Generally speaking, the latest model year of a car is typically better than the older model years of that same car. However, sometimes this isn’t the case, and that’s what’s happening with the Chevy Silverado 1500. Here’s a look at why that’s happened to a few engine options on the 2021 Chevy Silverado.

How the 2021 Silverado compares with the 2020 version

Like GM Authority reported, a couple of engine options on the 2021 Silverado have received improved towing figures when compared to their 2020 counterparts. That said, two engine options didn’t have any changes in their towing capacity, and they were the standard 4.3-liter V6 and the 5.3-liter V8 when equipped with Active Fuel Management, or AFM.

The two engine options that had improved towing capacities were the 2.7-liter turbocharged four-cylinder and the 3.0-liter straight-six turbo-diesel. GM Authority said that the 2.7-liter received a massive 2,600-pound towing capacity improvement, while the 3.0-liter got a more modest 200-pound towing capacity improvement. 

However, the other two engine options that Chevy offers on the Silverado actually received a slight downgrade in towing capacity. These two engines were the 5.3-liter V8 with Dynamic Fuel Management, or DFM, and the 6.2-liter V8, which also comes with DFM. GM Authority reported that both of these engines can tow about 100 pounds less than their 2020 counterparts could. 

Why GM said this happened

GM Authority asked GM why those two engine options on the 2021 Chevy Silverado had less towing capacity than their 2020 counterparts did, and GM said that it had to do with the new things that GM added onto the 2021 Silverado. GM explained that “when packaging changes and content is added, that sometimes leads to adjustments in specs such as towing capacity.”

On top of that, GM Authority said that GM was only able to get the 2.7-liter to tow an additional 2,600 pounds thanks to some tests that GM ran. The 2.7-liter had, according to those tests, “better-than-expected cooling performance.” Furthermore, the 3.0-liter received its 200-pound towing capacity upgrade due to “the Silverado’s better-than-expected rear axle durability,” according to GM Authority. 

Those discoveries didn’t do the 5.3-liter V8 with DFM and the 6.2-liter V8 with DFM any favors, however. That said, at the very least, those two engines only lost 100 pounds of towing capacity, and that’s not that much. For instance, the 2021 6.2-liter V8 can tow 13,300 pounds compared to the 13,400 pounds that its 2020 version could tow.

Plus, since their towing capacities were downgraded due to packaging changes, then at the very least, the 2021 Silverado definitely has more content to offer than its 2020 Silverado counterpart does. 

The new stuff on the 2021 Chevy Silverado

As GM Authority wrote, the 2021 Chevy Silverado now has the option of having a Multi-Flex tailgate, and this tailgate is pretty similar to the MultiPro tailgate that GM offers on the GMC Sierra. Both of those special tailgates turn the truck’s regular tailgate into a more multi-purpose tool that can be very helpful and practical in many different situations. 

Furthermore, as CarBuzz reported, the 2021 Chevy Silverado will now come with more standard smart safety features. All versions of the 2021 Silverado will have automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, and front pedestrian braking. These smart safety features are pretty common in most cars, but in the past, GM only offered them if customers were willing to pay for a $17,000 package for them. 

There are more minor changes to the Silverado, but suffice to say, the 2021 version has a lot to offer for most truck lovers.