2021 Silverado 2500 HD What’s NewIt has been just shy of a year since Chevrolet launched the all-new 2020 Silverado HD and yet we’re already finding out exactly what’s in store for the second model year of the heavy duty pickup truck. The 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD is getting a bunch of changes and updates, including to the exterior, interior, package structure, powertrain and even a few new features. GM Authority has put together a thorough guide of what’s new and different for the 2021 Silverado 2500HD. Let’s dig right in.
Trim Levels
The 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD trim level structure remains the same as for the 2020 models, with the Work Truck serving as the base trim, followed by Custom, LT, LTZ and High Country. We will reference these trim levels throughout this piece, and the chart below outlines the trim hierarchy so you can follow right along.
Trim Level: | Work Truck | Custom | LT | LTZ | High Country |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
PEG: | 1WT | 1CX | 1LT | 1LZ | 3LZ |
Exterior
The 2021 Silverado 2500HD exterior remains the same as the 2020 model, but does get a few minor changes and updates.
First, two exterior colors replaced with two new ones.
Deleted colors:
- Shadow Gray Metallic
- Cajun Red Tintcoat
New colors:
- Mosaic Black Metallic
- Cherry Red Tintcoat
Shadow Gray Cajun Red The manual tailgate function with EZ Lift is replaced with the EZ Lift, power lock and release tailgate function on the LT trim level.
There are also all kinds of wheel changes, as follows:
- Deleted: 20-inch machined aluminum 10-spoke wheels with High Gloss Black painted accents (RQ9)
- For the 2020 model year, these wheels were standard on the Custom model and available on LT
- Added: 20-inch machined aluminum 10-spoke wheels with Grazen Metallic painted accents (Q86)
- Standard on Custom
- Available on LT when Z71 Chrome Sport Edition is ordered
- Available on LTZ only with Carhartt Special Edition
- Added: 18-inch High Gloss Black aluminum wheels (PTW)
- Available on Work Truck when equipped with Alaskan Snow Plow Special Edition
- Available on LT when equipped with Alaskan Snow Plow Special Edition, Midnight Edition or Z71 Sport Edition
- Available on LTZ when equipped with Midnight Edition or Z71 Sport Edition
- Added: 20-inch Black painted wheels with Black center caps (NZD)
- Available on LT and LTZ and requires LT275/65R20 all-terrain, blackwall tires and either Z71 Sport Edition or Midnight Edition
- Added: 20-inch Chrome aluminum wheels as LPO-level item (SKW)
- Available on LT, LTZ and High Country
- Truck ships with transit aluminum 20-inch wheels (Q7Q) from the factory with alignment specs set to the LPO-level 20-inch wheels, which are installed by the dealer
- Added: 20-inch High Gloss Black aluminum wheels with machined finish as LPO-level item (SKX)
- Available on LT, LTZ and High Country
- Truck ships with transit aluminum 20-inch wheels (Q7Q) from the factory with alignment specs set to the LPO-level 20-inch wheels, which are installed by the dealer
- Added: 20-inch High Gloss Black aluminum wheels as LPO-level items (SHH)
- Available on LT, LTZ and High Country
- Truck ships with transit aluminum 20-inch wheels (Q7Q) from the factory with alignment specs set to the LPO-level 20-inch wheels, which are installed by the dealer
- Added: LT275/70R18 mud-terrain blackwall tires (QG3)
- This tire has a reduction in conventional trailering capacity
- Requires 4WD model
- Available on Work Truck with Alaskan Snow Plow Special Edition.
- Available on LT with Alaskan Snow Plow Special Edition, Midnight Edition or Z71 Sport Edition
- Available on LTZ with Midnight Edition or Z71 Sport Edition
It’s also worth noting that the Alaskan Snow Plow Package now includes a different set of wheels. For the 2020 model year, the package included 18-inch, 6-spoke machined aluminum wheels with Silver painted accents (PYV) as standard. For the 2021 model year, the package swaps those wheels for 18-inch High Gloss Black aluminum wheels (PTW).
Finally, there is a small yet important change in the way the Gooseneck / 5th Wheel Package is ordered on the 2021 Silverado 2500HD High Country: instead of ordering the Gooseneck / 5th Wheel Package (CMT), dealers must now order the free flow option Gooseneck / 5th Wheel Prep Package (Z6A) on the High Country trim.
