The Most Powerful Silverado 1500: 2023 Chevy Silverado Trail Boss with Duramax

We have tested almost every configuration of Chevy’s full-size Silverado pickup but saved perhaps the best for last. Say hello to the 2023 LT Trail Boss with the Duramax Diesel under the hood. This engine makes a Silverado 1500-best 495 lb-ft of torque, making it the most powerful 1500 you can get from the factory.

That power number is perhaps the biggest news in the 2023 lineup (outside of the AEV collaboration that spawned the ZR2 Bison). With 10% more horsepower and 7.6% more torque (yes, Chevy got that specific with the increase percentage), this 3.0L Duramax inline-6 turbodiesel is quite the powertrain option. It is also the most fuel-efficient, getting up to an EPA-estimated 29 mpg in 2WD models and 23 mpg highway in this 4WD Trail Boss.

Outside of the Duramax in this tester and the Sand Dune paint color, there is not too much to differentiate this versus some of the other Silverados we have tested lately. As it is an LT, it gets the updated interior that was introduced midway through the 2022 model year. The Trail Boss model gets increased ride height, Rancho shocks, skid plates, red tow hooks, a 2-speed electronic transfer case, and some additional off-road goodies including the black 18-inch wheels wrapped in Goodyear Wrangler rubber.

Our vehicle had a cloth interior which did not feature Chevy’s unique rear setback storage, but that is an option should you desire. Other amenities inside include the new 13.4-inch infotainment powered by Google, a Qi wireless phone charger, and plenty of USB ports for charging additional devices.