Thanks to an invitation extended by Chevrolet, the La Prensa San Diego team was present to witness the reveal of the new generation Corvette.
But while many (ourselves included) sought to get behind the wheel of the ultimate ‘Vette during its reveal weekend, the folks at Chevrolet handed us the keys to another one of its flagship models, the 2019 Silverado LT, to make our 80-mile trip to the manufacturer’s festivities in Tustin.
While our time with the 2019 Silverado was brief, we were pleased with its performance in city and highway driving environments.
Despite its large size, handling is extremely responsive and comfortable. Where parallel parking and changing crowded lanes can be an ordeal for such a vehicle, the on-board technology and rear vision camera setup allow for full control and visibility while navigating city streets.
Driving up and down the 5 Freeway, the 2019 Silverado’s 6.2 liter V8 engine, rated at 355 horsepower, showed its strength. While we did not haul anything along other than individual suitcases (we would have liked to really push and punish this utility vehicle to comment on intended performance), we found its acceleration to be very good and indicative of what’s beneath the hood.
Our three-man team travelled comfortably inside the dual cabin, with a generous amount of legroom Seats are comfortable on both rows and the air conditioning system quickly cools the spacious interior. No phone went uncharged, thanks in part to the multiple USB ports on both rows of seating.
The central console suite is straightforward but unintuitive. Toggling between media and connecting mobile devices felt needlessly complicated at first, and device connection occurred occasionally. We tested the OnStar navigation service and had difficulty connecting to the operators as well. But despite its slight shortcomings in its brains, this models brawn and comfort more than make up for the lackluster UI.
While the eighth generation Corvette was the talk of the industry this weekend, the La Prensa San Diego team also walked away with a positive impression of the 2019 Silverado in our brief trial.
Score 4/5