Interior
Inside, the 2021 Silverado 2500HD sees various changes and updates, starting with the front seat configuration: the front 40/20/40 split-bench front seat with no storage that was standard on the 2020 Silverado 2500HD Work Truck and Custom is replaced with the front 40/20/40 split-bench front seat with upper covered armrest storage. This is the only front seat option on the Work Truck and Custom trims. This configuration is also standard on LT, but this trim level also offers the ability to upgrade to one of two other seat options:
- Front 40/20/40 split-bench with covered armrest storage and lockable under-seat storage
- Front bucket seats with center console (only on Crew Cab and Double Cab models)
On the technology, side, the 2021 Silverado 2500HD now features two USB ports on the instrument panel for the Work Truck and Custom trims. For the 2020 model year, these models previously made do with a single port. Meanwhile, SiriusXM becomes optional on the Work Truck trim and standard on the LT trim. For the 2020 model year, the Work Truck trim did not offer the SiriusXM option, while it was optional – rather than standard – on LT. The Custom trim continues to offer SiriusXM as an option. The more advanced SiriusXM 360L is optional on LT, and standard on LTZ and High Country. Additionally, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are added; the features are optional on LT and standard on LTZ and High Country (not available on Work Truck or Custom).
The 2021 Silverado 2500HD also sees the introduction of a new inside rearview auto-dimming mirror with partial video display. The new mirror shows the video feed of the cargo bed, captured by an equally-new Bed View Camera, which is located in the CHMSL. The features are available via the new rearview mirror with partial video display on Work Truck, Custom and LT models. Meanwhile, LT and LTZ models equipped with the Convenience Package or the Advanced Trailering Package offer the Bed View Camera function, but show the image on the higher-resolution center screen instead of in the partial video display mirror. Meanwhile, the High Country now gets the Bed View Camera as standard (it was optional for the 2020 MY), displaying the image in the center screen.
Note that the Bed View Camera was optional for the 2020 model year on LT, LTZ and High Country models. However, the output on these models was shown on the center screen, rather than in the rearview mirror. As such, it would seem that the new auto-dimming mirror with a partial video display is a lower-cost way of giving lower-end models the Bed View Camera ability.
Rounding things out is a new Jet Black / Carhartt Brown interior color combination for the Carhartt Special Edition. The last change to the interior is the introduction of front and rear floor liners, with removable carpet inserts available on LT, LTZ and High Country models.
Packages
Chevrolet’s 2021 Silverado 2500HD also gets a whole bunch of package-level changes, with six packages added and several changes as well, as follows:
New Packages:
- Safety Essentials Package:
- Features:
- Forward Collision Alert
- Automatic Emergency Braking
- Steering Wheel Audio Controls
- Driver Information Center
- Availability: available on Work Truck and Custom trim levels
- On Work Truck, package adds cruise control
- Features:
- LTZ Premium Texas Edition:
- Features:
- LTZ Convenience Package II:
- Chevrolet Infotainment System with Navigation and 8-inch diagonal color touchscreen
- Bose Premium Audio System
- Bed View Camera
- HD Surround Vision with Two Trailer View Camera Provisions
- Wireless Charging
- Safety Package:
- Front and Rear Park Assist
- Lane Change Alert with Side Blind Zone Alert
- Rear Cross Traffic Alert
- Safety Package II:
- Forward Collision Alert
- Lane Departure Warning
- Automatic Emergency Braking
- IntelliBeam headlamps
- Following Distance Indicator
- Safety Alert Seat
- Technology Package:
- Rear Camera Mirror
- 15-inch Diagonal Head-Up Display
- 20-inch polished aluminum wheels (RTH)
- LT275/65R20 all-terrain blackwall tires
- Texas Edition badging
- LTZ Convenience Package II:
- Availability: available on LTZ models, only available to dealers located in the states of Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.
- Features:
- Midnight Edition:
- Features:
- Black grille bar with “CHEVROLET” script
- Black grille inserts with Z71 badge
- Black skid plate
- Black Silverado trim level and tonnage badging
- Black bow tie on horn pad
- Gloss Black mirror caps
- Black hood vent surround
- Painted front bumper
- Painted rear bumper
- 18-inch High Gloss Black aluminum wheels
- LT275/70R18 mud-terrain blackwall tires
- Chevytec spray-on bedliner
- 4″ Black assist steps (LPO-level item)
- Availability: available only on LT and LTZ models
- Features:
- For more view source: https://gmauthority.com/blog/2020/05/2021-silverado-2500hd-heres-whats-new-and-different/
- Safety Essentials Package:
- Deleted: 20-inch machined aluminum 10-spoke wheels with High Gloss Black painted accents (RQ9)