Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Car Review Column

Dec. 28--REDONE SILVERADO PICKUP WORTH A LOOK: If you're in the market for a pickup truck, be sure to consider Chevy's all-new 2007 Silverado.

This truck is nice enough to restore the brand to the head of the list when it comes to haulers. It handles well, is quiet as a tomb and comfortable as a sofa, and manages to have some edgy styling to boot.

It also has some nifty features, such as dual glove compartments, wider opening doors -- which makes it easier to get in and out of, especially for somebody short such as me -- and flexible fuel management on some of its engines, which allows you to use ethanol.

The engine on my test model was a 5.3-liter, 315-horsepower V-8 rated at 16 mpg city and 22 highway, but it also comes in a 4.8-liter, 295-horsepower V-8. Base prices for the Silverado start at $15,840 but go as high as $38,330 for the top-of-the-line models.

This year, Silverados come in standard cab, extended cab and crew cab. The standard cabs can be ordered in "Work" or midlevel "LT" trims. Want more luxury? Order the crew or extended cabs with the "LTZ" interior.

For the first time, the instrument panels are different on the Work model than what you get in the higher trim levels, but all are nicely done.

Standard equipment is extensive, including full power equipment and air conditioning on most models, OnStar, 40/20/20 split front seats, tilt wheels and anti-lock brakes. Stability control with rollover mitigation technology is standard on crew cabs and an option on extended cabs. You can get side curtain air bags at extra cost, too. I hope Chevy will consider making these items standard across the board.

And although specs say it is actually 3 inches longer than the model it replaces, it looks smaller, sleeker and neater. That makes you feel even more confident about parking, which has never been a problem I've had with Chevy trucks anyway. They generally are more manageable in urban environments than their competitors, mostly because you can see the back end pretty well and they usually have relatively small turning circles.

You sit more like you would in a conventional car. They've lowered the instrument panel and that's had a definite impact. The steering wheel also seems smaller and not so buslike, and the angle seems more comfortable than I've felt on other trucks.

And talk about quiet! Chevy really went to town with sound deadening on this truck. You can't hear a darned thing -- and there aren't any rattles or squeaks either, even with an empty cargo bed. That's certainly not usually the case with pickups.

Gaps in the instrument panel are just about nonexistent. And that goes for the space between the cargo bed and the cab as well. It looks as if it were all one piece.

But driving is where the Silverado excels. I was surprised how lively and sporty this truck felt, and it even entices you into driving a bit harder and taking corners a bit more assertively than you might with other pickups.

Despite some minor problems, it's hard to fault this truck. But I did find myself groping a lot for the parking brake, especially at night. It's out of the way at the bottom left of the dash, and it's not lit at night. That struck me as odd because Chevy and GM usually do a terrific job of illuminating their products.

I also found the steering wheel mounted controls for the audio system to be extremely sensitive making it easy to accidentally change stations or tunes. I think a little redesign here might be in order.

Another quibble involves the interior as a whole. The materials and construction are heads above what used to be the case with pickups, and I liked the two-tone treatment. But it's just a bit more understated and plain than I'd like if I were buying a top-of-the-line luxury package.

This is one area where Ford may have an edge since its trim levels are snappy and dynamic looking.

But that's just about the only things I could find wanting in Chevy's new baby.

Don Hammonds can be reached at dhammonds@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1538.

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