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As more and more pickup trucks seemingly drop their diesel engines, the 2024 Chevy Silverado 1500 is adding one. For the high-flying Chevy Silverado 1500 ZR2, shoppers can opt for a 3.0-liter Duramax turbodiesel engine. A powerplant that was not previously available to this off-road, full-size truck. There are some other changes for the 2024 Silverado ZR2 as well. 

Does the Chevy Silverado have a diesel engine?

The regular Chevy Silverado 1500 has a diesel engine, but the top-of-the-line ZR2 trim previously did not offer one. For the 2024 model year, that is set to change. General Motors is giving this off-road truck the 3.0-liter Duramax diesel engine. And it might not have as much horsepower as the 6.2-liter V8, it does have more torque. 

The front-end of the Chevy Silverado 1500 ZR2 off-road truck.
Chevy Silverado 1500 ZR2 | Chevy

The Duramax turbodiesel makes 305 hp and 495 lb-ft of torque. In comparison, the V8 engine makes 420 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque. It’s also worth mentioning that the 3.0-liter Duramax got an update for 2023. 

Is the 3.0 Duramax reliable?

As a turbodiesel inline-six engine, the 3.0-liter Duramax is generally seen as reliable. It is featured in a variety of GM products, and now it is under the hood of the 2024 Chevy Silverado 1500 ZR2. Depending on its application, power outputs do change to better suit driving conditions. 

GM is so confident in this engine that the recommended inspection has been bumped to 200,000 miles. For the most part, diesel engines are known for being able to pack on the miles. As with any powerplant, though, proper maintenance does play a big part in reliability.

The 3.0 Durmax Turbodiesel engine is now an option on the 2024 Chevy Silverado 1500 ZR2.
Duramax Engine | Chevy

What’s new for the 2024 Chevy Silverado 1500?

In addition to giving the ZR2 an optional turbodiesel engine, Chevy has made some other changes to the Silverado 1500. When it comes to the V8 for this full-size truck, there is now an active exhaust that can be changed based on drive mode. 

A 2024 Chevy Silverado 1500 ZR2 Bison sits in the woods.
2024 Chevy Silverado 1500 | Chevy

According to Car and Driver, the standard 2.7-liter turbocharged engine is now known as the TurboMax. But changes to that engine appear to be in name only. Perhaps the most noticeable update is standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto across the board, both of which work wirelessly. 

For those looking at the Chevy Silverado High Country, adaptive cruise control is standard for the 2024 model year. Safety tech like that is becoming standard on more and more vehicles, even full-size trucks. 

The Chevy Silverado ZR2 is still an off-road truck

If you want an off-road truck in the full-size segment, the 2024 Chevy Silverado 1500 ZR2 is still a solid option. It might not be as powerful as something like a Ford F-150 Raptor, but it should be able to handle life on the trails. 

The addition of the Duramax diesel engine now gives folks more of a choice when it comes to what powers their truck. It’s really going to come down to if you want to sacrifice horsepower in order to gain more torque.

Related The 2024 Chevy Silverado Has Even More Spicy Updates

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