Chevrolet Silverado 2024 review: LTZ Premium - GVM test

Our test vehicle comes equipped with a 6.2-litre 'EcoTec3' petrol V8 and 10-speed automatic transmission for a list price of $130,500.

It's finished in 'Iridescent Pearl Tricoat' (a $1250 premium paint option) and equipped with GMSV’s ‘Black Pack’ accessories package ($3328) comprising black 20-inch alloys, black Chevrolet tailgate lettering, black front bow-tie badge/Z71 body emblems and black slimline weather-shields on the side glass.

It comes standard with the MY24 GM performance exhaust upgrade, which features an active bi-modal function offering a ‘Normal’ exhaust note or louder and more aggressive ‘Sport’ mode.

2024 Chevrolet Silverado LTZ Premium (Image: Mark Oastler)

The LTZ Premium follows US pick-up tradition with lots of chrome including grille and front bumper, door handles, beltline trim, side-steps, rear bumper, dual exhaust outlets (neatly integrated in the rear bumper) and rear body badging.

Other standard equipment highlights include 275/60R20 all-terrain tyres plus a same-size spare, full LED lighting (including DRLs) and a 4.5-tonne tow-bar/12-pin wiring harness/electronic trailer brake controller package backed by numerous active towing aids.

Inside there’s rear privacy glass, power sunroof and power sliding rear window plus ‘Jet Black’ leather-appointed and heated seats. The driver and front passenger seats are also ventilated and have 10-way power-adjustment.

2024 Chevrolet Silverado LTZ Premium (Image: Mark Oastler)

The driver gets a 12.3-inch configurable instrument display and head-up display, plus height/reach power-adjustable steering column and heated steering wheel.

There’s also wireless phone charging and wireless Apple/Android connectivity plus numerous USB ports front and back.

The 360-degree camera view and 14 different camera views are projected on a big 13.4-inch colour multimedia touchscreen, which commands a seven-speaker Bose premium sound system. As its name suggests, this is luxury on a ‘premium’ scale.

2024 Chevrolet Silverado LTZ Premium (Image: Mark Oastler)

The LTZ Premium’s 2552kg kerb weight and 3300kg GVM results in a relatively small 748kg payload rating. It’s also rated to tow up to 3500kg of braked trailer on a 50mm ball and up to 4500kg on a 70mm ball.

So, with its 7160kg GCM (or how much it can legally carry and tow at the same time) it can carry its maximum payload while towing 3500kg.

However, the legal payload limit drops to only 108kg when towing 4500kg. That’s realistically only enough for a driver, so it’s important to know these weight limits if you’re planning to tow the maximum 4.5 tonnes.

The load tub’s floor is 1776mm floor long, 1813mm wide and 569mm deep, offering almost 1.8 cubic metres of total tub volume. And with 1286mm between the wheel-housings, it will easily carry Aussie or Euro pallets.

It’s protected by a tough spray-on liner, plus there’s 12 load-anchorage points, bright LED lighting, a power tailgate and a camera to keep an eye on loads when driving. The rear bumper provides surefooted access to the load tub with a centre-step and concave side-steps.

There’s ample cabin storage for the driver and front passenger, with two bottle/cupholders and a large bin in each door. There’s also a single glove box, while the wide console offers a large open tray up front, two bottle/cupholders in the centre and a cavernous box at the back with a large padded lid that provides comfortable elbow support.

2024 Chevrolet Silverado LTZ Premium (Image: Mark Oastler)

Rear passengers get a bottle/cupholder and bin in each door, plus two more bottle/cupholders in the fold-down centre armrest and another two in the rear of the centre console.

There are also large storage pockets on both front seat backrests and compartments for small items are cleverly hidden behind hinged upper-backrest cushions.

The 60/40-split rear seat base-cushions can swing up and be stored vertically if more internal load space is required, or to access ample under-seat storage.

2024 Chevrolet Silverado LTZ Premium (Image: Mark Oastler)

GM’s 6.2-litre EcoTec3 petrol V8 with 'Dynamic Fuel Management' (deactivates cylinders when not required to optimise fuel economy) produces 313kW at 5600rpm and 624Nm of torque at 4100rpm.

This is paired with a refined 10-speed torque converter automatic, armed with an auxiliary external oil cooler which is ideal for heavy towing.

This transmission also offers sequential manual-shifting using steering wheel-mounted paddles and numerous selectable drive modes.

2024 Chevrolet Silverado LTZ Premium (Image: Mark Oastler)

These include ‘Sport’ which activates the louder and freer-flowing exhaust setting while modifying shift calibrations, steering/brake pedal feel and suspension tuning for a more engaging drive.

A dual-range transfer case with push-button control offers the choice of 2WD High, 4WD High, 4WD Low and 4WD Auto, with the latter being a full-time torque-on-demand system. It’s also equipped with an automatic locking rear differential.

Those who need to tow (which is probably most owners) will appreciate numerous features including reversing camera with hitch guidance and view, in-vehicle trailering app with different trailer profiles, trailer theft alert plus an automated trailer lighting test and GCM alert.

GMSV claims official combined cycle fuel consumption of 12.9L/100km and the dash readout was showing 14.7 when we stopped to refuel at the completion of our 334km test.

It included city, suburban and highway driving, of which about one third was hauling its maximum payload.

This compares to our own figure, calculated from fuel bowser and tripmeter readings, which was higher again at 16.5L/100km. That's still decent economy for a large displacement petrol V8 powering a truck weighing more than 2.5 tonnes unladen.

So, based on our ‘real world’ consumption, you could expect a driving range of around 550km from its 91-litre tank.

2024 Chevrolet Silverado LTZ Premium (Image: Mark Oastler)

There’s no ANCAP star ratings in this vehicle class, but it does tick numerous boxes on the safety menu including six airbags with side-curtain protection for all outboard seating positions.

There are also three top-tether points across the rear seat for securing baby capsules/child seats, with ISOFIX anchors on the two outer positions.

Active features include forward collision alert with low-speed AEB, lane-keeping, blind-spot monitoring (which expands to include trailers), rear cross-traffic alert, front/rear parking sensors, up to 14 camera views including a 360-degrees ‘birds-eye’ (great when parking) and more.

2024 Chevrolet Silverado LTZ Premium (Image: Mark Oastler)

This includes ‘Teen Driver Alert’ which allows parents/guardians to program speed alerts, seatbelt warnings, audio volume limits etc to minimise distractions and enhance safety for young drivers.

It also includes a ‘report card’ which makes it easy to track your teen’s driving performance - not that owners are likely to let a P-plater loose in one of these things!