2025 Chevrolet Silverado 3500

Capping the rugged range of Chevy trucks, the Silverado HD résumé includes the 3/4-ton 2500 and 1-ton 3500 pickups. Powered by either a gas or diesel V8 engine, it is a no-nonsense platform for tugging and hauling extreme loads.

We’ve spent hundreds of hours driving and evaluating this generation of full-size heavy-duty trucks, including the Chevy Silverado HD.

Coming off a thorough refresh for 2024, there are just a few notable upgrades beyond the addition of a Trail Boss Package for the LT and LTZ trims. Providing an off-road suspension, 20-inch gloss back wheels, red tow hooks, and black badging and appearance accents, the Trail Boss is engineered to turn up the off-road capabilities of the LT and LTZ grades a notch without stepping on the toes of the 2500 HD off-roading top dog, the ZR2. Other 2025 enhancements include optional front-rear park assist on lower trims and standard adaptive cruise control on the range-topping High Country trim.

The most popular Chevrolet Silverado HD is the 4-wheel-drive LT Crew Cab Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD with the gas engine.

Kissing cousins, the GMC Sierra HD and the Silverado HD are priced similarly, with the GMC only a few hundred dollars more. Furthermore, there isn’t much daylight between the Silverado HD, the Ram HD, and the Ford Super Duty pricing either. They are reasonably close in price. There are greater differences for models on the used market, particularly for the 1-ton class where the General Motors cousins have somewhat of a price advantage over Ford F-350 and the Ram 3500.

Before buying a new Silverado HD truck, check the KBB.com Fair Purchase Price to see what others in your area paid for theirs. Traditionally, the Chevy Silverado 2500 HD has enjoyed excellent resale values on par with its segment rivals, while the 3500 HD has lagged a bit behind both the Ford F-350 and the Ram 1500. A higher resale value means having more to put down on the next vehicle, which, in turn, usually translates into lower monthly payments.

We’ve tested the Chevy Silverado HD doing what it was built to do: tow and haul. In our experience towing loads up to 16,000 pounds, we found the available Duramax diesel engine up to the task without ever feeling out of breath. The standard gas engine felt a bit overworked, especially on an incline, but it got the job done.

We also stressed the dually 3500 model nearly to the limits of its capabilities by towing a massive 32,000-pound load. The Duramax diesel dutifully hauled without any issues but at a slower pace than a lighter load with the same engine.

If you’ll be towing heavy loads regularly, we recommend the diesel V8. If you’re looking for a truck with a little more muscle than a 1/2-ton pickup like the Silverado 1500, then the more affordable gas engine is satisfactory. For context, the Silverado 2500 and 3500 have the same towing capability as their corporate cousins, the Sierra 2500 and 3500; however, the Sierra can haul more payload. The Silverado 2500 boasts a maximum towing number that is more than the Ram 2500, but less than the Ford F-250. The Ford F-350 leads its 1-ton rivals in both towing and hauling.

Note: Although much is made of towing and hauling bragging rights among heavy-duty trucks, all boast maximum capacities that are more than the average heavy-duty truck owner will ever need.

As for ride quality, we were pretty comfortable driving the Silverado HD, but it doesn’t match the comfort of the available air suspension in the Ram Heavy Duty. It’s a little challenging to park and maneuver in tight spaces, but this is true of any truck this size.

Silverado 2500 vs. 3500

The Silverado 3500 models have beefier chassis and suspension than the 2500 models. This results in higher towing and hauling ratings for the 3500, especially in gooseneck towing. The 3500 is the only one available with a dual-rear-wheel setup, which significantly increases its capabilities.

The trade-offs with the 3500 come in price and ride quality. Since it has a more heavy-duty suspension setup, the Silverado HD 3500 has a rougher ride than its 2500 counterpart.

The 3500 is the right tool for the job if you really need the extra towing muscle (or just want the bragging rights over 3/4-ton trucks). However, for daily driving duties, the 3500 may be overkill, and we appreciate the comfier 2500. We’ll even take it a step further; if you don’t need the capabilities of a heavy-duty truck, the extra ownership costs and hassle of parking the HD trucks make no sense. The Silverado 1500 will make you happier in the long run.

