GM Ditches Leather From Every 2027 Silverado and Sierra 1500, Even Denali Ultimate and ZR2
The redesigned 2027 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra bring larger screens, new V8 engines, and cabins that look far more expensive than before. But across both lineups, one familiar luxury-truck feature is gone: leather seats. That means no leather seats anywhere in either light-duty lineup.
Executives from Chevrolet and GMC confirmed with me during interviews at the State Fair of Texas that leather will not be offered on any trim of the new 2027 Silverado 1500 or Sierra 1500. I also sat in each of the top trims on display and found no leather. I could not find a reference to leather in the brands’ published materials for the 2027 light-duty models, either. That includes the Silverado High Country and ZR2, along with the Sierra Denali, Denali Ultimate, and AT4X. For trucks that can cost as much as luxury SUVs, that is a meaningful change, and it is something buyers deserve to know before placing an order.
No Leather Seats, Even at the Top
This is not simply a case of leather becoming optional instead of standard. According to the brand executives we spoke with, no 2027 light-duty Silverado or Sierra trim offers it. GMC advertised the 2026 Sierra Denali Ultimate and 2026 Sierra AT4X with full-grain leather. Chevrolet likewise described the outgoing Silverado High Country as having exclusive leather seating surfaces.
The change reaches up to the trucks most shoppers would expect to keep it. GMC’s 2027 Sierra lineup places Denali Ultimate at the luxury end and AT4X at the top of its off-road range. Chevrolet’s 2027 Silverado lineup includes High Country and ZR2. According to the executives, neither brand offers a factory leather-seat option.
So What Covers the Seats?
Chevrolet calls its engineered seating material EvoTex. GMC does not give its material a distinct consumer-facing name, referring to it instead as a premium leather alternative. During our interviews, leadership from both brands said the goal is to improve durability while preserving one of leather’s most practical benefits: an easy-to-clean surface.
That approach could make sense in a truck expected to handle work, road trips, spills, muddy clothes, and years of daily use. I have taken a closer look at the seating materials used across both 2027 light-duty trims in the videos below, including what buyers will find in the top trims.
What This Change Means in Daily Use
For plenty of owners, durability will matter more than the name of the material. A seat that wipes clean after spilled coffee, snack crumbs, muddy clothes, or a wet dog may be more useful than one with a particular label. Comfort on a long drive, breathability in summer, and resistance to years of climbing in and out matter just as much. We cannot judge any of that from a short walkaround.
For other buyers, leather was part of the reason to pay for a High Country or Denali Ultimate. If that describes you, the 2027 redesign removes a choice available on the outgoing truck. The new seats may still look and feel excellent, but shoppers should know exactly what they are paying for, especially near the top of the price sheet.
Our Take: The Materials Should Be Clear
I came away impressed by the redesigned Silverado ZR2’s cabin, including its softer seats and available massage function. The Sierra’s new cabin also brings substantially more technology and attention to detail. Losing leather does not erase those improvements.
The bigger problem is the lack of plain language. Chevrolet and GMC should publish clear upholstery specifications for every trim before orders open. When someone spends this much on a truck, “premium seating” is not specific enough. The materials should be as easy to understand as the V8 horsepower figures.