These twelve calendar months of 2018 could be called the Year of the Truck, given the number of new models we’ve seen from major players. Even those that aren’t majorly reworked have gotten some measure of refreshment either in the form of a newly rated top engine (Ford) or snazzy color-keyed trim (Toyota).
We visited the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Work Truck much earlier this year but, at the time, there were few details in terms of powertrain or price. Those areas have since been addressed by The General, leading me to the question: does the least-expensive Chevy full-size retain its spot on our Ace of Base list?
The 2018 W/T stickered at a reasonable $28,700 before the rafts of cash on its long and square hood. For the new 2019 model, the price jumps by $1,095. Still under thirty grand, then. I’m sure there will be legions of folks in the comments who’ll rail against a 30k base truck and call it an affront to America and every blue collar worker in the country, all the while waxing about the 1986 Chevy pickup that was offered without a headliner for less than the price of a cup of coffee or some other ridiculous claim.
Those days are gone and, I’m glad to say, so are the saddle fuel tanks and scary handling and terrible fuel economy and … shall I go on? Today’s trucks, even the base ones, are miles beyond their agricultural forebears and are priced accordingly. A purchase price of $10,000 in 1986 would be roughly equivalent to $23,000 today. I’d like to think the extra safety, economy, and technology in a 2019 pickup is worth the extra cash.
I digress. To repeat our history lesson, Chevy has stuck the Work Truck (W/T) trim on its most poverty-spec pickups for ages, with most of them destined for a lifetime of hard and difficult work only to be mercilessly sacrificed to The Crusher or The Back Forty once they were used up. In the ‘90s, you’ll recall from our previous instalment, Mike Schmidt taught us the value of GM’s work truck-grade plastic grille:
Chevy has also confirmed the base engine for the W/T. It’ll be the venerable 4.3-liter V6, imbued with cylinder deactivation and a six-speed automatic. Barring an unexpected bump in output for 2019, horsepower sits at 285 ponies.
What we have been told is that the Work Truck will be the only model available as a regular cab long bed, so get used to seeing that billboard grille on worksites and in the Home Depot parking lot. Rough-n-ready 17-inch steel wheels will look the part, while the interior will be available in either skin-searing vinyl or cloth seats. It’ll have a 7-inch color touch screen, likely with a backup camera. Air conditioning is standard, too, but power windows are extra.
Now that we know its sticker price of $29,795, the 2019 Chevy Silverado W/T can officially go up on the Ace of Base board. All that’s left now is to drive one.
[Image: General Motors]
Not every base model has aced it. The ones which have? They help make the automotive landscape a lot better. Any others you can think of, B&B? Let us know in the comments. Naturally, feel free to eviscerate our selection.
The model above is shown in American dollars with American options and trim, absent of destination charges and available rebates. As always, your dealer may sell for less.
Knowing how much they discount trucks any “base price” is pretty meaningless, but even if you were to take the price seriously a basic pick-up having a price equal to approximately the average new car transaction price does not sound unreasonable
In 1988 I bought a Ford F150 standard cab with the XLT trim for $9999.99…close to that $10k figure you reference. Note, the retail was around $16k IIRC; this was the ONE vehicle they had at that price and I was lucky enough to get it.
10 years and 160k miles later I sold it for $4500. Not bad. Would you expect the Silverado WT to hold its value as well?
285HP is decent. Was just on another forum discussing how cool RCSBs are. But I think I would pony up for an EB F150. Only options I’d want would be a decent stereo, LED headlights and bigger wheels.
“Only options I’d want would be a decent stereo …”
Getting a decent factory stereo in a Ford requires going all the way up to a midgrade Lariat, which comes with pretty much all of the other options and a price tag to match. No regular cabs either.
Fugly.
This and many other GGM products.
Just say no- to the Hencho.
Fleet buyers only, please. For the average consumer, it rarely pays to buy a regular cab, even if that’s all you need. For the Big 3, rebates are almost always significantly higher on the EC and CC models, so by the time you do the math, and extended cab is almost the same price as the regular cab.
I’d happily pay MORE for a regular cab myself. The long bed is the only reason I have a truck at all.
Exactly. The 5.5′ and 6.5′ beds on most trucks these days are useless. but then again, how many of those 50+k dick extenders actual get used as trucks?
What a tired generalization of truck owners. I wish for a day that a discussion about trucks doesn’t turn in to one about truck owners’ penises.
Maybe people just like $50,000 trucks. Maybe they like how it can carry their family, stuff, and tow. Maybe full sized trucks are excellent products.
Instead, you go with dongs. Great.
I have seen a couple of these on the road and that front end is just as ugly in person as it is in that photo. Tall, stubby and a poor attempt to integrate Chevy “design” cues. No thanks.
Dodge Tradesman or Express, V6, Auto. Extended cab please- regular cab make no sense except in company trucks.
Regular cab makes sense. Pickup truck is for work. Maximize the bed.
Wouldn’t the bed be just as big with the extended cab? The overall truck would be longer, or am I missing something?
