2009 CHEVROLET LINE-UP - TRUCKS

Trucks bearing the bow-tie badge of Chevrolet appear in conventional formats of mid-size, full-size and super-size dimensions with Colorado, Silverado LD (light-duty) and Silverado HD (heavy-duty). Yet Chevy also promotes unconventional concepts, like Avalanche – built with the abbreviated bed of a pickup but the cabin of a SUV – and the new Silverado Hybrid, a fuel-saving gas-electric hybrid treatment for Chevy's full-size pickup.

Silverado 1500
Chevy's full-size Silverado 1500LD (half-ton) trucks for 2009 include three cab configurations and three bed lengths, and multiple suspension setups and powertrains. Base engine is a 4.3-liter V6 pumping 195 hp or a 4.8-liter V8 with 295 hp. A flex-fuel 5.3-liter V8 worth 315 comes with GM's Active Fuel Management (AFM) technology to trim fuel consumption, while a six-speed automatic transmission applies this year to the larger V8. Yet the best fuel efficiency comes from Silverado Hybrid, which employs a two-mode hybrid propulsion system with a 6.0-liter AFM V8 and two electric traction motors.

Silverado Hybrid
The new hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) derived from the Silverado 1500 truck stocks a two-mode hybrid propulsion system, which includes two 60-kW electric traction motors packaged as components of GM's new electrically variable transmission (EVT). At low speed, the truck can move using one of the electric motors or a gas-fired 6.0-liter V8. At highway speed, the second mode works with all eight cylinders of the V8 pumping, or with only four cylinders through AFM technology to conserve on fuel. The Silverado HEV can tug a trailer weighing up to 6,100 pounds.

Silverado 2500/3500
Chevrolet's heavy-duty work trucks ripple with strength from revamped gas and diesel engines teamed with six-speed automatic transmissions. The series includes 2500HD (three-quarter-ton) and 3500HD (one-ton) trucks with cabs of regular and extended lengths plus the Crew Cab, two traction systems, two lengths for the truck box and choices for a gasoline-driven V8 or 6.6-liter Duramax turbo-diesel. The turbo-diesel works with a six-speed Allison electronic automatic transmission. Maximum conventional trailer tow weight for Silverado HD trucks rises to 13,000 pounds. Bluetooth connectivity and OnStar with navigation assist are new to the 2009 HD issues.

Colorado
Chevrolet's mid-size pickup skews to many variations. Cabs include a two-door Regular Cab, Extended Cab with two rear-hinged doors and four-door Crew Cab. The truck box for Colorado Regular Cab or the extended version is 73 inches, while the box on Crew Cab chops off 12 inches to keep the wheelbase at a reasonable length. Performance enhancements mark 2009 Colorado editions, including a new 300-hp 5.3-liter V8 option on Extended Cab and Crew Cab models. The base 2.9-liter four-cylinder plant with VVT (variable valve timing) delivers 185 hp, while a 3.7-liter five-cylinder VVT plant climbs to 242 hp.

Avalanche
Equipped with a five-seat cabin like the Tahoe SUV, Avalanche discards Tahoe's cargo bay in favor of the shortened bed of a pickup. There's a big V8 aboard and a four-wheeling traction mechanism. Further, the back wall of the cabin – called a Midgate – folds flat after the back seat tumbles forward and forms a generous extension of the truck box. Avalanche totes a 5.3-liter V8 with AFM, but also offers a flex-fuel (E85-compatible) version or a big 6.0-liter AFM V8 rated at 366 hp. A new fuel-efficient six-speed automatic transmission applies to all 2009 Avalanche models.

For more information, visit Chevrolet trucks.