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2003 Chevy Silverado 1500 HD Crew Cab Road Test

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Khatir Soltani
Regarding leg and headroom, tall passengers won't be uncomfortable even if they're relegated to the back. There's room to stretch out unless the front seats are pushed to their extreme rearward positions, but even then it's not as cramped as a charter flight. The open cabin is beneficial to the driver too, with a clear view of all surrounding traffic from the tall seating position. That ride height makes getting in and out difficult for those not limber and agile, despite the wide opening of its four doors. The 6-person cabin incorporates a 40/20/40 split reclining front seat with a folding center armrest at center. Their manual lumbar adjusters increase comfort, especially during long hauls, while the seats themselves offer decent support, adequate for all but aggressive cornering maneuvers. For those requiring less company bucket seats with a center console system are available, seating a total of five.

That said if you drive the Silverado to its limit you might just end up upended. It's not just that trucks and SUVs aren't meant to be driven like sports cars, news to many it seems, but that the pickup in question had a bad case of tail hop, accentuated by chassis shudders and then followed by disconcerting bouncing. While this problem might only be inherent to the Silverado 1500 HD Crew Cab with the Quadrasteer option, it made following the flow of traffic while driving over bridge expansion joints an unsettling experience. I want to make it clear that a similarly equipped 2002 GMC Sierra Denali with Quadrasteer did not exhibit the same tendencies, but rather in my opinion upped the pick-up truck benchmark for ride and handling.
Khatir Soltani
Khatir Soltani
Automotive expert
  • Over 8 years experience as a car reviewer
  • Over 50 test drives in the last year
  • Involved in discussions with virtually every auto manufacturer in Canada