2018 Chevrolet Silverado Trim Levels with Comparisons & Configurations.

Full-size pickup trucks are always among the top best-selling vehicles in the US, and the Chevrolet Silverado is always among the top best-selling full-size pickup trucks. It has built on a reputation for quality and reliability with powerful engines and excellent utility options, as well as a healthy dose of innovative new technologies.

The 2018 Chevrolet Silverado is the last model before the launch of the next generation model of the truck, but Chevrolet has still offered a number of improvements over last year’s model, including a standard rearview camera and a wider availability for the Silverado’s mild hybrid powertrain.

Like all pickup trucks, the 2018 Silverado comes in a dizzying array of body styles, engine and drivetrain options and trim levels. There are three different cabins, three box lengths, three engines and the choice of either front-wheel or all-wheel drive to make before picking one of the five different trim levels. This guide serves to help make sense of the different available configurations, making it easy to find the right configuration for everyone.

Compare the 2018 Silverado WT vs LS Trims. What is the difference?

The bottom of the 2018 Silverado trim level ladder is the aptly-named Silverado WT, which stands for Work Truck. Just like the rest of the full-size trucks, the base model WT is oriented primarily for fleet and business buyers. This is not the trim level that anyone is likely to be commuting or spending the weekend in. It is a fairly versatile trim level, however, as it is available in almost every bed and cabin configuration, though it can only be equipped with either the standard V-6 or the smaller V-8 engine.

It also offers a few surprising features. It may lack power doors or windows - something that can be remedied with an optional package - but it comes with a standard rearview camera projected on a 7-inch touchscreen display. More exciting, that display runs a fully-functional version of the Chevrolet MyLink infotainment system with Bluetooth and a USB port. HID headlights, vinyl seats and cruise control round out the WT’s list of standard features.

The LS adds a few more options to the basic Work Truck, making it a little nicer. The vinyl seats are replaced with a warmer and more comfortable cloth, while the steel wheels are replaced with alloys on Crew Cab models. More importantly, it includes all of the power options from the WT and adds support for Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and a Wi-Fi hotspot to the infotainment system. This makes it very easy to connect and use all of your smartphone apps, covering everything from navigation, music and social media to keeping up with business emails while on the road. Other than those additions, the LS is almost the same as the WT model.

The Silverado Custom is an appearance package for the LS trim level. It is identical to the LS, except for 20-inch alloy wheels and the addition of body-colored grille surrounds and headlight bezels. It can also further be equipped with one of several further appearance modifications, including the Black Pack with 22-inch unique black wheels and side assist steps, the Rally1 edition with racing-inspired trim elements, and the Texas Edition, which comes with unique badging and interior accessories.

The best practical way to choose between the Silverado WT and the Silverado LS is to ask yourself if you are likely to spend a significant amount of time in the truck. If you just need a vehicle to tow or haul something from A to B, then the WT’s lack of amenities and sparse interior will not be a problem. However, if your work includes long drives between sites, your daily commute is lengthy, or you plan on using your truck outside of work, then the more comfortable seating of the LS makes that model the best choice.

Likewise, the addition of smartphone integration and in-car Wi-Fi gives the LS a fairly strong feature set that can easily justify using it as a day-to-day family vehicle, provided you’ve opted for the Crew Cab. In that case, it even gets the added bonus of not looking like an entry-level model, thanks to the additional chrome and alloy wheels.

Compare the 2018 Chevrolet Silverado LS vs LT Trims. What is the difference?

With the LT, the Silverado rounds out the feature set of the LS with a few nice-to-have options, as well as introducing some high-value options packages to further help customize the truck as a preferred daily driver. It adds aluminium alloy wheels to the regular and double cab models that did not get them in the LS. It also features a larger touchscreen and an easy-open liftgate.

The same engine and body style options from the LS recur, with the addition of a mild-hybrid option for the V-8 engine. Previously only available in select states, it can now be ordered nationwide, slightly improving the truck’s fuel economy. A power driver’s seat, dual-zone automatic climate control, remote start and a rear window defroster are among the features that are available in the different options packages for the LT, mixed and matched with a wide selection of appearance packages, some of which are regionally unique.

