The all-new 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 have become the first pickup trucks to earn a 5-star Overall Vehicle Score from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration since NHTSA adopted more demanding criteria as part of its New Car Assessment Program during the 2011 model year. Although GM anticipates all light-duty versions of its new full-size pickups will receive similar best-possible ratings, NHTSA only tested — and awarded 5-star status to — the crew cab Silverado and Sierra variants. This popular duo currently accounts for 60 percent of the automaker’s light-duty full-size pickup sales.
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“Safety is as important to truck buyers as it is to car buyers,” said Gay Kent, GM general director of Vehicle Safety and Crashworthiness. “Silverado and Sierra set a benchmark for pickup truck safety by offering a full array of advanced features designed to protect occupants before, during and after a collision.” Beyond built-in toughness emanating from things like the extensive use of high-strength steel and having fully boxed frame rails, the trucks complement their comprehensive array of standard active and passive technologies with several class-exclusives including Forward Collision Alert, Lane Departure Warning and a Safety Alert Seat.
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As for Silverado 1500/Sierra 1500 rivals, the 2014 Ford F-150 and Ram 1500 each received a 4-star overall rating from NHTSA while the 2014 Nissan Titan and Toyota Tundra have yet to be tested.
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