Skeeter’s Silverado-Sierra Showdown

If you've been following my blog posts this week, you know I got the opportunity to compare the new 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 crew cab pickup and the new 2014 GMC Sierra crew cab pickup, courtesy of Partners Chevrolet Buick GMC in Cuero. Both models have been completely redesigned, and offer some amazing new features. But which truck won the "showdown?"

Here's the Chevy Silverado. One of the new options with the 2014 crew cab model is a choice of bed box sizes: the standard 5-foot, 9-inch bed, or the big 6-foot, 6-inch bed! The model I drove has the bigger cargo box, and it looked like it would haul just about anything! I averaged about 19 mpg on the highway, so the 5.3 L EcoTec 3 V8 engine put out plenty of power, but was surprisingly economical with a gallon of gas! NICE! The interior is roomy, and the new seats made longer drives quite pleasant. Chevy calls their high-tech audio/driver information system "MyLink," and with a bluetooth-capable smart phone, it's easy to pair your phone to the truck, making it a very "smart" truck, indeed! Voice commands allow you to make phone calls, play music from your media device, and even tell the radio to play your favorite station, which I presume would be KIXS 108! All in all, a great pickup truck from Chevrolet!

This is the 2014 GMC Sierra 1500 crew cab pickup I got to drive for the latter-half of the week-long Showdown. The first thing I noticed was the gorgeous paint! GMC calls is "White Diamond Tricoat," and it positively shines in the South Texas sunshine with a pearl-like luminance! Then, I climbed inside and was very impressed with the dual-tone Dune and Cocoa (a fancy name for tan and brown) interior color scheme. It offset the brushed aluminum and simulated walnut wooden accents around the doors and the dash! GMC's high-tech system is called "Intelllink," and has the same features and connectivity as the Chevy MyLink. Same functions, different name. The model I drove had the short bed box, and a very smooth, quiet ride. I averaged 20mpg in the GMC, which also has the same EcoTec 3 V8 engine under the stylish hood. Plenty of power and great fuel economy for a full-sized pickup!

There were several features both trucks had in common, including a rear-vision camera, which made backing up a breeze! This handy feature would make hooking up to a trailer as easy as backing into a parking space! Also, both vehicles had several 12-volt DC power accessory outlets, as has been standard for years. However, these new 2014 models also have a couple of USB ports inside the center console of the front seat...PLUS, an honest-to-goodness 110-volt AC (household-type) outlet on the lower part of the dashboard! This handy power source will handle up to a 150 watt load, so small power tools, laptop chargers and other AC-powered devices can now go on the road with you! VERY cool!

Okay...so by now, you're probably screaming at your screen, "WHICH TRUCK WON, SKEETER?!" Well, to be honest, it was a toss-up! Both trucks are solidly-built, comfortable, easy-driving, packed with technological features, and just great-looking, inside and out. I suggest you compare for yourself at Partners Chevrolet Buick GMC on Hwy, 87 in low-overhead Cuero! Partners just happens to be the only dealership in the Crossroads region that offers both the Chevy and GMC lines! Besides that, they're not "just a car dealer," they're YOUR Partners in the car (and truck!) business!

Chevy: Find New Roads

GMC: We Are Professional Grade