The Z71 is the off-road option for the LT, which includes towing hardpoints, a limited slip differential, hill descent control, underbody shields and a number of off-road flavored interior and exterior styling changes compared to the regular LT. It is not available with the hybrid V-8 option, and is slightly more limited in its package selection, but is otherwise identical to the LT.

Where the LS makes for a middle ground between a truck for work and a truck for comfort, the LT tilts fully towards the latter. It is a comfortable car to drive and has pretty much all of the basic features one has come to expect from a conventional vehicle. The optional hybrid package only reinforces the trim’s position as a truck-shaped crossover SUV, as do the Silverado’s smooth road manners.

Nonetheless, most buyers should double-check that they can’t get all the features they want on the LS instead, as even with several options packages it can come out slightly less expensive than a similar LT.

Compare the Silverado LT vs LTZ Trims. What is the difference?

The LTZ is the decisive point in the trim line when the Silverado fully changes focus over from utility to comfort and style. This is evident by the fact that it only comes with either of the two V-8 engine options and is not available at all with a regular cab. It comes standard with leather upholstery and front seats that are both heated and power-adjustable. Dual-zone climate control, a remote starter and full LED headlights are standard on this model, and the optional trailer package is also included.

More importantly, this is the model with the big ticket entertainment and driving assistance options. The Enhanced Driver Alert package adds a forward collision warning with automatic braking, lane keep assist, smart headlights, front and rear parking assist sensors, and a Safety Alert Seat that will vibrate when any of those sensors detect driving conditions that need your attention.

The LTZ Plus package, meanwhile, adds powered pedals, a heated steering wheel and Bose premium audio. A number of visual appearance packages are also available, as is the Z71 package. This version adds the same extras to the LTZ as it does to the LT.
The LTZ is the luxury version of the Chevrolet Silverado, and it is priced at an appropriate premium to the LT. That said, it is the best choice if you are looking for the kind of upscale amenities that it offers.

The active safety features, in particular, are must-haves for many drivers, as is the leather interior and the dual-zone climate control, though the latter can be had as an option on the LT. If you are looking for one or more of those features, the LTZ is a good choice. The LTZ Z71 however, is a questionable choice, as it combines rugged off-road elements of the LT Z71 with the luxury features of the LTZ.

Compare the 2018 Silverado LTZ vs High Country Trims. What is the difference?

The High Country is the apex of the Silverado model line, equipped with one of its V-8 engines and a crew cab with either a short or standard-length box. It includes all of the options from the LTZ Driver Alert and Plus packages, as well as its own brand of upgraded leather upholstery that goes over the heated, ventilated, and specially contoured bucket seats.

20-inch chrome wheels, chrome running boards and a unique chrome grille, together with extra chrome accents inside and out, give the High Country its own special look. It also has a few other exclusive features, such as the active noise cancellation technology that is included in the High Country Deluxe package along with larger wheels and a power moonroof.

The full range of options and high material quality of the High Country easily make it look like a luxury SUV, and it is priced like one. If your shopping list includes luxury mid-size or full-size crossovers, but you would like some additional utility, the Silverado High Country can offer you an excellent alternative for the money. On the other hand, if you are looking for something that is more like a nice mass-market crossover with a pickup bed, then the LT or the LTZ will probably match your price and value expectations better.

Final Thoughts

The Chevrolet Silverado lineup offers a surprising amount of freedom for buyers when it comes to the choice of engines, body styles and trim lines, making it easier to match your favorite equipment with the truck’s desired utility. As a working truck, the WT and LS trim levels surprise with the impressive amount of connectivity technology that they include in their value-priced packages, though the LS will probably be the better choice for anyone outside of rental companies and corporate motor pool managers.

The LT and the LTZ will satisfy most buyers who are looking for a mid-range or a lower luxury model of a truck, while the High Country is a good alternative to the luxury crossover set. The LTZ with the active safety package is probably our favorite combination of features and value, especially since it can be matched with the hybrid powertrain.

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