2023 Chevrolet Silverado LT Trail Boss Family Review: Whose Truck Will It Be?

Ever since Holli joined in doing car reviews over a year ago, it has been an adventure trying to find one that checks all the right boxes for both of us. A vehicle we could really see paying for and putting in our garage, or as the case could be with this one, in the driveway. Enter the very large and in charge 2023 Chevrolet Silverado LT Trail Boss with the Duramax diesel.
NEED TO KNOW
- Both writer and Holli coveted it enough to debate whose truck it would be
- Duramax diesel delivers 20+ mpg projected for an off-road-lifted full-size truck
- Seating for five or optionally six adults surpasses many three-row crossover SUVs
- 3.0L Duramax rated 305hp and 495 lb-ft with a 2-inch factory suspension lift and mud terrain tires
- Starting at $56,300; tested at $69,315
Let’s face it, vehicles today have just gotten expensive for the most part. A mainstream car payment today lasts longer than my son has been alive and costs more than the monthly rent in my last apartment. Blame it on inflation, more mandated features, or our ever-increasing demand for more technology. Whatever the case, my last Silverado purchase was on June 2, 2007, for a well-equipped crew cab 2WD Texas Edition 2LT for a sticker of around $37,000. For that price in 2023 you can get a basic LT trim midsize Colorado. Clearly, times have changed.
This 2023 Silverado Trail Boss obviously has a price much higher than my last Silverado purchase over 15 years ago but also comes packed with more, another differential, and a much bigger footprint. It also has a more advanced power plant under the hood. The 5.3L V8 hasn’t changed too much since my days driving a Chevy truck, but this one packs a gem that needs more attention than I feel it is getting.
Diesel engines are nowhere near as commonplace in the states as they are in markets around the world, therefore there is understandable hesitation at the unknown from modern American buyers. Some think this is a heavy-duty motor that is going to require additional thought and preparation for daily driving, while others just don’t want to stray from what they know. Chevy however says to treat these small Duramax engines much like any other. Sure, diesel exhaust fluid is a thing, but otherwise, this is a vehicle you can fill up and drive normally. It even will shut itself down at red lights to save fuel, a measure HD truck drivers would say causes damage due to the cooling needs of an engine without spark plugs.
This small Duramax makes this lifted off-road pickup powerful, boasting the most torque of any other engine options in the Silverado 1500 lineup. It also makes it efficient. As our road trip test of over 100 miles proved out, we saw better fuel economy in this massive truck than my brother does in his 2019 Toyota Sienna. On that note, here in East Texas, the half-ton truck is a family rig for many. With roomy seating for five adults in our model, there is more room in this pickup than many modern three-row crossovers. (Option the front bench seat and you can haul six adults and plenty of cargo.) Check the option box for that LM2 Duramax and you can project 20+ miles per gallon in this Trail Boss. Less off-road-focused variants boast bigger EPA-estimated fuel economy numbers.
All this translates to a vehicle that is big, fuel efficient, and capable on and off road. How will Holli like it? Well, this video speaks for itself and makes me wonder if this would be “Cory’s truck” or Holli’s.
2023 Chevrolet Silverado LT Trail Boss
- 305 Horsepower
- 495 lb-ft or Torque



























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2023 Chevrolet Silverado LT Trail Boss
PROS
- Duramax diesel fuel economy beat a 2019 Toyota Sienna in real-world road trip testing
- Roomy crew cab seats five adults with more room than many three-row crossovers
- Big, fuel-efficient, and capable both on and off-road
- Optional front bench allows seating for six adults
CONS
- High price — considerably more expensive than pickups of prior generations
- Large footprint is part of the full-size segment's inherent trade-off
