The Silverado 1500 LT Trail Boss gets Reviewed by J.D. Power

Perhaps bored with surveying other people about their vehicles, J.D. Power has taken up reviewing vehicles directly. Recently, they set their sights on the Silverado 1500 to get an idea of what Chevrolet’s best-selling model is all about. This McFarland Chevrolet post tells you what they found. 

There are ten trims to choose from. If J.D. Power (JDP) was aiming for the middle of the model line, they landed just above the mark. The LT Trail Boss is fourth from the top and sixth from the bottom. This trim is available only with 4WD. It comes standard with the TurboMax engine, but every Silverado engine is available on the LT Trail Boss. JDP tested the largest, the 6.2-liter EcoTec V8, which produces 420 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque at 4100 rpm. All LT Trail Bosses have a crew cab, and JDP’s tester had the short bed. The LT Trail Boss also features a factory 2-inch lift, the Z71 off-road-biased suspension, and Bridgestone Dueler A/T all-terrain tires. Additional options include: 

• LT Trail Boss Premium Package 

• Power sliding rear window with rear defogger 

• Rear wheelhouse liners 

• Chevytec spray-on bedliner 

• Midnight Edition Package 

• Black recovery hooks plus two items already in the above package 

• Front buckets with center console 

• Adaptive Cruise Control 

• Multi-Flex tailgate 

With a starting MSRP of $62,495, JDP’s tester came to $71,650, including the $2,595 destination charge. 

JDP points out that while the Silverado has had its current design for a few years, it doesn’t appear the least bit dated and instead “has rugged looks befitting the name.” With the 2-inch lift and all-terrain tires, climbing into the cab is just that, particularly because running boards were not among the selected options. They found the interior to be quite upscale, with an attractive layout that houses the 13.4-inch center touchscreen and the 12.3-inch digital, configurable gauge cluster.  

Chevrolet thankfully does not overwork the screen by providing a full set of physical controls for climate and other one-and-done functions. Running the center screen is the Google Built-in operating system, which features:

• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring 

• SiriusXM satellite radio 

• Connected services with access to a Wi-Fi hotspot 

• Google Maps 

• Google Assistant 

• Google Play Store (downloadable apps) 

Completing the infotainment complex is a Bose Premium Sound system and a wireless smartphone charge pad. JDP found the system easy to use and made good use of the display, with plenty of shortcuts to systems, the Home button, and, thankfully, a volume knob.

The 6.2-liter gets its power the old-fashioned way, with plenty of displacement.  “The Trail Boss is no small truck, but with the big V8 under the hood, it gets moving pretty quickly. Acceleration from a stop is strong, and passing slower vehicles on a two-lane back road is no concern. The lovely V8 growl from the dual exhaust pipes enhances the experience,” observed JDP.  The EPA rates the engine at 17 combined, and JDP’s owned combined driving showed 15.1 on the trip computer. An exception was when the weather turned to single digits and snowy, and the computer read 13.6 mpg.

The off-road-tuned suspension, all-terrain tires, and an empty bed made for a bumpy highway ride. However, the model lived up to its name on a challenging trail in the woods, covered with several inches of snow and occasional patches of ice.  “I pushed the 4WD High button and selected off-road mode, and the truck tackled the slick, steep terrain like a boss. I stopped on a particularly steep section of fresh snow, and when I started moving, the wheels spun for just a moment before quickly finding traction and moving the truck forward easily.” 

Among the many safety features on their test truck, JDP gave a shout-out to the Surround View, which is particularly helpful when parking the big vehicle, and the rear cross-traffic warning system, since there is plenty of traffic behind you before you can see anything. The system not only gave a warning but also indicated on the screen which direction a vehicle was approaching.

JDP wound up the review by citing their own studies, which showed the Silverado 1500 tying with the F-150 for the highest rank in the 2025 Initial Quality Study and, more importantly, being the highest-ranked model in its segment in the 2025 Vehicle Dependability Study.

For anyone looking for a full-size truck, it’s almost a given they will consider the Silverado 1500, but positive notes from J.D. Power don’t hurt. If you are one of those shoppers and live anywhere near Maysville, Kentucky, on the Ohio border, visit McFarland Chevrolet for a Silverado 1500 test drive.