Chevrolet has built an incredibly loyal customer base because of how it responds to driver needs across its lineup. The first step in Chevrolet’s response is recognizing those needs and doing everything possible to exceed expectations rather than simply fulfill a requirement. Chevrolet’s consistency in rising to the occasion proves its dedication to those in the driver’s seat as if every model is a rededication of its commitment to its customers and to giving Americans the freedom and confidence to travel, explore, and adventure.
Chevrolet’s insightfulness almost seems like a sixth sense, especially when you look at best-selling trucks like the Silverado and the many reasons that lead customers to Chevy Silverado dealers nationwide. It’s not really a mystery, however. Chevrolet does its homework, like collaborating with Harris Poll, a leading market research company, to learn more about how drivers use their trucks. More importantly, Chevy puts the data to use, ultimately giving drivers more of what they want and need in American icons like the Silverado. The proof is in the Silverado, from the Multi-Flex Tailgate and Durabed to the diesel-powered 2024 Silverado 1500 ZR2.
The Value of Research: Chevy’s Homework
There’s no question that Americans love their trucks, taking great pride in their workhorses and even pledging their brand loyalty for life. We’re looking at you, Chevrolet, Ford, and Ram owners. Trucks are ingrained in American culture, and so is Chevrolet, but the automaker doesn’t take its position for granted. Chevrolet has kept its ear to the ground to maintain its lead in the segment, even collaborating with Harris Poll in 2018 to glean more information about how we use our trucks and how they impact our lives.
Why is this collaboration significant? What does it matter in the grand scheme of the Silverado? First and foremost, it showcases Chevrolet’s interest in and awareness of its demographic. Through polling, Chevrolet learned that 57% of truck owners feel like their trucks are part of the family and that 45% plan to pass their beloved workhorse down to a family member. An even greater percentage, 60% to be exact, reported they couldn’t live without their truck.
The survey also revealed that trucks are more than work partners; they’re an avenue to help others, pursue passions, and make a positive impact on the world around us. In 2018, at least 89% of Americans polled used their trucks to help others. That help looks like everything from towing another vehicle out of a dicey situation on the trail to jumpstarting a stranger’s car, hauling donations to the local community center in the truck bed or on a trailer, or decorating the truck to drive in the local parade.
Turning Data Into Tangible Value
Chevrolet publicized the findings of its 2018 survey, perfectly setting the stage for the all-new Silverado 1500 in 2019. Today, drivers continue to see the value of those findings and Chevrolet’s ongoing research to learn more about truck owners and their needs. Most notably, Chevrolet adeptly gathers pertinent information about its customer base and turns those findings into tangible value that transforms our experience in the driver’s seat. One look at the Multi-Flex Tailgate, Durabed, and the upcoming 2024 Silverado 1500 ZR2 proves as much.
Multi-Flex Tailgate and Durabed
Chevrolet was among the first to introduce a multifunctional truck tailgate, with General Motors tasking its engineers to think outside the box and find a way to improve one of the most used features on trucks like the Silverado. Over a decade in the making, the Multi-Flex Tailgate debuted on the 2021 Silverado 1500 and was instantly dubbed the “Swiss Army Knife” of tailgates. It’s a prime example of how Chevrolet doesn’t simply recognize our needs but delivers in ways that make our lives better, at least when behind the wheel.
Activated by a key fob or a tailgate-mounted button, the Multi-Flex Tailgate has six features that make it easier to take advantage of the Silverado’s exceptional payload. With a primary gate, inner gate, and load stops, you can reach further into the bed without back-breaking effort. The individual components are also multifunctional, doubling as a full-width step and a flat work surface that can support small tools, a laptop, and other items. The tailgate’s functional design, combined with the Durabed and its integrated LED lighting and power outlet make the Silverado the most functional in the segment.
But why do these features matter? Think about Chevrolet’s findings in the 2018 Harris Poll and the mounds of data the automaker has gathered before and ever since. Chevrolet looks at and evaluates the data not as a pat on the back for doing an excellent job as the leading truck brand in America but as a challenge to do more and set new benchmarks across the segment. The Multi-Flex Tailgate and Durabed do precisely that.
2024 Silverado 1500 ZR2
In 2017, Chevrolet made waves in the industry when it debuted the 2017 Colorado ZR2 as a challenge to the revered Toyota Tacoma. With an efficient and potent 2.8L Duramax diesel engine, the Colorado ZR2 proudly stole the spotlight and showcased its talents on and off the pavement. It quickly became a surprise favorite among off-roaders and overlanders, prompting Chevy to expand its ZR2 lineup again with the 2022 Silverado ZR2. This time, however, Chevy missed the mark by not offering the Silverado ZR2 with a diesel powertrain and, again, by eliminating the Duramax from the Colorado’s powertrain lineup in 2023.
Automakers don’t always get things right, but how they recover and respond is incredibly important. For many, it seemed like the end of the line for the Duramax, especially as Chevrolet and other automakers push toward an all-electric future. However, Chevrolet has proven otherwise, reintroducing the Duramax on what many call the best off-road warrior from Chevrolet–the 2024 Silverado 1500 ZR2.
Chevrolet’s reintroduction of the Duramax 3.0L Turbo-Diesel reveals the automaker’s awareness of its demographic. The Duramax returns more powerful than its predecessor, delivering 305 hp and 495 lb-ft of torque. The higher output is courtesy of a retuned turbo compressor, better cooling, improved calibration, and new pistons and fuel injectors. More importantly, off-roaders are thrilled by the Duramax’s efficiency, with an expected average of 20 MPG in the city and 22 MPG on the highway. Trail running isn’t the most efficient, making these averages and the Silverado 1500 ZR2’s combined range north of 500 miles undoubtedly appealing for those looking to explore deeper in the woods without worrying about emptying the tank.
Silverado Owners: Reaping the Rewards
Demographic research is one of an automaker’s most useful tools, but how that data is used differentiates the key players from everyone else. Chevrolet is acutely aware of its customer base, taking that awareness and responding in a way that makes its vehicles more valuable in every way imaginable. This value comes in many forms, from the modern design of the Silverado 1500 and its premium, tech-savvy interior to the revolutionary Multi-Flex Tailgate and Durabed. It’s also apparent in Chevrolet’s reintroduction of the Duramax to the Silverado 1500 ZR2 in 2024, a move that answers yet another insatiable need for adventure among truck owners.
These impressive models and features reflect Chevrolet’s ingenuity and customer commitment, but they also lead to another question. Why haven’t other automakers answered the same needs? Fortunately, Chevrolet refuses to wait for its rivals to catch up, consistently raising the standards and fulfilling its promise to exceed our expectations every moment behind the wheel.
