Why Every Modern Man Should Care About Trucks Again

Sponsored by Chevrolet

The pickup truck is back. Actually, it never left. The Chevrolet Silverado has always been there as a reliable companion, like your favourite old pair of jeans. But, much like blue jeans, the Silverado has evolved from its blue-collar roots — especially over the last decade or so — quietly becoming a go-to for design conscious, performance-driven men who make things happen.

Think about it: the cool friend who reliably says ‘Yes’ to everything, whenever you need help doing something, like moving a couch or hauling lumber up to the cottage, we’d bet money that guy is driving a pickup truck. They’re for the doers, not the big talkers, which is perhaps why this trend towards pickups as comfortable, high-tech, family-friendly, do-anything, go-anywhere vehicles has gone largely under the radar. The Silverado doesn’t shout about its capabilities; it just gets on with it.

In the same way that an indestructible pair of selvedge denim jeans made on an old shuttle loom by a little boutique brand looks vaguely the same as a cheap pair from any fast-fashion outlet, modern pickups tend to look similar to their traditional work-truck counterparts, at least to the untrained eye.

Numbers Don’t Lie

We can hear your skepticism — a truck, really? — but hear us out. It’s true that trucks used to be full of hard plastic and bounce around over pothole-ridden city streets in a way that put passengers through a bouncy-castle experience. But, that simply isn’t the case anymore. The 2025 Silverado can be had with enough stitched leather and real wood trim to make any luxury car jealous, and its available cutting-edge technology, including hands-free Super Cruise and Google built-in*, complete with 8 years of connectivity.

But, unless you actually sit in a modern truck, especially the new Chevrolet Silverado 1500, you’d never guess how far they’ve come. It’s not just a great work truck — although it is that too, if you want it to be — the Silverado has evolved into a great all-around vehicle. It all comes down to that simple fact.

The numbers don’t lie. Through the first half of 2025 in Canada, sales of the Silverado were up 17.3 per cent compared to the same period in 2024 per GM Canada. Meanwhile, in the U.S., Chevrolet’s parent General Motors is heading for its sixth consecutive year as the industry’s full-size pickup sales leader. Not only that, but J.D. Power has awarded Chevrolet more dependability awards for trucks than any other brand.**** Translation? Don’t sleep on the Silverado.

Put away your preconceptions. No matter what kind of driver you are, no matter your taste or your specific needs, if you walk into a Chevrolet showroom, there’ll be a Silverado for you.

A Truck for Every Taste

With the current 1500 lineup, there’s a near-infinite array of trims, engines, high-tech features and room for customization; it puts the option list on your average German luxury SUV to shame. Want a burbling V8 engine, or torque-rich diesel, or frugal four-cylinder turbo, or even a monstrously powerful EV? There’s a Silverado that fits the bill.

For the thrill seekers in the room (guilty as charged), the range-topping Silverado ZR2 — featuring the proudly-Canadian Multimatic DSSV dampers — is just the ticket for heading down to Mexico’s Baja Peninsula and going off-road at high speed.

Alternatively, the Custom Trail Boss has all the makings of an epic overlanding adventure rig. Starting with the off-road designed Z71 suspension components and then taking it to the next level, literally, with its uprated suspension system that adds 2 extra inches of clearance, high-volume Goodyear MT tires, and available class-exclusive Duramax 3.0-litre Turbo-Diesel** it’s ready to take backroads up to Tobermory, or Muskoka, or traverse the maze of logging roads through the Rockies.

If your trails tend to take you downtown rather than off the beaten path, the Silverado RST is the one for you. We’re personally rather partial to its street-style looks, which are ideal for drivers living in Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver who want to fly under the radar, fast. Stealthy blacked-out trim, body-coloured grille bar and bumpers, plus those lovely optional 20-inch black alloys, give no hint that the RST is available with the largest, most powerful naturally aspirated V8 in the segment. It’s a 6.2-litre engine churning out 420 horsepower, 460 lb-ft of torque and a sweet, sonorous rumble you can only get from a monster V8.

