Automotive Reviews
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Back-catalog of reviews written before 2008.
2002 Chevrolet Silverado LS 1500HD 4×4 Crew Cab
01033 days
Remember when pickup trucks were simple? The came in one or two sizes, they all had pretty much the same cab and bed, and if you had a job that was too big for it to handle, by crumb, you did it anyway, broke the thing, and got another truck that looked just like it.
These days, there’s no need to work your truck to death. In fact, these days it’s possible that there are trucks that can’t be worked too hard, reasonably speaking. For the toughest, heaviest jobs that don’t require a Mack dump truck, buyers have choices like the Chevrolet Silverado HD. Chevy’s HD series of trucks hit the road in mid-2001, offering a vast palette of 32 different heavy-duty three-quarter and one-ton models. These burly pickups may look like the popular half-ton light-duty pickups from Chevy and GM, but they’ve been reengineered from tires to clearance lights to haul, tow, and take more abuse than their personal-use counterparts. Somehow, they manage to be more or less civilized, too.
From outside, the differences are subtle. Chevy’s HD pickups have a distinctive bulge in the hood which makes them look more muscular than the half-ton trucks, but beyond that the styling is basic Chevrolet. A prominent chrome bar bisects the grille opening, carrying the familiar bowtie logo up front. Big, chunky door handles are easy to use even with gloves on. Silverado HD pickups are available with regular, four-door extended, and crew cabs, and with pickup beds or as chassis-cab units.
Take a look inside, and you’ll be surprised. No more metal dashboards for today’s work trucks. The Silverado HD can be just as nicely appointed inside as any half-ton truck. Of course, a hose-out rubberized floor and vinyl seats are available too. The fully instrumented dash is shared with the other pickups, as is the available console. Leg and headroom are more than adequate, especially in the crew cab models which we drove. Our test trucks would have been welcome at the construction site with their filtered air conditioning systems, power locks and mirrors, six-way power seats, and theft alarms. The Silverado HD is surprisingly quiet on the road, as well. If you were expecting a heavy-duty truck to be noisier than its light-duty counterpart, you’ll be surprised.
The real story here is under the hood. We sampled two of Chevy’s Silverado HD beasts. A 6.0 liter V8 provides power in standard models. It offers up 300 horsepower and 370 lb-ft of torque. Hooked up to a heavy-duty four-speed automatic transmission, it proved to be no slouch around town. We didn’t get a chance to tow or haul anything significant, and it was clear the truck was mildly disappointed. It wasn’t nearly as unhappy as the Duramax 6600 diesel-equipped Silverado HD we drove, however. With the same 300 horsepower as the standard gas motor, but 5100 lb/ft of torque, this direct-injection diesel powerplant begs to be worked. The Duramax diesel can tow up to 12,000 pounds with a regular hitch, and 15,800 pounds with a gooseneck. That’s a lot of cargo. A handling and trailering package is standard on Silverado HD models, for obvious reasons. Better yet, the trucks have an 8600-pound gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR), which enables them to carry just about anything that’ll fit in the bed (or can be stacked on top of it). All of Chevy’s HD trucks have powertrains that are validated for an operating life of at least 200,000 miles. A locking rear differential is optional; ABS is standard.
Around town, these two crew cabs were rather clumsy to drive. That’s to be expected, given their length, but then the Silverado HD trucks aren’t intended to be commuters. The suspension consists of a short-long arm independent torsion bars up front and a solid rear axle, and it isn’t fiercely stiff. During 2002 Chevrolet and GMC will begin offering four-wheel steering as an option on select pickup truck models, an innovation that would have been more than welcome on our 237-inch long test truck. If you’re willing to make lots of four-point U-turns, however, the crew cab won’t bother you too much. Off the road and on a farm or in a construction area, the Silverado is right at home.
