2023 Chevrolet Silverado Trail Boss with Duramax: Surprising Highway MPG Test

If you know anything about Texas it is probably that it's a big state and we are the leader in pickup truck sales. Typically, when we get an off-road focused vehicle to test, we head east to test it out at Barnwell Mountain (which we did in a separate video) but in this video, we head west for Dallas to see just how this 2023 Chevrolet Silverado LT Trail Boss does on fuel economy with the 3.0L Duramax turbodiesel under the hood.
From the onset, I was slightly skeptical. We have tested the hybrid-only Toyota Tundra TRD Pro and saw numbers much lower than what was indicated on the window sticker. Who actually sees those EPA numbers in real-world driving anyway? So when work took me to downtown Dallas to check out the North Texas Auto Show, we took the opportunity to familiarize ourselves with the latest iteration of the Silverado along with its most powerful engine for the half-ton version of the truck.
Initial impressions from my in-town driving in East Texas were strong. While I was not seeing the numbers on the window sticker, I was seeing numbers north of anything else we have tested in the segment. The biggest standout to me was just how well the engine and 10-speed transmission worked together. Nary a shift was felt when puttering around in my daily driving, a trait that maintained throughout the length of our time testing this pickup. Power was always available and I never noticed the transmission hunting for the perfect ratio to deliver power when requested.
Outside of the badging on the hood and the slight clatter from under said hood, there really is not anything that would give this diesel away. For all intents and purposes, this looks just like a V8-powered Silverado. In fact, this is even intended to be driven just like its gas-drinking siblings without the need to idle it before shutting it down and its ability to do short trips without doing long-term damage to the engine. This even has a deflatable start/stop feature to save fuel when in traffic, so you know engineers have taken daily driving these into consideration.
I won't spoil our final results from our 100-plus mile road trip in this video, but all of our coverage on this pickup over the entire week will mention the fuel economy numbers we have experienced from our time with this rig…we were impressed, to say the least. For now, enjoy my first take on how this pickup performs and see my feelings for the Duramax evolve over the course of the trip to Dallas.
2023 Chevrolet Silverado LT Trail Boss
* LZO 3.0L Duramax® Turbo Diesel Inline-6
* 305 horsepower
* 495 lb-ft
* 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
* EPA Estimated Fuel Economy: 21/23/22 (city/hwy/cmb)
* Starting MSRP: $56,300 (LT Trail Boss)
* Price as tested: $69,315
Go visit Barnwell yourself, and tell them GT: Garage Talk sent you.www.barnwellmo...
Like Cory's Hat?
www.biggietx.com
Find out more about GT: Garage Talk at
www.gtgarageta...
Buy GT: Garage Talk merch:
teespring.com/...
Shop some of our favorite gear:
www.gtgarageta...
Support us on Patreon:
/ gtgaragetalk
Get Social with Us
/ gtgaragetalk
/ gtgaragetalk
/ gtgaragetalk
/ gtgaragetalk
#GTGarageTalk #Chevy #TrailBoss #ChevySilverado #SilveradoTrailBoss #2023ChevySilverado #FuelEconomy #RoadTrip #RealWorldMPG #2023ChevySilveradoTrailBoss #Duramax #DuramaxTrailBoss #TrailBossDuramax #SilveradoDuramax #FamilyCar #OffRoad #PickupTruck #Truck #Pickup #NewCar #CarReview #TXAutowriters #BarnwellMountain

[@BearPapa49]

You have a good kid that enjoys life . I’m sold on the 3.0 . I want the LZO . Thx

[@GTGarageTalk]

Thanks. This was the LZO, I misspoke. I loved this platform and engine.

[@CarsMadeSimple]

It's great that you have been able to achieve the EPA rating on that truck! Not sure I can say the same about the 2.7 in either of my tests... 😅

[@GTGarageTalk]

😲🫤

[@brettradecki]

The 2.7 I get significantly higher than EPA rating. 27.9 mpg for a 200 mile trip. 2022 LT 4x4.

[@GTGarageTalk]

@@brettradecki NICE!!!! thanks for sharing.

[@CarsMadeSimple]

@@brettradecki Which output level?

[@brettradecki]

@@CarsMadeSimple original engine. 310/348

[@dlg5485]

According to another channel I was watching, the owners manual actually says not to idle this engine too long because it can mess with the emissions system. He got a check engine light from idling too long, over 30 min.

[@hochhaul]

It's bad for any engine to idle that long.

[@jimmyteter]

That's really good for a full size. I get 16-18 avg on my 2021 ZR2. Pretty dang low considering. Hoping to get one of these when the prices come back down.

[@GTGarageTalk]

Well, Chevy has slowed production as lots have started to fill up again. Now may be when dealers are willing to negotiate.

[@GTGarageTalk]

gmauthority.com/blog/2023/03/chevy-silverado-discount-reaches-4250-in-march-2023/

[@gwahl1985]

Fun fact, you have to drive a new vehicle a few hundred miles before the calibration is completed to get the right mpg rating.. So you said you drove it 40 something miles... You still need to drive it about another 300 miles to get accurate numbers on MPG.

[@GTGarageTalk]

We had it over 600 miles and averaged just over 22 mpg in total, which included off road testing. There were a couple thousand on the odometer of this one when we got it too

[@SammichtheStout]

I don't know why all of the you tube reviewers except TFL don't seem to know or care about this, but trip meter based fuel consumption numbers can be 20% off or sometimes more.bthe only reliable way to show actual average fuel consumption is to pick a home pump, and do multiple successive tanks in different use cases. That's the only way to get an accurate number. Other than that. The LZ0 is the way to go.

[@Junior-sk9vu]

Is there paint chipping problem on the hood around the black hood piece?

[@GTGarageTalk]

Not that we have noticed, but that is really more of a long-term test type of discovery.

[@watchmanexpert]

My 2010 Titan is 317 HP .LOL I am planing on sell my truck I buy brand new 3.0 ,no problem with my Nissan but I want something new … 3.0 Duramax will be my new truck 🛻

[@GTGarageTalk]

👍🏼

[@gladegoodrich2297]

Looking at one but having a hard time paying 3 times more than my first house cost. 🤑

[@GTGarageTalk]

I know, right?!?

[@alexjcuevas3974]

My 2021 gets an average of 31 mpg mostly highway and country roads

[@GTGarageTalk]

That’s awesome! Love that engine.

[@Junior-sk9vu]

Is there paint chipping problem on the hood around the black hood piece?

[@GTGarageTalk]

Not that we have noticed, but that is really more of a long-term test type of discovery.