- 1967 Chevrolet C/K10 Series
- 1938 Chevrolet Half-Ton
- 1990 Chevrolet 454 SS
- 1947 Chevrolet 3100 Series
- 1959 Chevrolet El Camino
- 2024 Chevrolet Silverado HD ZR2
- 1970 Chevrolet El Camino SS
- 2018 Silverado 1500 Centennial Edition
- 2023 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2
- 2024 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 EV
These are the best trucks ever to wear the Chevrolet emblem.
If there's one thing we know for certain, America loves pickup trucks. For many decades, we've been spoilt for choice thanks to countless options and iterations from Ford, Dodge, and of course, Chevrolet.
Chevy has proven to be a worthy contender against its fellow Detroit-based rivals and has been manufacturing successful models since as early as 1918 with the Chevrolet One-Ton. With so much experience and time put into improving the Chevrolet truck, there's no denying that GM created some trucks that stood out amongst their peers. For over 100 years, the manufacturer has built reliable workhorses, large dually trucks, family pickups, performance variants, and much more.
Chevy shows no sign of stopping either, and in preparation for the all-electric era, GM has already announced the Silverado EV to combat the likes of the Ford F-150 Lightning and Ram 1500 REV. There isn't a better time to celebrate the heritage of the Chevrolet pickup, so here are our 10 best Chevy trucks to date.
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1967 Chevrolet C/K10 Series
The pickup truck was created first and foremost to be a workhorse, a utilitarian vehicle capable of transporting large and heavy loads that the average motor car couldn't. If you wanted a daily driver with a bit of luxury, a dash of sportiness, or the practicality to haul a family, then the pickup truck wasn't for you.
The C/K10 sought to change this, being the first pickup offered by Chevy that focused more on comfort and convenience on a truck that used to be a designated workhorse. Thanks to its new focus on drivability, reliability, and the luxury usually only found within a sedan at the time, the C/K10 became an instant success! Chevy managed to sell millions to consumers, leaving the executives over at the Blue Oval scratching their heads as to why people wanted a bit of comfort in a pure workhorse.
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1938 Chevrolet Half-Ton
The true definition of style, the Half-Ton perfectly captures the vibe and art style so prevalent in the mid-1900s. The Half-Ton came at a time when Chevy had just formed a new design team, who graced the pickup with smooth, flowing fenders, a rather flashy vertical front grill, and further sleek “modern” cues all complimented by the works of the Art and Color department.
At release, the little pickup cost a measly $592 and offered a less-than-inspiring 78 horsepower from its 3.5-liter inline-6. Nevertheless, the Half-Ton made a statement; it was reliable and carried out its intended duties well. Nowadays, it looks to be straight out of a classic Hollywood movie.
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1990 Chevrolet 454 SS
Now for the exciting stuff! If you have even the slightest knowledge of Chevrolet, you'd know the SS (Super Sport) nameplate wasn't just your average trim level. It was reserved only for Chevy's more performance-focused vehicles, and the 454 SS certainly lived up to the name. Offering a big block V8, a 454 cubic-inch, specifically, the Chevy truck sent 230 horsepower to the rear wheels, cementing its status as a muscle car in a truck's body.
Despite its power and appeal, the 454 was rather small and simple in design. It didn't offer any particularly flashy features, the car itself wasn't complex, and it still managed to serve its purpose as a usable workhorse. This Chevy truck made for the perfect offering for the commuter needing pickup truck space and muscle car appeal.
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1947 Chevrolet 3100 Series
In time for innovation and to truly step up Chevy truck design, the 3100 ditched the vertical grille and opted for a cleaner, more modern (at the time) five-bar horizontal grille. Chevrolet had now begun to understand that the Chevy pickup was no longer just a workhorse but rather a work-ready daily driver.
Besides the 3100's more elegant and confident design, it now included more quality-of-life features to further improve the comfort and drivability philosophy that would greatly drive the brand to success later on. The Chevy truck included an extra seat to transport more occupants, a built-in radio, and a heater/defroster system.
