The 2027 Chevy Silverado 1500 is kind of a big deal. That’s because in America, full-size pickup trucks are one of the most popular things to own, especially when they wear a Ford, GMC, Ram, or Chevy logo. And if you know anything about half-ton trucks, you know that General Motors just introduced new generations of the Sierra 1500 and Silverado 1500. Both are now available to order, and you can spec your ideal version on their respective brand’s consumer sites. Since Chevy’s truck is the more popular one, we set four staffers loose on the configurator and tasked them with creating their ideal version. The trim levels they chose might surprise you.
Carter Fry’s $41,720* Silverado 1500 Work Truck
The street truck: A movement past its prime or just getting started? I’m an optimist, and I choose to believe the latter. My Gen X ancestors refined this style of vehicle long ago during the Dubya administration with factory trucks such as the Toyota Tacoma X-Runner, second-generation Ford F-150 SVT Lightning, and of course, the Dodge Ram SRT-10. I am determined to keep the arts alive with my built-to-spec 2027 Chevy Silverado 1500.
Regular cab, standard bed, two-wheel drive, and a sick paint job. Apex Red, to be exact, for no additional cost. This is a WT-trim Silverado with as few options as I can manage. To be clear, the goal of this build is to prepare for aftermarket modifications. It’s unfortunate that I’m stuck with the 2.7-liter turbo four, but my imagination is running rampant, and I see an LT6 flat-plane-crank V-8 from the Corvette Z06 in my engine bay’s future. I’m keeping the wheels and tires standard to inevitably replace later; however, I will be switching from the Evotex seats to cloth, as the latter fabric is a far superior interior material. Even better than leather—argue with me in the comments. None of the available options excite me for this build; I’m trying to keep the price somewhat reasonable, but I’m a sucker for cosmetic details, so I’ve selected the black bowtie emblem for $325. From the factory, my Silverado rings up at $41,720, but there’s more coming.
The aftermarket hasn’t quite arrived for the ‘27 Silverado 1500, but I think it’s safe to say when it does, prices will look somewhat similar to what’s available for the current 2026 models. I found a lowering kit for 2019–2026 Silverados from McGaughy’s Suspension Parts. It drops the front by 2.5 inches and the rear by 4 inches for $1380. I’m sitting here thinking about what wheels would work on a street truck, and Mickey Thompson crossed my mind. I like the simple look of the cast aluminum MT Open 5, and I’m going for the 20-inch set, which cost $285.99 per wheel (so $1143.96 for all four). Next, I think it’d be pretty dumb to put all-terrain tires on a lowered truck, so it’s a good thing Nitto makes a tire for just this case. It’s called the NT420V, and it’s designed to accommodate large-diameter wheels. The Mickey Thompsons I chose are 9 inches wide, so I’m going with 265/45R-20 tires, which will likely stretch the rubber a bit. A set of four costs $924 before taxes. That’s wheels, tires, and suspension done, which is all I would need to do, to be honest. Window tint? Sure, I’d get a quote on that, but that’s a later issue. All that’s left is to drop that LT6 in the bay. Anyone have a Z06 they’d like to donate? Not including the engine swap, that’s $45,167.96 for my perfect Silverado 1500.–Carter Fry
Eric Stafford’s $49,920 Silverado 1500 Work Truck
Everyone seems to love a four-door truck you can pack your whole family or group of friends in and hit the boulevard or interstate. But what if you want a good reason to limit your passenger space to no more than three people? A regular-cab pickup provides the perfect excuse, and I’m pumped that Chevy still sells this configuration with its new half-ton Silverado. The base Work Truck (WT) starts at $41,395, but that price can climb considerably higher with options, as you can see from my ideal spec.
A rear-drive truck is great fun unless you live in a four-season region like my home state of Michigan. Even with a set of winter tires, an unladen rear axle will struggle for traction on slippery streets, so I added the $4600 four-wheel-drive system. Dropping another $970 got me the 4x4-specific Work Truck package, which includes a useful automatic mode for the two-speed transfer case as well as all-terrain tires, underbody skid plates, and hill-descent control. I paired that with the $395 automatic locking rear diff to give my stout little truck some extra off-road cred.