The Silverado HD’s bulldog snout is poised to take a lot of lumps, both from its extremely demanding customers as well as the competition. Ford’s Super Duty F-250 and F-350 models are comparable in ability, but somewhat less user-friendly than the Chevrolets. The competition will get even stiffer with the upcoming introduction of new heavy-duty trucks from Dodge. Chevy thinks its Silverado HD models are up to the challenge, and the numbers back them up–Chevy and GMC trucks outsold Ford for the first time since 1994 last year, according to GM.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2002 Chevrolet Silverado LS 1500HD 4×4 Crew Cab, which we tested.
Length: 237.3 in.
Width: 79.7 in.
Height: 77.4 in.
Wheelbase: 153.0 in.
Payload: 3321 lb.
Base price: $32,043
Price as tested: $34,688
Engine: 6.0 liter OHV V8
Drivetrain: four-speed automatic, four-wheel drive
Fuel capacity: 34 gal.
2003 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
01034 days
Hi there! Welcome to the Coupe Club. We’ve been one of the landmarks of the automotive scene since the Fifties, serving up personal luxury coupes with style! Have a seat! The place isn’t as busy as it used to be, I know. Back in the day, it was bursting with patrons. Regulars, most of them: Toronado, and Cordoba, and Riviera, and Grand Prix, and classy old Thunderbird, who practically opened this place single-handedly. But time has marched on. Some of the guys are gone, and some are still in the neighborhood, with different jobs, different lives. You see them around, but they have better things to do than hang out at the Coupe Club. They’ve all grown up and gotten four doors. Went all sensible. Nowadays, there’s a new crowd, but they’re into different things. It’s not the same. I mean, it’s nice to have Solara and Grand Am and 3.2 CL around, don’t get me wrong, but it’s less down-home than it used to be.
But look, down there at the end of the bar, that’s the Chevy Monte Carlo SS. The last of the full-time regulars. The newcomers don’t give Monte Carlo much respect–they don’t like the style, or the dynamics, or what have you. But let me tell you, Monte Carlo’s got something they don’t. It’s got history. All that style those young fellas are laughing at is there for a reason.
Back in 2000, the Chevrolet Monte Carlo underwent a much-needed a return to its roots, of sorts. After years of slapping the name onto slightly dressed up Lumina coupes, Chevy gave the Monte Carlo an all-new design which recalled classic Monte Carlos (Yes, classic: the first Monte Carlo was introduced in 1970, thirty-two years ago) and gave the new car a much-needed identity. In what seems to be the twilight of the personal luxury coupe, the Monte Carlo has rediscovered some of the things that made it a trendsetter back in the day. For 2003 it soldiers on with a new set of 16″ wheels and available XM satellite radio.
It’s tempting to dismiss it as just another tasteless General Motors design, but the Monte Carlo’s face has history behind it. Foremost on the Monte Carlo’s prow is a red and chrome badge like the one that graced the original car, back in 1970. Apart from the retro badge, the newest Monte Carlo is a thoroughly modern design, with a grille-less nose and headlamp units that bulge to approximate round headlights. The Monte Carlo has a “Chevy” look, but doesn’t resemble any of its stablemates. The long hood and short tail profile is classic American coupe, of course. The car has a “Coke-bottle” shape which is enhanced by creases above the wheel wells. The shape makes it look almost svelte, but the Monte Carlo is actually close in size to the massive original model. The C-pillar is thick, also in the coupe tradition, but large side windows reduce the blind spot. Out back, the rear view is the Monte’s most retro angle. The taillights are stacked round units under clear covers whose shape mimics that of classic Monte Carlos (1973, to be specific), and they look great. The body-colored bumpers are shaped like the much-reviled, government-mandated chrome I-beams of 1973 and onward. The look is very unique, and clearly calls to mind the car’s heritage, for better or for worse. Monte Carlo loyalists won’t be disappointed. Dual exhaust outlets and a small spoiler indicate the SS model.