Fuel Economy

The EPA doesn’t require or provide fuel economy ratings for trucks in this class, but we can say with confidence the diesel V8 is the more efficient engine option.

We think the Silverado HD’s interiors are solid for a serious work truck, but they aren’t class-leading. We give the nod to the Ram HD trucks for that distinction. However, the Silverado’s cabins are comfortable and display better-than-average workmanship.

The Regular Cab has one row of seating, but it’s plenty roomy enough for three occupants. The Double Cab adds another 3-spot bench for rear passengers. The Crew Cab enhances rear legroom to an abundant 43.3 inches, which is about the same as the larger cabs of the Ford Super Duty and Ram HD. We found the rear seats of the Crew Cab models exceptionally comfortable.

The most affordable Work Truck trim is exactly that — no frills, and materials chosen to endure tough conditions. At the other end is the upmarket-appointed High Country trim, which does rival the furnishings of some higher-end SUVs. In between is a selection with increasing amounts of standard equipment and eligibility for options.

This is one big, honking truck that looks as rugged and capable as it is. Styling cues include LED headlights with dual projectors on higher trim levels, and there are tow hooks on all models. There are also handy bed steps on the sides and the rear bumper. The excellent 6-function Multi-Flex tailgate, first introduced on the Silverado 1500, is available on the HD.

The Silverado HD wouldn’t be our first choice to drive in an urban area. Moreover, parking in a public parking garage or similar inner city parking venues is an exercise in patience, situational awareness, and heart rate management.

Multi-Flex tailgate
Work surface, step, bed extension — the ingenious Multi-Flex tailgate adds extra functionality to an already well-considered work truck. We admit it sounded a bit gimmicky before we used it. Now, we don’t know how we lived without it.

Wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto
Smartphone integration without the need for a cable is highly convenient. No cables to tangle; what’s not to love?

Google Assistant
Control home devices, send texts, get directions from Google Maps, play music, or even adjust vehicle settings — all with spoken commands. We appreciate not needing to take our eyes off the road to change the climate control settings or radio stations.

13.5-inch infotainment touchscreen
Here’s an area where the 2024 Silverado HD beats the Ford Super Duty. The Blue Oval’s biggest screen for its heavy-duty trucks measures 12 inches on the diagonal. On a more serious note, we’ve liked Chevrolet’s infotainment systems for a while now, appreciating their user-friendliness. Did we mention that the 13.5-inch touchscreen is standard, beginning with the LT grade?

ZR2
With the Silverado HD, the ZR2 off-road specialist treatment includes a specialized suspension, all-terrain tires, and more. There’s also a ZR2 Bison sporting unique wheels and bumpers, plus skid plates.

Alaskan Snow Plow Special Edition
Someone has to clear the snow from Alaska’s roads, and they could make short work of it with this vehicle. It also comes with a spray-in bedliner, plus rubber mats in the cabin.

The 401-horsepower 6.6-liter gasoline V8 in the Silverado HD is bolted to a 10-speed automatic transmission which also switches the cogs for the diesel.

The turbocharged diesel V8, however, bumps output to 470 hp and a whopping 975 lb-ft of torque. The result is the impressive towing figures we’ve already described.

Rear-wheel drive (RWD) is the basic configuration, regardless of engine, with 4-wheel drive (4WD) available across the heavy-duty lineup.

3-Year/36,000-Mile Warranty

Chevrolet’s regular new-vehicle warranties are for three years or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first. Powertrains are covered for five years or 60,000 miles, but the diesel engine in the 2024 Silverado HD extends that mileage to 100,000. This coverage matches its rivals from Ford and Ram.

Safety

Standard on every Chevrolet Silverado HD is automatic forward emergency braking with pedestrian detection. Standard on the LT trim and higher are lane-keeping assist and lane-departure warning, with trailer-side blind-spot monitoring, front-rear park assist, automatic rear cross-traffic braking, and a surround-view camera available. As you climb higher in the trim-level pecking order, some of the available advanced safety tech become standard.

Heavy-duty trucks are not crash-tested by NHTSA or IIHS.