2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500

Considered by reviewers to be a smooth-riding truck, the Chevy Silverado 1500 boasts a high-quality, comfortable interior, according to reviews. The Silverado's main competitor is the Toyota Tundra (*est. $23,390 to $42,170), and many of the reviews we read compare the two directly. The consensus is that the Toyota Tundra has an edge in hauling ability, steering and torque, and that it does a bit better on safety, with standard stability control and side-curtain airbags (which are optional on the Silverado).

The Chevy Silverado includes a range of options you'd normally expect to see offered for a sports sedan, including leather seats, a rear-seat DVD entertainment system, GPS navigation, a sunroof, and a power sliding rear window. Other interior features of note include a second-row seat in extended and crew cab models that flips up and out of the way without the use of any levers. The full-sized Silverado 1500 is available with rear or four-wheel drive; three different cab styles; standard, short or long cargo beds; two interior layouts; and a number of engine choices, from the base model's 4.3-liter V-6 to a 6.0-liter V-8. It's clearly a notch above the Ford F-150's top-of-the-line 5.4-liter engine but falls short of the Toyota Tundra's well-regarded 5.7-liter unit.

In terms of performance, the Silverado earns consistent praise from reviewers. The 5.3- and 6.0-liter V-8s, in addition to offering 300-plus horsepower, utilize GM's Active Fuel Management system, which will shut off half the cylinders to conserve fuel. EPA fuel economy for the Silverado is the highest for light trucks with V-8 engines in 2008 government tests. On two-wheel-drive models, the 5.3-liter V-8 is rated at 15 mpg city/20 mpg highway, while the 6.0-liter has a rating of 13 mpg city/18 mpg highway. By comparison, the two-wheel-drive Toyota Tundra is rated at 14 mpg city/18 mpg highway. The variety of Silverado 1500 engine choices is exceeded by the number of suspension options (there are five), which range from an off-road package to one that places the focus on street handling.