Here’s Why a Used Chevy Silverado 1500 Is Perfect for San Antonio Drivers

Are you in the market for a used Chevy Silverado for sale near San Antonio? You’re not alone, and it’s not uncommon for San Antonio drivers to achieve incredible results with the Silverado 1500, rightfully one of the best-selling vehicles in the country. Everything’s bigger here in Texas, and if you want a sizable truck with plenty of power under the hood and a sleek aesthetic, you have the right idea by searching for a full-size pickup truck as legendary as the Silverado 1500. If you are wondering if the Silverado 1500 is the right choice for your next pickup truck, we’re here to tell you why San Antonio drivers like yourself should purchase a pre-owned Silverado 1500. It may be the perfect choice.

You Save Money, and Towing Isn’t off the Table

The Chevy Silverado has been around for years, and if there’s one thing it’s become known for, it’s towing. Reliability also plays a large role, but we’ll get to that. You should expect decent towing results with any Silverado 1500, but newer pre-owned ones undoubtedly have the edge. There are plenty of reasons why you can still have a great experience with a last-generation Silverado 1500, like the 2018 model. However, it’s worth knowing you can purchase a pre-owned 2019 Silverado that is on the same platform as the newest 2024 and 2025 models. That’s not to say it’s an apples-to-apples comparison, however.

A significant shift began with the launch of the 2022 Silverado 1500. Earlier models came with a standard 4.3L V6 engine and a six-speed automatic transmission. With the standard V6, base Silverado 1500 models sported a respectable maximum towing capacity of 7,900 lbs. However, the 2021 model saw a significant improvement in the turbocharged 2.7L I-4 engine linked with an eight-speed automatic transmission, increasing its towing capacity from 7,000 to 9,600 lbs.
One year later, the 4.3L V6 engine hit the chopping block, and the turbocharged 2.7L I-4 engine took its place as the new base powertrain, with a final adjustment to a maximum towing capacity of 9,500 lbs. If you’re on a budget, even a towing capacity of 7,900 lbs is ample, but if you spend a bit extra on a newer base model, you may enjoy the uptick in towing performance. No matter what, even an older Silverado 1500 under the base specifications can do wonders for your hobbies, so you can finally bring a large camper to the Lost Woods Campground in San Antonio or your fishing boat down to Ballasetal Lake on a warm summer day.

What if you stick with older models but spend more on a pre-owned Silverado 1500 with a higher trim level or a stronger and more capable engine? You’ll have some pretty fantastic results. Starting with the 2018 Silverado 1500, your strongest engine choice is a 6.2L V8 engine paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. It outputs 420 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque, and you’ll also reach a maximum towing capacity of 12,500 lbs with the 2018 model.

Fast forward to the 2022 model, and the strongest engine becomes a tie between the 6.2L V8 engine and the turbo-diesel 3.0L I-6 engine. Both of these engines are paired with a ten-speed automatic transmission and have a matching maximum towing capacity, along with a nearly identical payload capacity. With either engine, your Silverado 1500 reaches a maximum towing capacity of 13,300 lbs.

As for the metrics, the 6.2L V8 engine takes the crown for horsepower with its 420 hp, while the torque output between both engines is 460 lb-ft. Models from 2023 onward increased the torque output of the turbo-diesel powertrain to 495 lb-ft, giving it the edge in that department. A maximum towing capacity of 13,300 lbs is fantastic for a non-heavy-duty full-size pickup truck. It also shows that spending less on an older model doesn’t always mean you’re getting significantly less truck, as there’s only a difference of 6.4% in the greatest towing capacities between the 2018 and 2022 models.

Multi-Purpose and Loving It

Something true about every Silverado 1500, regardless of model year, is that it’s built for multiple purposes. Of most pickup trucks, the Silverado 1500 is the best example of one-size-fits-all. For example, you may be a commuter, driving yourself and colleagues to work daily in or around San Antonio or driving the kids to Highland Park, Northwood, or Woodridge Elementary School. You can easily find a pre-owned Silverado with a proper cabin size capable of accompanying five or six people, including you.

The smallest cabin size for the Silverado 1500 is the Regular Cab, which doesn’t have a back row. Instead, you have a bench that fits two other people aside from you. If you aren’t a carpooler and don’t live with any kids or relatives, you may need nothing more than a Regular Cab. However, the two cab sizes that offer a second row of seats, the Crew and Double Cabs, are perfect for those who know passengers will likely come along for the ride more. The Crew Cab sports a maximum passenger capacity of five people, while the Double Cab increases this to six.

We’ve discussed Silverado 1500 towing performance and how well it handles commutes with more people in the cabin than only yourself, but how does cargo capacity hold up? Cargo space is an area that often goes unchanged from year to year, so it’s easy to purchase an older model with similar or even identical cargo space to the newest release. For example, the 2020 Silverado 1500 has the same bed sizes and cargo capacities as even the upcoming 2026 Silverado 1500, with its 5.8-foot, 6.6-foot, and 8.2-foot beds offering 62.9, 71.7, and 89.1 cu.ft. of cargo space, respectively. Combined with tie-downs, roof racks, and even an available power generator in some pre-owned models, the Silverado 1500’s bed is as multi-purpose as the towing experience, perfect for an adventurous lifestyle in San Antonio.

It’s not only the measurements and performance specs that make the Silverado 1500 a perfect multi-purpose machine, but it’s also the tech built into a plethora of available models. The 2016 Silverado 1500 arrived with Apple CarPlay available as an option, one of the earliest incarnations of the now wildly successful software suite. The 2019 model brought it, along with Android Auto, to every trim level including base models. Any model you buy comes with enhanced connectivity capabilities, with seamless integration with your smartphone, including various apps, your contact list, music library, and more.

San Antonio Drivers Love the Silverado 1500

Between its incredible performance spanning multiple model years, advanced tech, incredible reliability, and more, the Silverado 1500 is the perfect truck for most pickup truck drivers. However, you don’t need to spend all of your money on the latest model. The pre-owned Silverado 1500s we’ve discussed today are a great place to start looking if you want to see how they stack up against newer counterparts. You’re on the right track to getting your dream car. The question now is, which pre-owned model has the best combination of price and features for your liking?

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