By Peter Perrotta
For more than two decades, Chevrolet’s Silverado pick-up truck has been its standard bearer in an enormously popular segment.
Introduced in 1999, the Silverado epitomizes what has become a truly American vehicle – along with the Ford F-150 and Dodge Ram offered up by the competition.
As we move away from relying solely on a fully combustible gas engine into electric and hybrid models, the Silverado won’t go away, but more fuel efficient and environmentally friendly versions are certainly on the horizon.
But for now, I had a chance to remain a bit stuck in the past when I got behind the wheel of the 2022 Silverado Crew High Country 4WD for one week recently.
This week’s On The Road will take a look at the Silverado and also provide a short capsule review of the 2022 BMW X4 xDrive30i.
This top-of-the-line trim Silverado is powered by an enormous 6.2-liter V-8 engine that puts out an impressive 420 horsepower and can go from zero to 60 miles per hour (mph) in just 5.4 seconds.
Even more impressive is the ample towing capacity of this Silverado. It can tow up to 13,300 pounds and is available with several hi-tech trailering assists.
However, all this brute force comes at a price when you pull up to the pump. The 6.2-liter V-8 Silverado is not all that economically efficient.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) gas mileage rating for my tester came in at 17 mpg overall – 20 mpg on the highway and 15 mpg in city driving.
The EPA estimates that it will cost about $2,600 annually for fuel to run this Silverado as it uses about 5.9 gallons of gas every 100 miles.
The very nicely optioned High Country trim level Silverado I drove is the top-of-the line for this model, sporting a base price of $60,300.
However, there are plenty of less expensive choices when it comes to the Silverado.
The base work truck starts at $34,845; Custom ($41,845); LT ($45,945); Trail Boss ($49,745); RST ($50,145) and the LTZ starts at $56,395.
For the 2022, the Silverado features a restyled and more modern looking front fascia.
Moreover, Chevy upgraded the interior cabin materials and deployed a more modern layout and design.
The Silverado now has a sleek 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster and a huge 13.4-inch touch screen infotainment system that is very easy to operate.
Personally, I found the Silverado High Country I tested to be an overall pleasure to drive.
While it has a big imposing frame, it remains very fluid and smooth in the handling department. As far as comfort goes, there is obviously enough room to stretch out your legs and settle in.
You can feel at home in this Silverado whether you are cruising on the highway or trying to navigate your way through the city and of course, if need be, it is plenty powerful to provide passing power.
The folks at Car and Driver give the 2022 Silverado high marks for its diverse selection of possible engines, solid handling and much improved interior quality and tech features.
However, when it comes to ranking the Big Three American pick-up models, Car and Driver ranks the Ram 1500 and Ford’s F-150 ahead of the Silverado.
I’m not so sure I agree with those rankings. Personally, I would put the newly improved Silverado right up there at the top with the popular Ram 1500 and I would place the F-150 in third place.
Ultimately, it’s up to the consumer, of course. If you are in the market to lease or buy one of these popular pick-ups, it would behoove you to try and test out all three in order to give yourself a fair assessment of which one would be appropriate for you.
2022 BMW X4 Xdrive30i
The 2022 BMW X4 is a two-row, five seat crossover SUV that is sleek, modern and like most other BMW’s, a whole lot of fun to drive.
My test vehicle came equipped with a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder turbo charged engine that is paired with a very smooth eight-speed sport automatic transmission.
The 2.0-liter twin turbo puts out a very respectable 248 horsepower and is capable of motoring from zero to 60 mph in a very respectable 6.2 seconds.
The base price of the X4 is $51,800. However, my tester carried several option packages that pushed its bottom-line sticker price to $58,740.
The two big option packages added to my tester are the $2,900 M Sport package and the $1,900 Dynamic Handling Package.
The EPA fuel consumption ratings on this X4 come in at 24 mpg overall – 28 mpg on the highway and 21 mpg around town.
For a two-row, five seat crossover SUV the X4 is plenty comfortable inside, affording its owner with all the modern accoutrements needed.
But its biggest selling point is that quality BMW ride and performance. For me, personally, BMW, while pricey, remains one of the most entertaining and exciting auto makers on the market.
If you are in the market for a mid-sized crossover and you can afford it, the X4 should be a strong contender on your list to consider.
Peter Perrotta’s On The Road column appears every other week. He can be contacted at pperrotta@comcast.net.
This On The Road column is sponsored by Capital Motor Cars of Springfield, N.J.
