Chevrolet Silverado V8 Z71 TrailBoss (2025)

This fear of trying different cars every week makes you such a nonconformist person that I don’t even support myself. It happens that, in January of this year, when the people of GM Argentina He lent us to try the new days for ten days Chevrolet Silverado V8 High CountryI could not stop thinking about the Silverado V8 Z71 TrailBoss.

We even shared a journey through the Médanos de Pinamar, where I had the opportunity to handle both on the same land. Do you understand why I am becoming a horrible person? They gave me the pick-up for ten days full-size more brand new of the moment in the Argentine market and I kept thinking about “The other”.

The point is that –at last!– I could also spend ten days with the blessed Z71. And, obviously, I loved it. However, I never thought I would like it so much. Has a list price of 97.169.900 pesos and complete criticism reproduces continuously.

On the outside

The Silverado V8 High Country It is a spectacular flat. But, as I said in critics, it has a characteristic that can be uncomfortable. The High Country comes standard to Argentina with the huge rearview mirrors called “Trailering Mirrors”: It is an accessory that is offered in option in other markets and serves to transport large trailers. They are great for those who are going to dedicate to that activity, but for the rest they can be a fattening: the total width with mirrors reaches up to 2,641 millimeters. In narrow routes they invade – literally – half the opposite lane and a good part of the bench.

The Z71 trailboss, on the other hand, comes with more conventional mirrors and the total width is reduced to only 2.478 mm (See all measures). The Z71 is a little higher than the High Country (1,999 against 1,945 mm). And, in addition, it has a greater clearance of the ground: 288 contra 243 mm.

To all that we must add that the Z71 does not come with stirrups. I love flat without stirrups. It seems to me a rather ugly accessory and that, in off-road management, it always ends up dirtying and hitting. Access to the cabin is not complicated if you know how to make the climbing maneuver grabbing the appropriate handrails. At least I had no problems, because I measure 1.87 meters. If you mediate less, I recommend using a bench (or rehearsing the climb well, so as not to pass paperons), but let’s avoid falling into the temptation of the stirrups.

The tremendous facha of the Z71 is completed with the rescue hooks painted red (two forward and two behind, direct anchored to the chassis) and allterrain tires: Kumho Road Venture AT51 275/60r20.

This unit was equipped with an optional accessory highly recommended: a rigid and folding lid for the load box. It is very easy to open in parts (to load luggage or minor objects), but quite complicated if you want to remove it completely (to accommodate larger loads). In my opinion, this is not a flat that will transport large loads every day, so the accessory is recommended by its greater virtue: the pond against dust and rain is excellent. Does not filter any dirt.

Within

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Inside, the differences between the Z71 and the High Country are less noticeable. The HC comes standard with claimatized seats (cold/heat) and with a more refined upholstery (with decorative seams and emblems “high country”). In addition, the electrical settings of the front seats have memory. The two Silverado have a steering wheel with adjustment in height and depth, but in the HC the movement mechanism of these adjustments is electrical. Another relevant detail: the HC comes with “Head-up Display” (projection on the windshield of the most relevant information on the board) and the Z71, no.

Beyond that, the “base” silvery in Argentina continues to have a huge, bright, super comfortable cabin for five passengers and with a huge amount of holes to save objects. Quality is typical of these trucks: without great refinements, but with very good materials. It is one full-size and is in another dimension in front of any medium pick-up. I always recommend getting up at least once, to experiment the sensation: these chatters are really from another planet.

And, of course, that “base” It’s just a joke: I wish cars “base” manufactured in Mercosur they came as standard with audio equipment Bosetwo 230 volt electric shots (in the cabin and in the load box), box gate with automatic electric opening, 12.3 -inch digital board and 13.4 -inch multimedia screen (with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, OnStar y Wifi own to connect up to eight mobile devices).

SECURITY

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Almost all security devices are equal in the two silvery. This includes the six airbags, the emergency autonomous braking, the trailer wizard and the camera with 360 degree vision. The High Country is unmarked by details such as adaptive cruise control, the extra camera to monitor what happens in the cargo box and the system that makes the driver’s seat vibrate when driving assists (ADAS) are intervening for some reason (either to alert for a non -marked lane change or the presence of an object or pedestrian too close to the vehicle).

Like all modern Chevrolet, the silverado arrives in Argentina with the system OnStar With Wifi: the security wizard is very complete and for many years it was alone in the market. Now GM has the competition of Toyota connected services (Although the Japanese were not encouraged to compete in the Full-Size segment) and Ford Passthat runs with an important advantage: it is the only one that is free for life. Toyota and GM charge a fertilizer after a free test period.

