By Larry Lark, contributor
The 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Crew Cab Custom Trail Boss four-wheel drive pickup truck provides owners with lots of capability, lots of technology, and lots of fun.
And of if that trim is not to your liking, no worries. Chevrolet provides WT, LT, RST, LTZ, LT Trail Boss and High Country trims to fit your individual needs and lifestyle. There are also 2.7-liter Turbo, 3.0-liter Duramax Turbo-Diesel, 5.3-liter V8 and 6.2-liter V8 engines to consider. Not to mention bed sizes and cab variations.
My tester came equipped with the bad boy, the 6.2-liter V8, variable valve timing direct-inject engine with dynamic fuel management and stop/start. The engine was paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. The duo delivers 420 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque, more than enough power (12,100 pounds to be exact) to tow any toy you can conjure – or afford.
The Custom Trail Boss seats up to six-passengers with room for two 6-foot-4 passengers to sit behind one another in the front and back. The humungous center console can be folded upright, allowing three passengers in the front, along with three on the bench seat in the rear.
A standard-size bed includes tie-hooks and spray-in liner, and is ready for duty.
Custom is where high-style and value meet. Silverado Custom includes body-color bumpers and center grille bar along with deep-tinted glass, signature LED taillamps, 20-inch bright silver-painted aluminum wheels, and dual-outlet exhaust with polished tips.
Trail Boss takes Chevrolet’s brand’s iconic pickup to the next level of off-road capability, adding equipment like a two-inch suspension lift, Rancho monotube shock absorbers, high-capacity air filter, skid plates, hill descent control, and an automatic rear locking differential.
Simply push buttons in the dash to engage automatic, two-wheel high, four-wheel high and four-wheel low traction options.
This year, Silverado customers are treated to a multi-flex tailgate with six unique functions, allowing for easier access to bed cargo, enhanced loading solutions and a standing workstation. With a weight capacity of 375 pounds, different configurations are activated using a key fob or two tailgate-mounted buttons, one for the full gate and another for the second-tier loading and storage options.
The latest generation Silverado planted its flag at launch by offering up to 15 unique camera views – the most of any competitor – to help make trailering simpler. Now, 2021 models up the ante and offer new or enhanced trailering technology, including:
Trailer Length Indicator
Jack-Knife Alert
Cargo Bed Enhancement
Rear Trailer View with guidelines and trailer-angle indicator
Rear side view enhancement
Creature comforts include an Infotainment system with seven-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth, 4G LTE Wi-Fi, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, air conditioning, USB ports, remote keyless entry,
remote start, content theft alarm, rear seat reminds, and power windows.
Safety is taken into consideration as well with rear vision camera, teen driver mode, tire pressure monitoring, forward collision alert, automatic emergency braking, front pedestrian braking, steering wheel audio controls and a driver info center.
Base Price: $44,795
Price As Driven: $49,290
Destination charge is included in base price. Vehicles are provided by the manufacturer. List price may vary at local dealerships.
