The New 2014 Chevy Silverado And 2014 GMC Sierra: Conservatism Squared

GM just unveiled its brand new full size pickup trucks, the 2014 Silverado and the 2014 GMC Sierra.

On first glance, they look meaner and freight train-ier than before. The Silverado has larger headlights and a really imposing grill. But, despite the HD-esque improvements, it's rather dull. These trucks are designed to last decades with only minor improvements and reflect in style the conservatism of many of its owners.

This is the most important vehicle launch, realistically, that GM is going to make soon. A huge volume profit center for the company. Were they too conservative? Or just conservative enough?

The Silverado will have two V8s, a 5.3 and 6.2 liter (which may be a variant of the LT1 from the 2014 Corvette), and a brand new 4.3 V6 based on the V8. There are no turbos, but they do have cylinder deactivation and direct injection to maximize fuel economy. This is all hooked up to a six-speed automatic. The current truck rear drive Silverado gets 17 MPG, so we might be looking at a big improvement. GM is estimating 17 MPG combined, which isn't stellar overall, but is damn good for a pickup truck. Power ratings aren't out yet, but expect improvements across the range.

The biggest change may be in the interior, which has a large Cadillac CUE-esque screen along with some chunky switchgear.

I think the Sierra is the classy member of the crew, with an imposing front end and GMC written out in the largest letters imaginable. It's also stylish. It has LEDs! Sure, the designs aren't a total departure from the last gen truck, but then again, there is only so much these brands are willing to do with such an important vehicle.