The 2027 Chevrolet Silverado's New V8s Are Great, But The Tech Is The Bigger Story

Who doesn't love a V8 in a pickup truck? It's a staple of American roadways, like the World's Largest Ball of String and Buc-ee's. As four-cylinders and V-6s continue to invade the full-size truck market, Chevy is appealing to tried-and-true truck lovers with two all-new V8 engine options under the hood of the 2027 Chevrolet Silverado.

The Silverado's outgoing 5.3-liter V8 is being replaced with a new 5.7-liter unit — a nostalgic 350 cubic inches. Obviously, in the world of trucking, more displacement is more good, and this new volume engine delivers that more good in more ways. Paired with the company's 10-speed automatic, the "regular" Silverado 1500 makes 402 hp and 428 lb-ft of torque. That's enough oomph to accelerate briskly off the line and still hit a maximum towing capacity of 13,700 pounds. That's 400 pounds more towing than the best 2027 Ford F-150 can do.

Putting new — and larger — V8 engines in pickup trucks certainly improves them. Yes. But the biggest changes to the 2027 Chevry Silverado are in areas you might not initially expect.

Chevrolet provided travel and accommodations to drive the updated 2027 Silverado 1500. CarScoops' opinions are our own.

The fun doesn't stop there. If you want to upgrade to an even bigger V8, the General will sell you a 2027 Chevy Silverado 1500 with a new 6.6-liter V8. While it's not the same engine as in the Corvette, the exhaust during a cold start would likely convince you otherwise. It sounds like a borderline unhinged performance truck, and it has the chops to back it up.

With 78 more horsepower than the 5.7-liter — and 73 more torques — the 6.6 makes the truck feel more responsive. While you might not beat a Rumble Bee from a dig, the truck feels every bit as quick as the last Raptor I've driven out in the real world, with a better soundtrack than a turbocharged V6.

Paired with the top-end ZR2 trim — which adds jounce-control dampers for 2027 — the truck should be able to bomb across any desert with a shock-and-awe that only George W. Bush could dream of. The Multimatic DSSV spool-valve shocks remain, and they remain some of the best off-road passive shocks in the business.

So what is jounce control? Basically, when a truck's suspension compresses completely, the body hits hard against the bump stops. If the truck lands from a jump, that jolt can upset handling. With the new jounce control, instead of hitting the bump stops, an additional damper smooths out that last bit of travel, making landings (and the recovery from landings) smoother and more controllable. The new ZR2 also retains its Eaton-sourced front and rear locking differentials, which, when activated, turn the truck into "Billy Goat" mode and make rock climbing a breeze. The only thing you have to worry about is overall ride height and approach and departure angles.

The biggest, useful change in the 2027 Chevy Silverado is the new technology. A new 12.2-inch instrument cluster sits front and center, showing the driver everything from speed to tire temperatures. A standard 16.3-inch center display handles the rest of the infotainment duties, accesses all available cameras, and even supports Apple CarPlay (something we didn't expect). On higher-spec vehicles, there's a passenger screen with a built-in web browser and media functionality, and while it's cool, I've yet to meet anyone who gets a ton of value out of a passenger screen, since most people carry a cellphone these days.

The instrument cluster is new and feels modern, but it does sit closer to the steering wheel than in the previous-generation truck (which was recessed into the dash). For my driving position, I had some difficulty seeing the top-left and right portions of the screen from the steering wheel, where I felt comfortable. My drive partner, however, didn't have that issue. If that would bother you, check one out in a dealership showroom before placing an order.

Most of the upgraded infotainment technology centers on towing. If you're a towing God, you don't need to use the tech, but I found some of it extremely useful, and if you check your ego at the door, you'd probably find it useful, too.

First, the built-in Google Maps integration knows whether you have a trailer attached and recommends routes based on that information. Since you enter your trailer height, it can route you around places where there might not be enough overhead clearance. That way, you won't end up as a meme on the internet.

Next, there's a new trailer backup mode that works like a car's backup camera. With a camera mounted at the rear of the trailer, you'll see guidelines showing where the trailer is and which way it will go based on your steering input. It's an incredibly intuitive system and is much quicker to enable than Ford's Pro Trailer Backup Assist, which uses a separate knob. In the Silverado, just put the truck in reverse and you're all set.

In addition to that tech, the truck includes jackknife protection. If at any point, while towing, the system believes you're going to jackknife the trailer, it'll warn you and vibrate the seat. It even shows an on-screen guide that shows how close you are to the warning point.

Finally, there's a new trailer setting specifically for boats. When you get to the boat ramp, you can enter a special boat ramp mode, and it'll walk you through what you need to do so your truck doesn't end up in the drink. If it's not in four-wheel drive, it'll make sure you switch it on. If you haven't unplugged the trailer wire harness, it'll tell you to. Living in Michigan, many GM engineers deal with the Saturday morning boat ramp rush, and these added reminders should prevent embarrassment without slowing you down.

While we spent most of our time in the new 5.7-liter and 6.6-liter V8s, the 2027 Chevrolet Silverado offers other options. There's the turbocharged four-cylinder, which is better than most people give it credit for, plus the 3.0-liter Duramax diesel is still available and is just a peach of an engine.

If I were going to build a spec, I'd likely opt for the Trail Boss trim, with the 5.7-liter, in Trillium Green. You get some off-road cred, the look of a lifted truck, and all the performance you'd ever really need.

Including the astronomical $2,795 delivery charge, the 2027 Chevy Silverado starts at $41,395 for the Work Truck trim. $57,195 gets you into a Custom Trail Boss. A High Country starts at $74,495. The ZR2, with the Dakar out-of-the-box functionality, starts at $5 under $80,000. All trucks should be available to order now.

There's a lot to like about the new truck, but I can't help but wonder if GM is missing out by not offering a hybrid version. Regardless, the new truck gets all the truck stuff right, and for those who want a modern, capable pickup truck, the Silverado fits the bill.