Big, heavy doors require a second parking space to open fully. Inside, the Chevy recalls the Seventies yet again, with a cavernous black interior. The ribbed, perforated leather front seats could have been pulled straight out of a 1970 Monte Carlo, except they’re more comfortable than any seat of that vintage. You can spend all day in them. And just like the coupes of old, there’s space for human beings in the back seat, as well as cupholders and an auxiliary power outlet that the old Monte never even thought of. The Monte Carlo is well equipped for its personal-luxury mission, with dual climate control, CD/cassette, and full instrumentation. The instrument panel has an interesting multi-layered design. There’s a trip computer and information center, but it’s located high up in an overhead console and is hard to see. Another classic Monte Carlo badge adorns the glovebox. The only break in the mood is the console-mounted shifter, which looks like it was lifted from an older Chevrolet, and not in a good way.
At first blush, we were surprised that the Monte Carlo wasn’t particularly fast–but then we remembered that Monte Carlos have never been particularly fast. The car’s weight allows for comfortable freeway cruising, and it’s as docile at 65-70 as any autobahn-bred German car. Beyond that speed, it may be another matter entirely. The Monte Carlo’s weight is most noticeable under hard acceleration, when the 200 horsepower V6 is doing all it can but just can’t cope with almost 3400 pounds of car. Chevrolet’s 3800 V6 is an excellent engine–it has been voted onto the Ward’s Auto World “Ten Best Engines” list repeatedly–but the Monte Carlo’s mass gets the better of it.
Bracing under the hood, a magnesium beam that supports the dash, and much attention to noise, vibration and harshness issues keep the Monte Carlo feeling solid. A four-wheel independent suspension is beefed up with larger stabilizer bars for duty in the Monte Carlo SS. It isn’t clumsy when the road gets twisty, but this car is far too heavy to be considered agile. The SS features traction control as standard. The system is an intrusive one, cutting the power to the wheels when it senses slippage. Some drivers may find the occasionally unresponsive gas pedal annoying. Braking duties are handled by discs in the front and drums in the rear, and the Monte Carlo stops well for its size. The nose wanders a little bit under extremely hard braking, but the car doesn’t lose its composure.
Being a Chevrolet, the Monte Carlo represents a great value. Prices start at $23,860 for a Monte Carlo SS, and that price gets you dual climate controls, cruise, remote entry, foglamps, and an engine-monitoring message center. A driver’s-side airbag is also available. Below the SS on the pricing list is the more sedate Monte Carlo LS, with a standard 180-hp V6 and an even lower price.
Admittedly, a Toyota Solara is objectively the same, and probably a better car than the Monte Carlo, dynamically. But it lacks one thing the Monte Carlo has in spades: personality. In a Solara, you’ll never catch yourself shouting the lyrics to an old song on the radio just because you haven’t heard it in forever. The Monte Carlo encourages it. Most coupes these days will get you to work and back, but the Monte Carlo will make you smile. It’s got a kitschy soul, but that’s better than no soul at all.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2003 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS.
Length: 197.9 in.
Width: 72.7 in.
Height: 55.2 in.
Wheelbase: 110.5 in.
Curb weight: 3391 lb.
Cargo space: 15.8 cu.ft.
Engine: 3.8 liter V6
Drivetrain: four-speed automatic, front-wheel drive
Horsepower: 200 @ 5200 rpm
Torque: 225 @ 4000 rpm
Fuel capacity: 17.0 gal.
Est. mileage: 20/29
2002 Cadillac Escalade EXT
01034 days
It’s a fairly good bet that the folks over in Europe aren’t going to understand the Cadillac Escalade EXT. It’s entirely possible that no one outside of Texas will really truly come to terms with it. But in the pickup capital of the nation, the Cadillac Escalade EXT is king. Economical? Sure it’s economical. Just think of all the rich ranchers who won’t have to go and buy a DeVille to drive around town AND a Suburban or a pickup to tour the ranch in!
All kidding aside, this is a serious prestige vehicle. Looking like a Fleetwood blown up to Herculean proportions, the Escalade EXT is an attention getter. Heads turn as this truck rolls past. It’s like being in the Fifties all over again, and the Cadillac is the biggest, showiest thing going. It may lack the high technology of the Mercedes S-Class, and it certainly won’t out-handle a BMW 745i, but the Escalade EXT is just as effective a luxury flagship as those sedans.