On the other hand, if you’re often pulling up to the valet at Michelin-starred restaurants, the Silverado High Country has all the creature comforts to rival luxury SUVs. Think: open-pore wood trim, perforated leather seats, contrast stitching, and two giant displays, including a widescreen 13.4-inch touchscreen panel. It feels right at home rolling up at any one of Canada’s swankiest resorts, and it’ll do it all while towing a boat or an Airstream.

Long-distance commuters will grow to appreciate the hands-free Super Cruise driver assistance system, available on the High Country. If you’ve never tried Super Cruise***, it can be a bit strange at first, taking your hands off the steering wheel on the highway, but over time it becomes second-nature, just like using cruise control. (It makes the drive up to Muskoka in long-weekend traffic much, much more bearable.)

And, for anyone who lives a life that seems to go from parking lot to parking lot, tight spaces and all, we hear you. We’ve been there, and we thought owning a truck was out-of-the-question as well. That is, until we tried the Silverado with its eight available cameras, offering up to 14 views covering every angle — including one that shows you what’s behind your trailer when backing up — so there’s no need to sweat. When you’re leading a busy life, worrying about parking is one thing the Silverado can take off your plate.

Of course, every one of these Silverado 1500s will effortlessly pull double-duty as an everyday family hauler too. With the optional front bench seat, there’s seating for up to six people. Even the value-conscious Custom trim is plush and spacious, ready for muddy lacrosse gear, home reno projects, as well as that East Coast road trip you’ve been talking about for so long. Tick the option box for a lockable folding bed cover, and you’ve got a massive trunk that’ll haul weeks’ worth of luggage for the whole family. When it’s time to get that luggage out, the Silverado has made that simple too with the standard CornerStep bumper. So how do you get to that luggage at the back of the box? You simply step in.

In short, the Silverado has come a long way from its blue-collar roots over the last 50 years. It stayed true to its identity as a capable, dependable machine, but massively broadened its appeal. The engineers and designers at Chevrolet have put in the work, upping the bar on design, adding high-tech features like big screens, exterior cameras and Super Cruise, improving ride comfort both on road and off, adding luxuries like open-pore wood and perforated leather, boosting fuel economy and horsepower — all while developing the first all-electric Silverado — and raking in awards for dependability.

To the untrained eye, sure, it’s still a truck, but now you know better: the modern Silverado is the ultimate go-anywhere, do-anything, family-ready, high-tech vehicle, happy to tackle whatever your life throws its way. Welcome to the new golden age of the pickup.

^{*Services enabled by Google built-in are subject to change at any time. Full functionality may require one or more paid subscription plans. Certain Google Actions and functionality may require account linking. Connectivity is dependent on compatible wireless networks provided by third-party wireless service providers and other factors outside GM control. Changes in technology and wireless networks may limit or prevent the operation of vehicle connectivity. Services, connectivity, and capabilities are subject to terms and limitations and vary by model, vehicle configuration, conditions, and geographical and technical restrictions. See onstar.ca for details and limitations. Google, Google Play, Google Maps, Waze and other marks are trademarks of Google LLC.”}

^{** Excludes other GM vehicles.}

^{***Always pay attention while driving and when using Super Cruise. Do not use a hand-held device. See chevroletsupercruise.ca for compatible roads and more information. Requires active Super Cruise trial or paid subscription. See onstar.ca for details. Services are dependent on compatible wireless networks provided by third-party wireless service providers, working vehicle electrical systems, GPS signal and other factors outside GM control. Changes in technology and wireless networks may limit or prevent the operation of certain services. Services, connectivity and capabilities are subject to terms and limitations and will vary by model, vehicle configuration, conditions, and geographical and technical restrictions.}

^{****Chevrolet received the highest total number of awards among all trucks in the J.D. Power 2025 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study. Awards based on 2022 models; newer models may be shown. Visit jdpower.com/awards for more details.}