Buyers in the market for a new truck in 2022 have an exciting new refresh coming soon. The 2022 Chevy Silverado 1500 has vastly upgraded its interior for LT trims and above, and it looks fresh and modern. Overall, 2022 models will be available in nine trims, starting with the WT, or Work Truck, and ranging all the way up to the High Country with its available Super Cruise technology. Updates that refresh the exterior of the 2022 Silverado 1500 will apply to every trim level, including a new front fascia that boasts a handsome new grille.
When You Want a Work Truck with More
Instead of going for the basic entry-level WT trim, buyers looking for a truck that is a comfortable daily driver while also serving as a workhorse should consider bumping up to the new 2022 refreshed trims that sport the revised interior. Starting with the LT trim and above, Chevy modernized the dash with several new components like a massive 13.4-inch touchscreen in the center stack, a digital instrument cluster, and more upscale elements like soft-touch materials in place of hard plastics. New features like a split-screen option for the touchscreen make it possible to use two apps at once or see more than one camera angle in order to better park or maneuver with a trailer.
Last year, Chevy updated some of its trailering tech to include features like a jack-knife alert and an indicator for trailer length to significantly increase the ease of towing a trailer, though they do require that you check the specs to ensure the trailer you want to use will work with the tech. Not all trailers will be compatible, so check with manufacturer details if you want to make the most of the new features. With the 2022 model refresh, you can find great features within the trims for other trailering benefits like the HD camera that gives you hitch guidance views or the integrated trailer brake controller, starting with the LTZ.
Where Chevy has really made a big mark in the truck competition is with the Multi-Flex tailgate, which has six different positions to fold like some kind of origami for DIY lovers and tradesmen alike. It’s far better than any type of tailgate option available anywhere else on the market since the Multi-Flex can fold into a step, become a standing work table, and provide two different load stops. This is every DIYer’s dream to have such a multitude of functionality in a tailgate, never mind the large corner steps that allow for easy access to the bed from all four corners or the standard 12 tie-downs for cargo. Head to the hardware or lumber store with confidence, knowing you can haul anything you buy, especially with the incredibly large cargo volume of the bed.
Powertrains for Any Job
No matter what you plan to do with your truck, the Silverado can handle just about anything with the upgrades to the engines for 2022 models. Two of the powertrains from the previous year are being carried over unchanged, but the other two were given extra oomph that will change a lot in terms of towing and hauling. Starting with the now-standard 2.7-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, this is the little engine that could. Now that Chevy has boosted its torque, it gains 72 lb-ft for an output of 420 lb-ft total, while it maintains its former 310 hp. This feat was achieved in part by increasing the rigidity of certain engine parts like the crankshaft and block, and that torque increase means the better application of power for towing and hauling duty. With this powertrain, the Silverado 1500 can tow up to 9,500 lbs. With a four-cylinder.
The 6.2-liter and 5.3-liter V8 engines remain unchanged for 2022, but the diesel engine has also received some tweaking for exciting new upgrades that have gotten everyone’s attention. The 3.0-liter turbodiesel still makes 277 hp with 460 lb-ft of torque, but upgrades to the chassis mean this powertrain can now tow up to 13,300 lbs. That’s a four-thousand-pound difference between last year and the newest Silverado. And this engine is likely to have the best fuel efficiency, too. Pair that powertrain with the ingenious towing tech options, and you have yourself a very capable work truck that can start with the Custom Trail Boss trim.
Standard Features for Handy Folks
Even though Chevy calls the entry-level trim a work truck, it’s the most basic version that is meant more for fleet use than regular people who want a truck for more than messy jobs. If you buy the 2022 Silverado and want the full refresh, you should go with the LT trim or higher, as that trim is the one with the interior redesign. You’ll get the new large touchscreen and upgraded digital instrument cluster, and on the exterior, you get fun features like the animated LED daytime running lights. If you can’t quite manage the LT with your budget, at the very least, it will be worth your while to stretch for the Custom Trail Boss trim that will sport features like the EZ Lift tailgate, LED lighting for the bed, and remote start to mitigate interior temps on those extreme weather days.
Fortunately, even the entry-level trucks will have wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto with a seven-inch touchscreen, and you get those corner steps and 12 tie-downs no matter what trim you buy. If you can spring for a more expensive trim, the LTZ has a number of exciting features that would make driving and working a lot more comfortable, with conveniences like driver’s seat memory settings and dual-zone climate control. Leather seats are a nice plus, and an e-locker for the rear differential is a great feature to have, even if you don’t go off-road often. If you are aiming for the highest heights of the uppermost trim for 2022, the High Country may be the most drool-worthy truck of the year. Super Cruise hands-free driving is now an option for the range-topping trim of the Silverado 1500, so you don’t even have to steer on select highways. Welcome to the future.
What’s the Story with the Limited?
While production of the 2022 refreshed models has been interrupted due to supply chain complications, Chevy is continuing to offer the 2021 trims, packages, and designs until the refreshed models can be built with all the proper electronics. Many of the features planned for the 2022 refreshed models involve parts that have been on backorder, and the production halts during the shutdown made it difficult for auto manufacturers to keep up with demand. Even though people were largely stuck at home during the worldwide quarantines, everyone still had to use their vehicles to go grocery shopping or run errands (or report to work), and vehicles that broke down still needed to be replaced.
The expectation at this point is that the new 2022 refreshed models will be in production by February, so if you plan to wait for the refreshed models, you may want to go on Chevy’s email list to get updates. If you really can’t wait for the updated 2022 models, Chevy is making the smart choice to continue to offer the 2022 Silverado 1500 Limited, which is what you want to search for on dealership lots. The Limited version is meant to be a placeholder until the refreshed models can be manufactured and delivered when the parts are available. For now, you can still get a new truck that will be sold as a 2022 model on sale at dealerships.
