentary service for AT4 and Denali trims. The Denali models featured an interactive start-up screen with a topographical map of Mount Denali.

The infotainment system showcased a clean, simple display with large, easy-to-read icons. The system was fast and responsive, but navigating through maps could be confusing when a smartphone was connected, as the in-car Google-based system and projected phone maps appeared similar. The larger touchscreen allowed for personalization and dual modes, and additional tech options included a 15-inch multicolor head-up display and a 12-speaker Bose premium surround-sound system.

The 2023 Chevrolet Silverado 1500’s base infotainment setup included a 7-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, integrated into the WT and Custom trims’ pre-facelift interiors. While the graphics weren't as sharp as modern systems, its functionality was straightforward and easy to use.

Higher trims offered a more modern dash layout with a 13.4-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, accompanied by a vivid and responsive screen. The LTZ trim added features like wireless device charging and additional USB ports, enhancing connectivity and convenience.

Both trucks offered robust technology suites, with the Sierra featuring more prominent, integrated displays and the Silverado focusing on straightforward functionality at lower trims and advanced features at higher trims.

The 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 introduced GM’s Super Cruise, a semi-autonomous Level 2 driving system considered one of the best in the market. It offered hands-free driving but required driver alertness to retake control. Super Cruise was standard on the Denali Ultimate and included automatic lane changes and trailering capability, supported by up to 14 camera views. Standard GMC Pro Safety features included forward collision alert, automatic emergency braking, front pedestrian braking, lane-keep assist, and IntelliBeam automatic headlights.

The Sierra received mostly “Good” crash safety ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) but had a “Marginal” grade for the front-passenger small overlap test and a “Poor” grade for headlights. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave the 2WD models four out of five stars for crashworthiness.

The 2023 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 came equipped with advanced driver-assistance features like automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic high beams, and lane-departure warning. The Teen Driver system allowed settings for a second set of keys, adding an extra layer of safety. Higher trims like LTZ included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, a 360-degree camera system, rain-sensing windshield wipers, and front and rear parking sensors. GM’s Super Cruise highway driving system was also available.

The Silverado received a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA and high scores in IIHS crash tests, reflecting its strong safety credentials.