I think Ford and Toyota offer an “extended cab” half-ton with an 8ft bed, but GM, Ram, and Nissan don’t. With those brands you only get a 6.5ft bed on the extended cabs.
Ok, thanks
My buddy had a 98-99 ? Silverado extended cab. 8 ft, box . His wife refused to drive it. Just a bear to drive in the urban environment .
Yep. Long bed extended cabs were lot poison even in the late ’90s.
Regular cabs are completely useless for those of us with families and/or friends. That’s why no one buys them anymore. Room for 4 or 5 people in the cab trumps an 8′ bed every time if your spending my money on PU truck.
Man is that one ugly truck.
Ford made a pretty truck in 1997, and the rednecks didn’t like it.
I had a “jellybean” F-150, loved it, than again I’m not a redneck
Initially I was turned off by the jellybean (which was released while I was in college) but I came around to the styling.
I owned an 2004 model from 2006 to 2017 and did grow to love it.
It also wasn’t crash-worthy, so it turns out the rednecks actually made the right choice. Ford has made tremendous improvements in succeeding generations.
How much for 4×4?
Reminds me of the W/T my Great Uncle Bill had back in the mid 90s. It was his farm truck and he worked it like a rented mule.
According to the Chevy site it’s a $4000 option
I guess I’m in the minority of those who like the Silvy’s new look, which at least takes a few risks and in some cases looks back (to the time, for instance, when C H E V R O L E T was slapped on the front and back in big letters).
As for its pugilistic face, I liken it to that of a boxer, mastiff, or pug. Ugly, but in an endearing way.
Agreed ..that front end is ugly. I suppose the GMC isn’t much better ?
I grew up with the regular cab 8ft box configuration trucks. I always perceived such vehicles as being “real trucks”….Yeah, yeah ,I know , the world has changed . I get that !
Personally I would go with cloth seats, V8, painted wheels, and all terrain tires. The HD trailer, and plow package certainly helps at resale. Forget landscaper white . Black ,with black spray on box liner.
They’ve built roads way up north on the Perma frost now. I’d love to explore them while I still can. Such a truck would do the job well.
Chances are I won’t buy the truck, or take the road trip …..But I can dream
I don’t think it is “the venerable 4.3-liter V6”. I thought they built a brand new 4.3 a few years back.
Correct: new 4.3L V-6 is based on LS architecture. Old 4.3L V-6 was SBC architecture.
Actually it’s been completely redesigned from the LS series, the new one is all LT series.
Back in my well spent youth, I used to lot boy at a Chevy store in SW MO., it was outside of the city limits and , rare for the time, made all of its profit from trucks-S10s, and full size trucks and they sold a ton of plain white , rubber floored full size 1500s.We use to wear Dickies type work pants not to sear our legs on the vinyl, when we move those things around the lot in July.
I’ve played around with the website and built some Colorado W/T 4x4s, and when priced with working guys options(I’m not one btw), you’re kind of forced to upgrade to a full size truck.Hopefully the Ranger will bring the price down on Colorados to help out urban tradesman.
>> while waxing about the 1986 Chevy pickup
I bought a 2006 Chevy W/T V6 shortbed 2WD. Out-the-door price of $14k, thanks to the GM Card and generous incentives. Since then, the incentives have been tailored to the trim levels AND the base price went up more than $10k.
I’m not complaining, but these work trucks have become disproportionately more expensive, especially when compared to low-end cars. So I’m not sure about ‘Ace of Base’ — the true “deal” in pickups is to find a good lease.
The front end is still stunningly ugly.
Yeah but what do they look like from behind? That’s really the business end, the one you’ll be seeing the most, especially if you do “truck things” with them.
I gave up on automakers especially US/Japan, making cars and trucks with looks that appeal to me. But in the end, they’re just tools. Do you go for the prettiest lawn mower?
The best looking Silverado/Sierras are black/dark paint with the mono-chrome, color-key front end treatment (high trim? special editions?), or just the basic W/T in black/dark colors.
So get something German if you want pretty. About everything else is either made ugly, or so hideous, it has to be on purpose. Except all current Pickups look good from behind, and side shot, so at least there’s that.
The Maxima used to be about the best looking sedan, ’87ish, but now about the ugliest car on Earth. So my friend bought a new ’18 Maxima for him and family, it works perfect for them, sporty, luxurious, affordable, not so good credit accepted, end of story.
It looks like they took two front ends and squished them together like a sandwich. I want to like this truck but it’s just too homely….
No more RCLB (and probably not RCSB either) in the LT trim? Sad, but not surprising. A RCLB is the “purest” form of pickup truck, but for the vast majority of personal-use buyers, it isn’t the most useful. Towing can just as easily be done with an extended or crew cab as with a single.
Does this Guangzhou-Guadalajara Motors (GGM) pickup have even more than the standard 50% lowest-bidder Chinese parts content than other Guangzhou-Guadalajara Motors (GGM) pickup trucks?
Sweet grill! Awesome design!
Is it a rebadged Wuling pickup?
Good gawd is that thing UGLY. A rolling mud fence.