2022 Chevy Silverado Trail Boss Will Finally Get the Duramax Diesel
The 3.0-liter Duramax inline-six packs 460 pound-feet of torque and improved fuel economy over the gas V8s.
The Silverado Trail Boss is the most off-road-capable truck in Chevy's half-ton lineup—for now, anyway. It's already available with the automaker's 5.3- and 6.2-liter V8 engines, though some folks want more variety. See, there's the 3.0-liter Duramax diesel inline-six that hasn't been available on the Trail Boss to this point, and it'd be great to pair that 4x4 prowess with nearly 30 mpg on the road. Now, it seems like General Motors will make it happen.
The news was first reported by GM Authority and has since been confirmed to The Drive by a GM spokesperson. It's always been a little puzzling since the Trail Boss' GMC brethren, the Sierra 1500 AT4, has long listed the Duramax as an optional power plant. Maybe they wanted one more thing to differentiate the two platform mates; it's not really clear.
For reference, the 3.0-liter Duramax packs 277 horsepower and an even healthier 460 pound-feet of torque. The latter is equal with GM's heavy-hitting 6.2-liter gas V8, but what's better is the inline-six's fuel economy. While it's sure to drop some with the Trail Boss' two-inch lift and Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac tires, the engine returns an impressive 25 miles per gallon combined in other 4x4 applications. On the highway, that number climbs to 29 mpg.
While it doesn't look like the base-level Silverado Trail Boss Custom will be available with the Duramax, truck fans can spec a Trail Boss LT with the compression-ignition lump. That trim is a little more comfort-oriented than the barebones Custom, though still rugged enough that it won't be ruined if you hop in with mud all over your Levis.
It's worth noting that Ford is discontinuing its half-ton diesel offering after this month. While the F-150 Power Stroke is being put out to pasture, GM is betting bigger on its oil burners. Ram also continues to offer its EcoDiesel V6 in half-ton trucks, including the 1500 Rebel.
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