• The Chevrolet Silverado works hard to live up to its reputation as the 'strongest, most dependable and longest lasting full-size truck on the road'. The 1500 is the 'half-ton', model in Chevrolet's full-size pickup line-up.
• For 2012, cruise control becomes standard on the Work Truck trim, and Hill Start Assist and trailer sway control are now standard on all trims. LS, LT and LTZ trims have new grilles, and LS and LT trims have a revised front bumper and end caps.
• There are four engine sizes to choose from: 4.3-liter V6, 4.8-liter V8, 5.3-liter V8, and 6.2-liter V8; and two transmissions: a four-speed automatic and a six-speed automatic. Like all Silverados, the 1500 is available in a wide array of bed sizes, wheelbases, drive types and cab sizes, as well as a variety of trim levels.

Silverado Hybrid, available only in the Crew Cab body style and tow trim levels, uses a 6.0-liter V8 (332 hp/367 lb-ft of torque), battery pack, and 4-speed automatic with two electric motors in it. 2012 Chevy Silverado WT models now come standard with cruise control and a spare tire lock. No question, the Silverado is a great truck. Silverado was last redesigned for 2007.

Silverado XFE (eXtra Fuel Economy) models use a 5.3-liter V8, 6-speed automatic and cruising-biased axle ratio of 3.08:1 to increase EPA ratings.

The 5.3-liter V8 (315 hp/338 lb-ft of torque, or 326 hp/348 lb-ft of torque on E85), with active fuel management that shuts off cylinders to save fuel, and iron or aluminum block, is standard on most LTZ models and is matched with a 6-speed automatic. Chevrolet Silverado offers a smooth ride and confident handling while delivering excellent capability and power. Tow ratings are available to 6100 pounds, and maximum payload is in the 1,400-pound range.

The 2012 Chevrolet Silverado gets few changes from last year's models.

The base engine is a 4.3-liter V6 (195 hp/260 lb-ft of torque) with a 4-speed automatic, offered only on Regular Cabs and 2WD Extended Cab models with the standard bed.

The top engine is a 6.2-liter V8 (403 hp/417 lb-ft of torque) available on Extended Cab and Crew Cab models; it uses the 6-speed automatic. A trailering package is standard so XFE models can tow up to 7,000 pounds. Heated and cooled front seats and HDD navigation with XM radio and USB are available on the 2012 Silverado LTZ. XFE versions feature aerodynamic upgrades in the form of a soft bed cover and extended front air dam, plus aluminum wheels (including the spare) and lower front suspension arms, locking rear differential, and low rolling resistance tires. The 2012 Chevy Silverado doesn't boast the latest design, but all the current full-size pickups are good and it mostly comes down to preference. The 4.8-liter V8 (302 hp/305 lb-ft of torque) and 4-speed automatic are standard on Crew Cab and 4WD Extended Cab models with the standard bed, and on many LT models. The hardest part is choosing the model and configuration, which must be done carefully to best meet your needs and wants.

Built on what General Motors calls its GMT900 platform, the Silverado shares much of its underpinnings with the Tahoe SUV, though the pickup gets a unique rear suspension and a frame section 245-percent stiffer than that of the SUV.

The large, gold Chevy bowtie badge is set against a wide, three-bar chrome grille.

The rear view of the truck features stacked tail lights on either side of a tall tailgate that has a sculpted center section that mimics and inverts the shape of the fender flares.

A raked windshield (angled at 57 degrees) and careful aerodynamic and body-building engineering make the truck quiet on the inside and contribute to fuel efficiency. We think it's quite attractive. GM boasts that the Silverado and GMC Sierra were the first full-size trucks to offer both 300 horsepower and EPA highway ratings of 20 miles per gallon or better. The Chevy Silverado may not have the aggressive styling of some other pickups, but its upright design may be considered appealing to its faithful customers, and they buy hundreds of thousands of Silverados each year.

The hood has a wide power dome. Likewise, the rear quarter panels are punctuated by large faired wheel wells. The front bumper incorporates rectangular fog lights.

The front suspension uses coil-over shock absorbers and the rack-and-pinion steering gear design provides enhanced control and feedback. Bulging front fenders wrap over the front wheels and incorporate the headlights within their forward sweep. The current Silverado chassis is far more rigid than that of the previous generation, which allowed the engineers to reduce the gaps between the truck bed and passenger compartment and between fenders and bumpers. The grille is flanked by stacked headlights sporting the latest reflector optics. The Silverado benefits from a rear axle design featuring shock absorbers mounted outboard and more upright for better dynamic control than that of the previous-generation models. This stiffer frame also allows suspension components to be designed for improved ride and handling characteristics as well as allowing enhanced aerodynamics and fuel efficiency.