The organism IIHSrepresentative in the United States of GlobalNCAPsubjected the silvery to its shock tests and the results were not the best: he described with the lowest “P” (“Poor”, poor) in one of the frontal shock tests and in the operation of the lights. He also raised his doubts with an “m” (“marginal”) in another front shock test with a more demanding angle. In addition, the children’s chair retention system was questioned.

Motor and transmission

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Here there is no difference with High Country. The Z71 has the same engine EcoTec3 V8 atmospheric, which derives from the same block that the already discontinued used Camaro. In the configuration for our delivery market 360 cv of power at 5,600 rpm and 519 Nm at 4,100 rpm. Yes, the Z71 is the most “cheap” of the Full-Size, but it is also the least powerful. I would say that this is its main point against, although it remains a power abyss against any medium -time flat.

The engine has a cylinder deactivation system, which allows to function with only six or four pistons when it circulates at constant speeds. This helps (a little) to lower consumption.

The gearbox is the same 10 -speed Ford automatic. Remember that it is a joint development of GM and the oval: the two arch

The traction is 4×4 disconnectable, with rear differential reduction and blockade. While some brands compete to see who offers the greatest amount of handling modes, the silverado offers just three: off-road, normal and sport.

BEHAVIOR

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Let’s go with him disclaimer that we include every time we try a full-size. These flat do not serve and are not designed for the narrow streets of the main cities of Argentina. In fact, it is a torture for the driver and lack of respect for the rest of the motorists try to move with these mastodones For our saturated cities.

However, Argentina is an immense, beautiful and empty country. Outside the city is where these devices make sense and where you can enjoy their fabulous comfort in all types of land, the huge cabin and its Patagonian proportions.

Of course, the rustic Z71 TrailBoss It adapts much better to Argentine roads – extended, desolate and in bad state – than the refined High Country. During the trial days we toured many rural routes and roads in the province of Buenos Aires, where the enormous difference in the tuning of the suspensions was appreciated.

The HC has a calibration designed to circulate most of the time on the asphalt. He is comfortable and refined in his reactions. The Z71 is much more rough, but it feels very comfortable as soon as the pavement is over. The so -called “Kit Z71” – with specific shock absorbers and a greater clearance of the ground – entertains itself passing over wells, gravel, serruchos, mud and huelones.

The Kumho Road Venture AT51 275/60R20 tires of the Z71 are much better adapt to all types of land than the Bridgestone Duel 275/60 R20 of the HC. Therefore, to find another full-size so well prepared for our rural roads you have to look only in the field of F-150 Tremor y Raptor of Ford.

The load capacity is 716 kilos, with 1,781 liters of volume and can tow a trailer of up to 4,128 kilos. Asphalt measurements are barely worse than HC, but everything is because of the difference in tires. The Z71 accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.3 seconds (against 6.1 of the HC) and its maximum speed is limited to 183 km/h (The same in both cases). The recovery of 80 to 120 km/h does it in 5.5 seconds (against 5.3 of the HC). We return to the previous section: Other Full-Size have more power, but these performance values are not bad.

The issue of consumption is quite curious. To begin, the fuel tank is the smallest in its segment: it has 91 liters (The F-150 load 140 and the RAMs between 100 and 117 liters), which limits autonomy. During the tests in the summer marks I was scared with the consumption Off-Road: it marked up to 25 liters per 100 kilometers, but that is something expected when one handles with the loss connected and in heavy terrain.

A very different thing is on route, at a constant speed, which is when the cylinder off system comes into action. At 120 km/h, in tenth already march 1,800 rpm, I achieved a mark of just 13 l/100km. In urban use the numbers shoot a bit and reach 17 l/100km.

CONCLUSION

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The Chevrolet Silverado Z71 It is not the most powerful, it is not the most luxurious nor is it the most equipped of the large pick-ups sold by Argentina. However, with a price of 97.169.900 pesos is the most “cheap” Among all the options offered in our market.

In addition, it has a configuration off-road Ideal for the vast majority of the country’s paths. It does not fall into the mistake of confusing luxury with the ability to circulate through all types of land with the greatest comfort, robustness and security. In addition, it has an overwhelming aesthetic: it must be the Chevy more beautiful that is sold in Argentina since the time of the Camaro, Corvette y Serie 2.

For all that, the Z71 TrailBoss It deserves a place on the podium of the best flat in the Argentine market. There is a step below the F-150 Raptor y Tremorbut well above all other options full-size.

C.C.

Photographic production: Dolores Bulit

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Source: Motor1 Argentina