2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500

The latest iteration of Chevrolet’s big-selling Silverado is here, and—surprise!—it looks pretty much like the last one. But don’t be fooled by the exterior’s minor evolutionary changes; Chevy’s marketing may Run Deep, but its engineering squad dug deep with this new full-size pickup, implementing a host of improvements where buyers will have a hard time seeing them. Three all-new engines join the all-new body and chassis, and are designed to provide equal parts toughness and better fuel economy. Customers may not be able to spot the changes, but Chevy is hoping they’ll be able to feel them.

You may need to closely study photos of the 2014 Silverado and the 2013 model it replaces in order to identify specific cosmetic differences between the two, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The outgoing model is fairly handsome, and recent updates to the Silverado’s key domestic competitors—the 2013 Ram 1500 and the Ford F-150—haven’t delivered radical stylistic changes, either. The new truck’s appearance hews closely to the old one’s, but things have been softened slightly in the name of aerodynamics, especially up front. Chevy also beefed up the new Silverado’s fender flares, added more-intricate detailing to the grille, made projector-beam headlights available, and rendered the hood in lightweight aluminum.

Inside, the new Silverado has received a total overhaul that brings both a more modern look and more-modern equipment. The dashboard is more upright and blocky than before, but looks classier than the outgoing truck’s bland, plasticky unit. Chevrolet’s MyLink infotainment system is available, as is an eight-inch touch screen as well as a 4.2-inch color display in the gauge cluster. Like in the upcoming 2014 Impala sedan, the Silverado’s MyLink setup allows for natural-language voice commands and can link up to 10 devices. The ride should be more pleasant thanks to new doors that now are inset into the body sides instead of wrapping around to meet the roof, reducing road and wind noise. Triple door seals further boost the Silverado’s quietness quotient, as do new front-hinged rear doors on extended-cab models.