The Z85 is similar except that it uses better shock absorbers and is calibrated for how today's light-duty pickups are often used as daily transportation. Remember these trailer weights are usually quoted for an empty truck with a standard-size driver on board. The basic Z83 suspension is best chosen for budget constraints (or if you plan to make modifications and throw away the stock parts). Drivers who tow will appreciate the optional integrated brake controller like that used on the Silverado heavy-duty trucks. If your trailer is heavier than 6,000 pounds or so, we'd recommend looking at the heavy-duty Silverado HD models.

The Z60 street package replete with 20-inch wheels and low-profile tires is best used for the highway and smooth two-lanes but can be used on a dirt road.

The Z71 package is designed for off-highway use and makes maximum use of suspension travel to keep the wheels on the ground when on the trail or dirt roads; this off-road package frequently provides the best ride quality on anything worse than glass-smooth interstates.

The NHT package is designed for maximum loads; ride compliance is good based on how much weight it can carry and tow, but driving it around empty may be firmer (harsher) than you want for everyday use.

The Silverado benefits from good brakes. If you're hauling a lot of gear and people, you need to take that into consideration.

If you want the 15/22 mpg EPA ratings of the XFE on a regular Silverado or need higher towing capacity, minor changes to driving style will routinely net the same (or better) economy increase. (However, be sure your trailer brakes are compatible with it before choosing the option, as some electro-hydraulic disc conversions do not work with the integrated controller.)

Towing capacities range as high as 10,700 pounds with the NHT package. Some pickup trucks add two to three inches in height for 4WD, and those inches could be critical in tight fits. Suspension choice is key to the driving characteristics of the Chevy Silverado.

Those with limited vertical clearance either at home or in commercial garages should note that the 4WD versions of the Silverado 1500 Extended Cab and Crew Cab models are fractionally lower at the roof and loading level than the 2WD versions. Maximum tow ratings for other models are in the 9,100-10,000 pound range (Hybrid excepted).

Choosing the right cabin configuration depends on how you expect to use the truck and what you expect from it.

Headlights are more or less controlled by twisting a rotary knob on the dash to the left of the steering wheel.

The more luxury-oriented interior includes bucket seats with a permanent center console with 20 liters of storage capacity. This interior features large switchgear controls and interior door handles designed to be easily manipulated even while wearing bulky gloves.

Extended Cab models feature stadium-style seating with an elevated view for those sitting in the second row. It's a smooth, cohesive design with a central console that rises to a wall of smallish white-on-black buttons you can't operate with mittens like those on the pure pickup. The Silverado WT, LS and LT come with what Chevrolet calls the pure pickup interior while the LTZ features a more luxurious interior. This version has a single glove box in the dash.

An LTZ interior mirrors those of GM's full-size sport-utilities and is modeled more like a big touring sedan than a truck. An identical knob to the right is used to switch between 2WD and 4WD. Rear seats are split 60/40 so one side can be folded up for cargo while the other is used for seating. The navigation system is up high for good viewing, intuitive in operation, and offers many choices in radio station memory.

Chevrolet says the interior of the Silverado is 20 percent quieter than its predecessor (pre-2007 and Silverado Classic models), thanks to enhanced insulation materials, much like those used in the company's sport utility vehicles, and to aerodynamic improvements that reduce wind noise.

The pure pickup interior is more driver and work oriented, includes two glove boxes in the dashboard, one of them just about the right size to hold a pair of work gloves and a few small items, and a 40/20/40-split front bench seat with the center section of the seat back folding down to form a wide arm rest with lots of storage capacity. The LTZ cabin is available in three interior colors and, though it will show dirt faster, the lightest color gives the most luxurious impression.

XM Satellite Radio with current traffic conditions and Bluetooth may be ordered, or alternately, OnStar with destination download and turn-by-turn navigation. Both the Extended Cab and Crew Cab versions offer plenty of rear legroom. The rear-seat bottoms can be easily folded up to provide more room on the floor for cargo. We like both. The center stack puts ventilation and audio controls within easy site and reach of the front seat passenger.

The WT/LT version is a conventional truck with a more open floor area, space for random stuff all over, and no concerns that something might get scratched, scuffed or dirty.

G.R. They're all pretty terrific. Silverado is aging relative newer Ford and Ram offerings but can still be counted on to get the job done. Whale contributed to this report from Southern California; with NewCarTestDrive.com correspondent Larry Edsall reporting from Phoenix. It's hard to go wrong with a full-size pickup this year. The Chevy Silverado offers plenty of choices in light-duty pickup variations, just like the competition, though only the Silverado and GMC Sierra offer a hybrid.