The Escalade EXT made its debut last fall. Based directly on the Chevrolet Avalanche, it’s not so much a pickup truck as a cross between a pickup and an SUV. GM calls it an SUT–sport utility truck. The front wall of the cargo area is equipped with a Midgate, which folds forward to extend the pickup bed into the interior. Rigid cargo covers are waterproof, to keep the cargo area dry, and the rear window is removable, too.
Cadillac’s new, crease-edged styling looks surprisingly good on this scale. Only the Escalade EXT’s silhouette hints at its relationship with the Avalanche. The long nose and short pickup bed out back give the look of a traditional American sedan, although it’s a lot larger. The Escalade EXT also shares the Avalanche’s flying buttress-style pillars–there’s a structural member hiding beneath that hoop. Otherwise the look is pure Cadillac. The Escalade EXT has vertically stacked headlamps surrounding a huge Caddy eggcrate grille, and an elaborately sculpted hood. The design carries through to the back, and there’s a giant Cadillac wreath on the tailgate too. It’s not slathered in chrome like Cadillac’s top models in days gone by, and the brightwork that is used–on the roof rack, running boards, grille and door handles–is tasteful. Big 17″ alloy wheels are very trucklike, and unique to the Escalade EXT.
The Escalade EXT doesn’t look or feel like a truck inside. Plush leather seats are like living room chairs, and there’s seating for four or five. The Escalade SUV donates its handsome silver and blue instrument panel and wide, multi-storage cubby console. A generous quantity of wood and a handsome analog clock are also part of the package. So are a Bose sound system with 6-disc changer and electronic climate control. It’s almost enough to make you forget that with the twist of a few latches, the rear window can be removed and the MidGate folded down to add almost three feet to the cargo box. The downside is that visibility to the rear is restricted. An ultrasonic parking assist system is incorporated to help with going backward, but it doesn’t beep like similar systems from Lexus and Lincoln do–there are only LED indicator lights over the rear window to warn of impending crunched metal.
Depsite all of that, the Escalade EXT can work, too. With 345 horsepower on tap from the six-liter V8 under the hood, the truck itself sometimes seems surprised at how much get-up-and-go it has. Thanks to a heavy-duty four-speed automatic transmission, the EXT can tow up to 8000 pounds, and it comes from the factory with trailer wiring. Without any kind of a load, the Escalade EXT drives like an old-school Cadillac sedan; confident, and majestic.
The ride is a surprise. The Escalade EXT just barely escapes feeling ponderous and trucky, thanks to an active suspension. It weighs close to six thousand pounds, to be sure, and while it can’t be called light on its feet, the Escalade EXT doesn’t wallow or crash heavily over serious bumps. The Road Sensing Suspension (RSS) active suspension has electronically controlled shock absorbers and sensors to determine wheel position and steering input. As the EXT is moving, the system determines the precise amount of shock damping needed for each wheel, and adjusts the shocks accordingly. The result is a very smooth ride on all kinds of pavement. The rest of Cadiallac’s electronic assistants are along for the ride as well: StabiliTrak traction control, anti-lock brakes and, should disaster strike, GM’s OnStar system and side airbags.
It may not be exactly a pickup or exactly an SUV, the but the Escalade EXT is definitely a standout vehicle. It’s got the larger-than-life qualities of classic Cadillacs, but with a modern level of utility.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2002 Cadillac Escalade EXT, which we tested.
Length: 221.4 in.
Width: 79.5 in.
Height: 75.6 in.
Wheelbase: 130.0 in.
Curb weight: 5752 lb.
Towing capacity: 8000 lb.
Cargo space: 53.9 cu.ft. (Midgate up)
Base price: $49,245
Price as tested: $52,535
Engine: 6.0 liter OHV V8
Drivetrain: four-speed automatic, all-wheel drive
Horsepower: 345 @ 5200
Torque: 380 @ 4000
Fuel capacity: 30.9 gal.
Est. mileage: 12/15