For this generation the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra do not share near-identical appearance. Lamps and trim vary but so do fenders, boxes and the hood; mechanical bits are shared. Dual-rear-wheel pickups have a hydroformed sheetmetal pickup box with integral overfenders and better paint finishing.With the big chrome crossbar and bow-tie logo Silverado HD pickups are immediately recognized as Chevrolets. The heavy-duty Silverado HD pickups maintain visual relationships to the light-duty Silverado 1500 models. The hood could have been drawn by a snowmobile designer, with upswept shelves at the sides ending in plastic trim louvers (that serve a vent function on diesels) and Vortec (gas) or Duramax (diesel) badging.
Useful features include an optional tailgate lock and lift assist, dual-element towing mirrors, a cargo management system with multiple adjustable tie-down points (500 pounds per) and a wealth of dealer-supplied toolboxes, and a 2.5-inch receiver hitch capable of towing 13,000 pounds on the top-rated models.