Should I cancel my order for the 2027 Chevrolet Silverado 1500? That was the question on my mind after spending time with the new truck in Tucson, Arizona.
I have a High Country with the new 6.6-liter V8 on order. During the drive program, I tried that engine without a trailer, towed a camper with a separate 5.7-liter High Country and took a ZR2 off-road. Those are three different experiences, and they all helped me think through what I want from my next truck.
The seats, cameras and way these trucks drove gave me plenty to like. The questions about GM’s past lifter and transmission problems still deserve a closer look. Here is where I landed after the first drive, before taking delivery of my own Silverado.
Why I ordered a High Country with the 6.6-liter V8
My order is for Pacific Blue Metallic. I like blue trucks, and that color was a big part of the decision. The green High Country in this walkaround is a press vehicle, not the color of the truck I ordered.
In my September order video, I explained that I had considered the 5.7-liter V8. My dealer told me the Pacific Blue configuration I wanted required the 6.6-liter V8 at that point. I also tried to get the Max Trailering Package and ran into availability limits. That was my ordering experience at the time, not a statement that every color-and-engine combination has the same restrictions today.
I described my camper as about 30 feet long and 7,000 pounds fully loaded. That gives you an idea of how I plan to use the truck. It is my reported camper weight, not a verified scale ticket or the towing rating for my ordered Silverado. The actual truck’s payload and trailering labels, hitch limits and loaded combination will matter.
The High Country interior is the biggest improvement
The High Country feels more like a true premium trim now. I like the improved materials, the door styling and the power steps. The screens work together well, although I could do without the passenger screen.
The seats are the big deal for me. I have been critical of GM seat comfort, and these are a noticeable improvement over the previous generation. They remind me of the direction GM took with the comfortable GMT800-era seats. I would not say they are all the way there, but they are much better.
The rear seating area also makes more sense for hauling everyday stuff. I like the flat loading floor and the heated outboard rear seats. Those are features I can see using, rather than just things to list on a window sticker.
Outside, I like the front end, tow hooks and overall shape. I am less sold on some of the lettering and badging. That is being picky, but when I am buying the truck, I get to be picky.
Towing the 5.7-liter was encouraging
The High Country I drove with a camper had the 5.7-liter V8. It was not the 6.6-liter configuration I ordered, so I am not treating this as a towing test of my future truck.
There was plenty of power for the route. With tow-haul mode engaged, the 10-speed shifted well. On a downhill section, I slowed for a corner and the truck downshifted as I wanted it to. It felt confident rather than stressful.
The trailer cameras were especially useful. I liked having the views stay available, seeing traffic behind the camper through the transparent-trailer view and watching the side-camera view move during a turn. Having that information built into the truck’s display is much nicer than adding another screen to the windshield.
This was a short mountain-road drive, including stretches at roughly 30 mph. I still want to know how it behaves on a longer trip and while towing at highway speeds. Nothing in this drive settles fuel economy or long-term durability.
The ZR2 was a separate, impressive experience
I also spent time in a 2027 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 ZR2 on the off-road course and a rock climb. The way the truck soaked up the terrain impressed me. I was not fighting the steering, and the truck let me work through the corners.
On the rocky section, the cameras and spotters were especially helpful. I needed a repositioning attempt at one point, which is a good reminder that the driver and the people outside the truck still matter.
That is useful context for the redesigned Silverado lineup, but the ZR2’s off-road equipment and behavior do not describe the High Country I ordered.
What changed in the new V8 engines?
GM’s Gen 6 small-block announcement lists the new 5.7-liter L76 at 402 horsepower and 428 pound-feet of torque. The 6.6-liter L78 is rated at 481 horsepower and 501 pound-feet. Both pair with a 10-speed automatic.
In the engineering presentation, Mark Dickens explained changes including a longer piston stroke, higher compression and revised airflow. GM also identifies direct and port fuel injection, a variable oil pump, an on-engine oil cooler and revised oil-feed locations.
Those are meaningful changes to understand. They are not, by themselves, proof that the new engines will be trouble-free. That answer takes miles and time.
The lifter and transmission questions still matter
I wanted to know what GM had done about the problems owners have discussed for years. In our reporting on the cylinder-deactivation lifters, GM assistant chief engineer Ian Stahl, speaking in a Getty’s Garage interview, acknowledged earlier failures and described supplier-quality changes and an improved spring in the deactivation mechanism. Those explanations are relevant, but they should not be turned into a guarantee for a new generation of engines.
The transmission discussion needs the same care. Recall 24V797 involved diesel-equipped vehicles and a transmission-control software remedy. GM’s N242454441 special coverage for a worn transmission valve body is a separate program. A valve-body replacement is not the recall’s software remedy, and neither document proves how the new gas-powered Silverado will hold up.
I have heard encouraging reports from owners after valve-body replacement, and I said in the video that I currently feel good about the engine-and-transmission combination. That is my judgment based on what I have learned so far, not a long-term reliability result.
Am I still happy I ordered it?
Yes. Driving the unloaded 6.6-liter High Country gave me a calm ride, plenty of power and technology I liked. Combined with the better seats and the useful towing-camera changes I tried in the 5.7-liter truck, the experience left me pleased with my order.
I still want the longer ownership experience. A first drive cannot tell me everything about living with it, towing my own camper or paying for fuel and maintenance. But after driving the new truck, I am looking forward to getting mine.
Would you order the 2027 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 now, choose a different configuration or wait to see how the new powertrains hold up? Let us know in the comments.
