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.

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

LM2 3.0L Duramax® Turbo Diesel Inline-6
- 305 Horsepower
- 495 lb-ft or Torque
Refined, second-generation Duramax 3.0L Turbo-Diesel engine delivers 10 percent more horsepower and 7.6 percent more torque. Updates include a new steel piston design, revised turbo compressor, new fuel injectors, and improved temperature control features
10-speed Automatic Transmission with Electronic Precision Shift
Autotrac® 2-speed Transfer Case and Automatic Locking Rear Differential
18-inch High Gloss Black-painted Wheels
33-inch Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac® Mud Terrain Tires
2-inch suspension lift from the factory
10.9 inches of ground clearance
28.7-degree approach angle
27.2-degree departure angle
3.23 Rear-axel Ratio
10-way Power Front Bucket Seats
Heated Front Seats
Cloth Seating Surfaces
Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control
12.3-inch Color Driver Information Center
13.4-inch Chevrolet Infotainment 3 Premium with Google Built-in
Wireless Apple CarPlay® and Android AutoTM
120-volt Center Console Power Outlet
3-piece Folding Hard Tonneau Cover
High-Clearance Off-Road Steps
Chevytec Spray-on Bedliner
Multiplex Tailgate
120-volt Bed-mounted Power Outlet
Starting MSRP: $56,300 (LT Trail Boss)
Price as tested: $69,315