One of the cool things about the new Chevy Silverado is that even the cheapest version gets the fully digital gauge cluster and large 16.3-inch infotainment touchscreen. I’m also a big fan of bench seats, and a 40/20/40 layout is standard on the WT. I spec’d mine with cloth upholstery, and while the all-black interior looks undeniably drab, I don’t have a choice in the matter. At least it matches the paint job. I stuck with the steel wheels because I’ll definitely bolt on an aftermarket set.
While they’re hard to see in the photos, I added several options to make my Work Truck feel like it was built post-1985. I scored a power-adjustable driver’s seat with 10 settings, including lumbar, by opting for the $515 Power package. I also got a leather-wrapped steering wheel for just $75, and the heated version added $150. The Assisted Driving package includes a 360-degree camera system and perimeter lighting for $545, and the $1175 WT Convenience package finished out my options list with the following upgrades: anti-theft system, deep tinted glass, remote start, 120-volt outlets inside and in the cargo bed, and a tailgate that’s somehow easier to lift. All told, my 2027 Chevy Silverado 1500 WT came to $49,920.–Eric Stafford
Caleb Miller’s $55,770 Silverado 1500 LT
While the luxurious High Country and aggressive ZR2 were tempting, I decided to keep my Silverado practical and relatively affordable. I paired the crew cab and short bed with the LT trim. The turbocharged 2.7-liter four-cylinder comes standard with rear-wheel drive and starts at $53,195. Every LT includes a power-sliding rear window, heated seats, and adaptive cruise control too.
The White Sands paint was a no-cost option, and I stuck with the standard 18-inch wheels, both to save some dough and because the tires’ extra sidewall will benefit ride quality. Inside, I upgraded to the black-and-tan upholstery for a bit of visual pop, which required adding the Comfort and Convenience package for $2290. It swaps the front bench seat for two buckets and adds an eight-speaker Bose stereo, front USB ports, a 120-volt power outlet, wireless phone charging, and a center console that can fold out into a workspace.
There were other features I would have wanted a la carte, such as a head-up display, ventilated front seats, and a rear camera mirror, but they were only available as part of the $5275 Silverado Premium Package, so I skipped it. I can survive without those niceties. The only other item I threw in was a set of front and rear all-weather floor mats, bringing my total to $55,770.–Caleb Miller
Jack Fitzgerald’s $57,415 Silverado 1500 WT
Unless we’re talking about a ZR2 Bison or a truck with equally high performance, the idea of spending more than $80,000 on a pickup conjures a feeling in my gut that I’d generally associate with the fallout from eating bad fish.
That’s why I opted for the much more budget-friendly Work Truck (WT). That said, I know truck buying is not the time for penny-pinching, so I was happy to add the $350 17-inch silver wheels to drop the look of the standard steelies. I was also happy to spend the roughly $9000 required to upgrade from the regular cab to the crew cab and standard bed—if you’re going to buy a half-ton pickup, you may as well buy one with tons of space, right?
As much as I’d rather spend my time in the considerably nicer High Country trim, when the heated steering wheel is a $150 option, heated side mirrors are $100, and the WT Convenience package that adds remote start, extra 120-volt connections, an EZ-lift tailgate, and a tailgate camera angle is just $1175, I’ve got all the luxury I need. Still, for all my posturing, I’m a sucker for a V-8, and the 5.7 in the new Silverado is a lovely mill. It pulls hard, sounds great, and has the added benefit of increasing maximum towing to 16,100 pounds, so I’m happy to spend the necessary $2690 to replace the standard turbo four. Altogether, my Silverado came to $57,415. It’s certainly not cheap, but it’s also not nearly as expensive as modern pickups can get. –Jack Fitzgerald
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Eric Stafford’s automobile addiction began before he could walk, and it has fueled his passion to write news, reviews, and more for Car and Driver since 2016. His aspiration growing up was to become a millionaire with a Jay Leno–like car collection. Apparently, getting rich is harder than social-media influencers make it seem, so he avoided financial success entirely to become an automotive journalist and drive new cars for a living. After earning a journalism degree at Central Michigan University and working at a daily newspaper, the years of basically burning money on failed project cars and lemon-flavored jalopies finally paid off when Car and Driver hired him. His garage currently includes a 2010 Acura RDX, a manual '97 Chevy Camaro Z/28, and a '90 Honda CRX Si.
