History of the Silverado

FIRST GENERATION — 1999-2007

Bursting onto the scene as a replacement for the Chevrolet C/K pickup, the first Silverado 1500 didn’t take long to take off with drivers. Right out of the gate, it offered a trio of powerful engine options ideal for towing, making it a favorite with blue-collar, hard-working Americans. Adding to its ample variety over the first years were a number of unique variants, like the Silverado SS revealed in 2003, the Performance Edition from 2004, and the Silverado hybrid from 2004, the latter of which was the first production hybrid Chevrolet offered.

SECOND GENERATION — 2007-2014

Fully redesigned to be more capable, powerful, and have better aerodynamics, the second-generation Chevrolet Silverado 1500 immediately won two reputable awards the year it debuted — Motor Trend Truck of the Year and North American Truck of the Year. While this generation saw the end of the manual transmission option for the Silverado, it introduced key innovations like Active Fuel Management, an integrated trailer brake controller, the popular Z71 Appearance Package, and Bluetooth®

THIRD GENERATION — 2014-2019

In addition to another style upgrade, the third-gen Silverado continued pushing the envelope with new technologies that made the truck more modern than ever. From the introduction of the Chevrolet MyLink touchscreen system to standard OnStar® to built-in Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ compatibility, the Silverado demonstrated that power and smarts could go hand in hand. This gen also saw the launch of several popular special edition variants like the High Desert, Midnight Edition, Redline Edition, and the Centennial Edition in 2018 that celebrated a century of Chevy trucks.

FOURTH GENERATION — 2019 AND BEYOND

Today’s Chevrolet Silverado 1500 is the most capable and most advanced ever built by far. The 2019-2020 Silverado is the most stylish and most versatile yet with eight different trims, six different engine options, and no shortage of packages and special editions to choose from. It also continues its long history of innovations with features like Durabed, which gives it the most capable truck bed in the segment, and first-in-class innovations like a power-up/-down tailgate.