2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500

Chevrolet offers new Polar White and White Sands paint colors for the 2026 Silverado 1500, and two new special-edition versions debut. The RST Select Special Edition packages desirable upgrades at a reasonable price, while the RST-based Silverado Stars & Steel Special Edition commemorates the 250th anniversary of the United States.

The 2026 Silverado 1500 is one of the only light-duty, full-size pickup trucks to offer a turbocharged diesel engine. Called the Duramax, it makes a significant difference in fuel economy. Super Cruise is another feature that helps to set the Silverado apart. A hands-free highway-driving system, Super Cruise works even when you're towing a trailer.

Pros

Available turbo-diesel engine
Multi-Flex tailgate upgrade is helpful
Super Cruise hands-free driving system works when towing

Cons

No high-horsepower performance version
Lacks a semi-autonomous trailer-steering system
Crash-test ratings are not uniformly good

2026 Chevrolet Silverado RST Select Special Edition interior dashboard Christian Wardlaw

2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Trim Levels

The 2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 is available in regular-cab, extended-cab (Double Cab), and crew-cab styles, seating up to six people.

Chevrolet offers the Silverado with several powertrains, ranging from a turbocharged 2.7-liter four-cylinder making 310 horsepower and paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission to a 420-hp 6.2-liter V8 matched with a 10-speed automatic. The optional Duramax turbo-diesel is a 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder delivering 305 horsepower and 495 pound-feet of torque. Rear-wheel drive (RWD) and four-wheel drive (4WD) are available.

Depending on the truck's configuration, nine trim levels are available. They include WT, Custom, Custom Trail Boss, LT, LT Trail Boss, RST, LTZ, High Country, and ZR2. The Trail Boss variants and the ZR2 include standard 4WD.

The Silverado WT is a no-frills truck. It features 17-inch steel wheels, LED headlights, and a rear bumper with corner steps. Remote keyless entry grants access to the interior, where you'll find rubber floor coverings, vinyl upholstery, and a single-zone climate control system. The 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.

Custom

Upgrade to the Silverado Custom for 20-inch aluminum wheels, heated exterior mirrors, LED cargo bed lighting, and an EZ Lift tailgate. Remote engine starting and trailering equipment with Hitch Guidance technology are also standard. Inside, the Custom features carpeting, cloth seats, and a 10-way power driver's seat.

Custom Trail Boss

The Trail Boss is an off-road version of the Custom, featuring standard 4WD, 18-inch black wheels, mud-terrain tires, and red recovery hooks. It sits on a 2-inch lifted suspension and includes skid plates, an automatic locking rear differential, and hill-descent control.

The LT builds on the Custom with 17-inch aluminum wheels and chrome exterior trim. Chevrolet also upgrades the Silverado LT's interior with a different dashboard featuring a 12.3-inch digital driver display and a 13.4-inch touchscreen infotainment system equipped with Google built-in. Dual-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats, and a heated steering wheel are also standard.

LT Trail Boss

The Silverado LT Trail Boss combines the appearance and off-roading hardware of the Custom Trail Boss with the standard equipment of the LT trim level. Additional upgrades include 20-inch black wheels, all-terrain tires, LED fog lights and taillights, and all-weather floor liners. An integrated trailer-brake controller is also standard.

Based on the LT trim, the Silverado RST has a sportier look with 18-inch wheels, body-color trim, and LED fog lights.

With LTZ trim, the Silverado goes upscale with a standard V8 engine, 20-inch wheels, rain-sensing wipers, a power tailgate, and exterior perimeter lighting. Inside, the Silverado LTZ has individual bucket seats separated by a center console, leather upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, a power-adjustable steering wheel, and a Bose premium sound system.

High Country

The Silverado High Country is the most luxurious version of the truck. It features exclusive 20-inch wheels and exterior design details, plus a power-sliding rear window, a bed-view camera, and a spray-on bedliner. The interior features upgraded leather and heated rear seats.

Chevy equips the Silverado ZR2 with a standard Duramax turbo-diesel and 4WD. Compared with the LT Trail Boss, it features driver-selectable, fully locking front and rear differentials and an exclusive off-road suspension with Multimatic DSSV dampers. It rides on 18-inch wheels with all-terrain tires, and has a Multi-Flex tailgate, a camera-based rearview mirror, and a head-up display. Otherwise, the Silverado ZR2 is equipped similarly to the LTZ and High Country trim levels, with some variances.

2026 Chevrolet Silverado RST Select Special Edition in Sterling Gray, rear-quarter view Christian Wardlaw

2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Payload and Towing

The Silverado 1500's maximum payload capacity is 2,260 pounds. That's for the regular-cab model with the long cargo bed and the standard TurboMax four-cylinder engine.

The maximum towing capacity is 13,300 pounds. To get it, choose the Double Cab equipped with RWD, the Duramax turbo-diesel engine, and the Max Trailering Package.

2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Fuel Economy

The most efficient version of the 2026 Silverado 1500 is a RWD Duramax-equipped truck, which should get 25 mpg in combined city and highway driving. The least efficient version is any Silverado with 4WD, the 6.2-liter V8 engine, and off-road tires. Those average 15 mpg in combined driving.

2026 Chevrolet Silverado RST Select Special Edition safety features Christian Wardlaw

2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Safety Ratings and Features

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has published crash-test ratings for the Silverado regular cab and extended cab, but not the crew cab. Those trucks earn a five-star rating, the NHTSA's highest.

Safety ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) are not as impressive. The IIHS has evaluated the crew cab, and it doesn't receive a single "Good" rating across the six evaluations. Instead, the ratings range from "Poor" to "Acceptable."

Every 2026 Silverado 1500 comes with standard Chevy Safety Assist. It equips the truck with forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and automatic high-beam headlights.

A Safety Package is available, adding a 360-degree camera, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, rear automatic braking, and parking sensors. You can also get adaptive cruise control on a Silverado, and Super Cruise is an option for the Silverado High Country. It is a semi-autonomous hands-off driver-assistance system for use on approved limited-access highways.

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Christian Wardlaw

Chris says his first word was "car." For as long as he can remember, he's been obsessed with them. The design. The engineering. The performance. And the purpose. He is a car enthusiast who loves to drive, but is most passionate about the cars, trucks, and SUVs that people actually buy. He began his career as the editor-in-chief of Edmunds.com in the 1990s, and for more than 30 years has created automotive content for CarGurus, J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, the New York Daily News, and others. Chris owns Speedy Daddy Media, has been contributing to Capital One Auto Navigator since 2019, and lives in California with his wife, kids, dog, and 2004 Mazdaspeed Miata.