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You’ve probably seen the stats that about 20% of new vehicles sold today are trucks. And why not? They’re imminently practical, comfortable, can go anywhere, and they’re cool. For decades the Ford F-150 has outsold every other truck, however, the Chevy Silverado is gaining ground and recently overtook Ram to become the second-best selling truck on the market.

What is Chevy getting right with the Silverado?

How many trucks is Chevy selling?

2022 Chevy Silverado interior in black and brown trim.
2022 Chevrolet Silverado High Country | Chevrolet

So far in 2022, Chevy has sold 261,828 Silverado trucks. That was enough to eclipse the Ram brand, which started the year strong but fell off. Of the seven full-sized trucks you can buy today, Ford, Chevy and then Ram beat GMC, Toyota, Nissan and Hummer, in that order according to research firm Car Sales Base.

Overall, when you include GMC’s 62,000 sold trucks in the same quarter, GM now sells more half-ton trucks than Ford does F-150s.

For 2022 Chevy Silverado was updated

The Silverado High Country interior adds new leather and wood trim and a giant touchscreen.
2022 Chevrolet Silverado High Country interior | Chevrolet

Want to sell more trucks? Update the old one. For 2022, the Silverado saw a big update that brought it up market. The big differences in the new 2022 Silverado include a new grille and a new interior.

The new interior on all trims includes a new horizontal instrument panel and a new center console with a 13.4-inch touchscreen. Under the new grille, running lights now do a funky animated walk-up dance when you approach with the key.

You can get Super Cruise

GM’s Super Cruise is now available on the High Country luxury version. The High Country trim brings near-Escalade amounts of leather and refinement to the Silverado. Super Cruise is GM’s self-driving technology that is semi-autonomous on thousands of miles of pre-mapped interstates.  

The ZR2 option gives it off-road chops

Side view of a white 2023 Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 Bison in the woods
2023 Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 Bison | Chevrolet

Of course, Chevy added new trim packages for 2022, including the new flagship ZR2 version, which brings new off-road capability. The ZR2 package adds fancy MultiMatic shocks that use special reservoirs to allow the shocks to rebound very quickly. Those shocks, combined with a lift, skid plates, the might 6.2-liter V8, off-road tires, and some other goodies mean the ZR2 can go places (quickly) that previous Silverado’s could only dream of.

You can get a V8 or a diesel

The new 3.0-liter Duramax diesel was redesigned to get better fuel economy.
The Chevrolet Silverado’s all-new 3.0L Duramax inline-six turbo-diesel engine | Chevrolet

Ford is stepping away from gas-guzzling V8 engines, and though you can still order the 5.0 in the F-150, the premium engines are all turbocharged V6s. The premium engines from Chevy and Ram remain V8s. In the Silverado, though, you can order the 5.3-liter V8 and the mighty 6.2-liter with 420 horsepower is still available.

But, Chevy recognizes that fuel efficiency is a priority for buyers and the new 2.7-liter turbocharged four-cylinder is quickly becoming a popular choice for many buyers. That engine packs 310 horsepower and 430 lb.-ft of torque, while the optional 3.0-liter Duramax was updated for 2022. The diesel makes 466 lb.-ft of torque and with it, the Silverado can tow more than 11,000 pounds.

You can get a multi-camera towing system

2022 Chevy Silverado screen showing top-down view
2022 Chevrolet Silverado High Country showing a top-down view.

Backing up a trailer, or simply threading a trailer through a tight space, is always nerve-wracking. But, the Silverado makes it easier with the multi-camera system that shows you the views from all over the trailer to make it easier to back up with six available views. It can show you the top, and sides, from the bed, and a unique rear side view that is turn signal activated and show you what would be in your blindspot.

For 45 years, Ford has held the top spot with its F-150 trucks. So far in 2022 the F-150 looks poised to hold that top spot, but Chevy is constantly gunning at Ford in the lucrative full-size truck market.  

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Writer - Sedans & Coupes

Dan Mayfield

Dan joined MotorBiscuit in 2022 with over 20 years of experience in journalism and a lifelong passion for anything related to the automotive industry. He grew up wrenching a 1949 Ford pickup truck and an MGB with his dad, learning how not to wire a fuel pump (he inadvertently set the MGB on fire).

After earning a bachelor’s degree in photojournalism from the University of New Mexico, Dan has contributed his expertise to a range of local outlets, including the City of Albuquerque, US Eagle, and the Alliance for Local Economic Prosperity.

On weekends, Dan spends Saturdays enjoying “cars and coffee” chats and, on Sundays, he’s watching the Route 66 Cruise roll through town. He also races motorcycles, and it’s not unusual to find him elbows-deep in his latest cafe racer build.

Taking advantage of the local desert terrain, Dan also enjoys exploring and driving off-road in his trusty Ram Rebel pickup truck, which provides personal insights into his contributions to our Trucks, SUVs, & Crossovers coverage. Dan strives to give our readers unique information about the dynamic automotive market, reading anything that has to do with cars, trucks, bikes, 4X4s, and, in his words, “everything with a motor.”

Dan has earned a number of accolades from the Public Relations Society of America, and is a University of Southern California, Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism Fellow.