Interactive Review: 2012 Chevrolet Sliverado 1500 Crew Cab LTZ

[William Maley]

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William Maley

Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com

April 5, 2012

This week in the Cheers & Gears' Detroit garage is the 2012 Chevrolet Sliverado 1500 LTZ Crew Cab. It's equipped with the 5.3L Vortec V8, six-speed automatic, and four-wheel drive.

This happens to be the first pickup truck that I have driven for an extended period of time and it brings up an interesting problem. The first time I drove the Silverado, I described it as driving a tank. The tall ride height and long hood make you feel like that you're driving the widest vehicles on earth. The slow and heavy steering doesn't help with that feeling at all. Since then, I've gotten over the wide feeling I get when driving around in the Silverado.

The 5.3L V8 and six-speed automatic work well together. The engine delivers the right amount power when needed and the six-speed automatic delivers smooth shifts. So far, I'm averaging about 16 MPG in mostly city driving. Part of that can be attributed to the cylinder deactivation, which is very seamless.

But there is one big problem with this Silverado.

The Big Problem Explained on Page 2

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If you have been reading reviews/comparison tests of the Sliverado and Sierra for the past year or so, one of the complaints that is brought up is the interior. And I have to agree to with them.

When you first step in to the Silverado, you feel that you have entered a time warp. The materials used inside range from decent to "they're still using that?" In 2006 when the Silverado was launch, this would be ok. In 2012, the materials makes it feel older than it really is.

Otherwise, the interior is pretty well screwed together and the optional navigation system works well.

I'll be testing the hauling capabilities during the Easter holiday and will post some updates. Send in your questions in the meantime.

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[Drew Dowdell]

Are they still using switchgear from the 2001 Alero like they were in my GMC Sierra Denali?

[CanadianBacon94]

...and what might a switch gear be?

[vonVeezelsnider]

What specific part of the Alero switchgear?

[riviera74]

A 2012 Silverado using switchgear from 2001 or so? Really? The truck(s) need an interior upgrade, especially since they produce the most profit.

[Drew Dowdell]

turn signal and washer control from the Alero

Headlight switch, interior dimmer, DIC controls from the Lucerne

[Blake Noble]

That's interesting. I always thought the N-Body cars — Alero, Grand Am, and Malibu — all had two separate stalks; one stalk for the wipers on the right and one stalk for the turn signals on the left.

[Drew Dowdell]

damn, now you went and made a liar out of me.

ok, so maybe not specifically Alero, but that era. It jumped out at me because the gray plastic doesn't match the gray plastic of the other switch gear. You can't see it in the above photo, but it's just enough off to be noticeable in person.

[GMTruckGuy74]

Well, we know that in 2013 the all-new 2014 GM full-size pickups will be out and I'm sure you won't see any Y2K components in these new babies (just like you're not seeing that stuff in the rest of the new debuts GM has done already).

Wth the new '13 Traverse and '14 Impala being shown, I'm more than certain they have some characteristics you'll see on the new '14 Silverado and '15 Colorado (or whatever name they'll call it). Just like the new Acadia is previewing what the Sierra will have in that familar tone, though we kind of got an idea of the new Sierra with the 2011 Sierra HD All-Terrain concept too (except the cab - that was clearly current gen truck with Cadillac Escalade door skins). The frontend and bed are what I expect previewing the '14 Sierra.

[vonVeezelsnider]

Yeah you confused me there; my understanding was that the GMT-900, Lucerne, DTS, and Impala all had the same switchgear. That turn signal stalk was new for 2006 as it differs from the ones in the previous generation W-Bodies like our Regal which have some cruise control functions on the stalk.

[Blake Noble]

damn, now you went and made a liar out of me.

Ummm ... uhhh ... I'm just going to cut to a Conway Twitty clip here ...

Anyway, I poked around on Google a bit and devised that, basically, any GM car or truck with a column shifter had that multifunction stalk as far back as the 2000 Impala and GMT-800 trucks. It was also used in the early Lambda crossovers.

vonVee: The stalks are pretty much the same, it's just that GM either put a rear-wiper function or an empty plastic cap in place of the cruse control slider and end button. I'd also say the wiring modules are a little different too.

Edited April 7, 2012 by black-knight

[Robert Hall]

Parts is parts. Lots of vehicles by the same automaker share knobs, etc for years..

[CanadianBacon94]

The GMT-800's had the same blinker switchgear, just with the cruise on the end where the current one is looking quite blank

[ocnblu]

When I get behind the wheel of a big ol' truck I swear my gentleman parts grow as many sizes as The Grinch's heart on Xmas morn.