1959 Chevrolet El Camino
A Chevy truck worthy of attending Flo's V8 diner, this generation of El Camino tried to capture the elegance and flowing lines of 50s-60s lowriders. Built to take on Ford's Ranchero, the El Camino offered great road handling and the feeling of driving a sedan.
Although rather flashy, the El Camino remained usable. The flatbed offered all the necessary capacity to transport loads and could tow trailers when needed. The vehicle was Chevy's idea of a half car, half truck, a formula that was well-received at the time but would soon die out in the US.
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2024 Chevrolet Silverado HD ZR2
It's 2023, and Chevy has been perfecting the truck design for decades. At this point, Chevrolet knows that its clientele is looking for reliable, capable, fast, and easy-to-live-with daily drivers. Bring on the Chevy Silverado, the successor to Chevy's C/K line, which had now taken everything Chevy had learned about the truck market and compressed it into a truck that had something for everyone – including a ZR2 version of the Silverado Heavy Duty.
This 2023 variant offers all the features and comfort anyone would expect from a normal car, but what truly makes this particular variant, the ZR2, special is its engine and off-road capability. This generation Silverado is the first Silverado HD ever to wear the ZR2 nameplate. While the light-duty Silverado ZR2 generates 420 horsepower, the HD variant packs as much as 470 hp and 975 lb-ft of torque from an optional 6.6-liter twin-turbo diesel V8.
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1970 Chevrolet El Camino SS
We bet you've heard of this one, the El Camino SS is possibly one of the most notable and well-known Chevy trucks of all time. Essentially, the El Camino SS was a Chevelle with loads of trunk space, even sharing the platform with the sedan. With a 6.6L V8 under the hood and a power output of 350 or 375 horsepower – depending on whether you had the L34 or L78, you were guaranteed the fun of a muscle car.
Although the El Camino SS looked like a full-on party truck, it was actually surprisingly capable. Able to haul large goods and stay planted on the road with relatively stable handling, this particular Chevy truck made for a perfectly balanced daily workhorse.
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2018 Silverado 1500 Centennial Edition
What's not to love about a special edition Chevy truck? And the Silverado was certainly a truck worth celebrating. The Centennial Edition was created as a nod to past trucks and marked 100 years since the first ever Chevy truck, the One-Ton, had hit the road.
Although predominantly a regular Silverado 1500, this particular trim included a unique Blue Steel color, Heritage bow ties on the front and rear of the truck, and 100th-anniversary badging on the front doors. Under the hood, it boasted 420 hp from the already successful 6.2-liter V8. A perfect thank you message to the Chevy trucks that came before it.
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2023 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2
The Chevrolet Colorado is the smaller sibling of the Chevy truck family, allowing its big brother, the Silverado, to do all the extra heavy lifting. The Colorado, however, caters more to the family man or woman in need of a smaller truck for town driving and convenience.
Don't mistake the Colorado's smaller size for a lack of capability; the truck offers everything you could need to do your hauling and daily driving. While some dealers sell tunes for extra power, even the standard ZR2 is something to behold, with its Multimatic off-road suspension and 310 hp on tap making it ideal for hitting the trails. In terms of size and power, this might just be the sweet spot in terms of Chevy trucks.
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2024 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 EV
Chevrolet's answer to the Ford F-150 Lightning and the Ram 1500 REV, the Silverado EV will be Chevy's first-ever production electric truck. On track to launch in 2024, the Silverado EV will face stiff competition but is bound to appeal to Chevrolet loyalists with its bold styling and strong blend of comfort and convenience, plus a notable towing capacity of 10,000 lbs.
Putting all the EV stuff aside, the Silverado EV will manage 0-60 in just 4.5 seconds. This is thanks to 754 horses on tap and a peak torque figure of 785 lb-ft. Regular charging shouldn't be a hassle either; with Chevrolet claiming a range of 400 miles, you'll easily be able to conduct your weekly journeys without the constant worry of the battery dying (and if it does, Chevrolet will offer you a built-in home charger).
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Keyword: 10 Best Chevy Pickup Trucks Of All Time