In automotive media, the coverage about pickups often focuses on the high-end or performance models, but a new video from TFLnow turns the spotlight in the other direction by showing what customers get from a relatively basic Chevrolet Silverado Custom Trail Boss.
While this Silverado sits low in the trim level hierarchy, this pickup still carries a hefty asking price of $44,510. For reference, $38,635 is the average new car transaction price in the United States as of August 2020, according to Kelley Blue Book info.
TFLnow starts by showing off some of the positive aspects of choosing a truck in a lower trim level. For example, the black trim on the exterior is easier to replace when damaged because an owner doesn’t have to worry about color-matching it to the body. Also, the vinyl floor is easier to clean when dirty.
This truck is far from perfect, though. TFLnow argues that the Big Three truck makers are not doing a good job of keeping up with auto industry innovations, particularly in terms of safety and tech. This Silverado lacks standard features like blind-spot monitoring and emergency automatic braking, which are rapidly becoming the norm for cars and crossovers.
There are also some interior quality concerns, particularly for a vehicle that costs about 15 percent more than the average new car on the road. For example, the steering wheel is cheap plastic and lacks radio controls on it. The standard info screen in the instrument cluster is tiny and pixelated, and the display for the rearview camera has a low resolution. The lack of trailer brake control seems like a glaring omission given the truck’s price.
