Is There a Reason the Silverado Is so Much More Popular Than Chevy’s Midsize Truck?
Chevrolet has long offered some of the most popular and safe vehicles on the market. The brand’s trucks are powerful, versatile, and visually appealing. Chevrolet boasts the full-size Silverado and midsize Colorado, which have both become standards amongst drivers looking for trucks with good ratings and excellent warranties. However, when it comes to recent sales for both the Silverado and Colorado, there’s one clear winner, with the Silverado’s sales rising at a truly impressive rate.
The Chevy Silverado’s sales have been increasing
The Chevy Silverado has been a top choice amongst full-size truck enthusiasts for years. Although slightly more expensive than the smaller Colorado, the Silverado features various engine options and a more spacious cabin – perfect for families of three or more. Recently, the Silverado’s sales have edged ahead of its midsize cousin. According to a May report from GM Authority, Chevy Silverado sales increased about 5% in the United States and Canada during the first quarter of 2023.
The publication notes that approximately 126,992 units were sold in the United States during the first quarter, compared to 121,107 units sold in the first quarter of 2022. There is some variation in the specific Chevrolet Silverado models, with sales for the Silverado Light Duty (1500) and the Silverado Medium Duty (4500 HD, 5500 HD, 6500 HD) all up while sales for the Silverado Heavy Duty (2500 HD and 3500 HD) went slightly down. However, overall, the Silverado nameplate has had a very impressive showing.
The Chevy Colorado is less popular in its segment
The Chevy Colorado hasn’t done so well in comparison. As reported by GM Authority, sales decreased in the U.S. for the Colorado, as well as in Canada, South Korea, Mexico, and Chile, during the first quarter of 2023. In 2022, approximately 21,693 units of the Colorado were delivered in the U.S., but this year, that number dropped to 13,256. That is a decrease of 39%. In Canada, sales decreased by about 6%, while the only sales increase for the model occurred in Chile.
Interestingly, the Chevrolet Colorado wasn’t just outsold by the Silverado. Other rival midsize trucks, such as the Toyota Tacoma, Nissan Frontier, and Jeep Gladiator, all came out ahead of the Colorado in terms of sales for the first quarter of 2023, signaling an interesting direction for the model.
Why might people prefer the Silverado over the Colorado?
Full-size trucks are generally more popular than midsize vehicles, so it isn’t terribly shocking that the Chevy Silverado outsold the Colorado. What is rather surprising is that the Silverado is much more popular in its segment than the Colorado is in its. While there could be a plethora of reasons for this, it might come down to overall safety ratings. The Silverado comes out ahead of the Colorado in NHTSA crash test ratings, generally scoring five stars compared to the Colorado’s three to five stars.
The Chevrolet Silverado offers a more sizable engine, along with an enhanced towing capacity. With the 2022 Silverado, the towing capacity is up to 13,300 pounds – more than enough to handle any large weekend project that needs to be taken care of. While the 2022 Chevy Colorado does offer some unique perks, such as a state-of-the-art infotainment center, it could be that more drivers are discovering that the versatility that they want is found in the Silverado. Whether the current trend continues remains to be seen, but it’s looking like the Silverado is going to dominate the competition for the remainder of 2023.
