What’s New About The 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD

The 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD was vastly different than the exiting 2019 model. It was basically an overhaul year, resulting in a new exterior, interior, and new technology never before seen in a heavy duty Chevrolet truck. It’s been a year since then however, and 2021 models will be hitting dealerships any day now. How does the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD compare to 2020 models?

2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
Photo Courtesy of Chevrolet Media.

2021 Chevy Silverado 2500HD Performance Changes

Duramax Diesel Engine Changes?

2021 marks a year of refinement and improvement over the 2020 Silverado HD. The L5P Duramax diesel engine remains largely unchanged, but it still provides plenty of power at 445 horsepower and 910 lb-ft of torque. The 10-speed automatic Allison comes standard with the Diesel engine and it remains similar to the previous model year as well.

Changes to the 6.6L Standard Gas Engine

In 2020, the popular 6.0L V-8 engine was replaced with a new direct-injected 6.6L gas engine for huge performance gains and greater capability. The only major change for this 6.6L Gas engine in 2021 is that it now offers FlexFuel capabilities. Other than that, the powertrain is very similar. The same 6L90 6-speed Automatic transmission is used with a standard tow/haul mode.

Towing Improvements

2021 Chevy Silverado 2500HD Towing
2021 Chevrolet Silverado HD with the Custom package. Photo courtesy of Chevrolet.

The 2021 Chevy Silverado 2500HD retains its 18,500 lb conventional tow capacity and 18,500 Lb 5th Wheel or Gooseneck tow capacity.  2021 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD trucks received a slight tow capacity raise.


Technology improvements on 2021 will definitely aid in towing now though. The Bed View Camera is now available on Work Truck, Custom, and LT models. The Safety Confidence Package is also available on Work Truck and Custom models.

New Special Editions & Packages

2021 model year Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD trucks will be offered in several unique trim packages compared to 2021 models. The most noteworthy new edition is a collaboration between Chevrolet and Carhartt. The new 2021 Chevrolet Silverado Carhartt edition features an exclusive exterior, a CarHartt-themed interior, and a bunch of additional styling characteristics.

2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD Carhartt Edition
2021 Chevrolet Silverado HD Trucks are available in a new trim, the Carharrt edition. Photo courtesy of Chevrolet Media Site.


Other special editions include the LTZ Premium Texas Edition, Midnight Edition, Z71 Sport Edition, and Z71 Chrome Sport Edition. A Duramax and Appearance Package is available on LT Trims too.

Other New 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD Features

Other changes to the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD trucks include wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto phone projection capabilities. The EZ Lift tailgate is also now standard on LT Models.

What About The 2021 Silverado 3500HD?

Click on the link below to see what changes Chevrolet made to their 3500HD for the 2021 model year.

  • 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD New Features

2021 Ford F-150 Owner’s Manual Makes A Positive Environmental Impact

How Ford is Making the F-150 More Eco-Friendly

The 2021 Ford F-150 is more environmentally friendly than ever before. Not only did Ford invest and produce a hybrid power train, the 3.5L PowerBoost, but they’re also making a difference by making the 2021 F-150 owner’s manual digital. Ford claims the change to making the owner’s manual digital results in a reduction of paper use by up to 290 tons of paper every year. Here are some interesting stats on how significant a reduction of 290 tons of paper per year truly is.

290 Tons Of Paper Equates To:

  • The weight of 122 average Ford F-150 trucks
  • A stack of paper 18,000 feet tall.
2021 Ford F-150 Digital Owner's Manual
Graphic courtesy of the Ford Media Website

How to Access It

The 2021 Ford F-150’s owner manual will be accessible via the center touchscreen display found on all models. It will have a search function capability and you’ll have access to streamed videos and other content. For those of us that are technology inclined, finding information on your F-150 has never been easier. All the information on the new 2021 F-150 is at your fingertips.

2021 Ford F-150 Interior. Photo Courtesy of Ford Media.

Why We Like The 2021 Ford F-150 Digital Owner’s Manual

Good For The Environment

It goes without saying that most people consider any effort to be more environmentally conscious is a good thing. I love that Ford is making an effort to make a positive environmental impact on the planet. A lot of consumers also trend that way, as many climate activists consider climate change to be public enemy number one. Even myself as someone who is traditionally very conservative can see the value in protecting our great planet. As someone who enjoys the outdoors, I firmly believe we should do everything we can to make sure future generations can enjoy our planet as much as we have.

Good For Secondary Owners

If you’ve ever purchased a used truck, your vehicle probably doesn’t have an owner’s manual inside. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had purchased a truck that lacked an owner’s manual and all the crucial information that is found inside. I’ve even lost Owner’s Manuals on trucks I purchased new. This new digital format will make sure you always have access, even if you’re the second or third owner, and that you will never lose it.

Find What You Need Faster

Another huge plus is that the digital owner’s manual has a search capability that can drastically reduce your time searching for something specific. Instead of skimming pages, or trying to use the glossary or index, you can simply search the topic you’re looking for.

2021 Ford F-150

What We Don’t Like

Functionality

An owner’s manual on any vehicle provides crucial information. It includes proper procedures on a variety of service tasks, maintenance information, and even how to use different vehicle features. I haven’t seen the display in person yet, but I do have some usability concerns. Now, let’s say you’re using the owner’s manual Function on the display to learn how to change settings on the display. You can’t do it simultaneously, so you will have to either have a good memory and remember the steps to take, or look up the owner’s manual on your phone from Ford’s website to change settings as you read the directions.

Difficult For Less Tech-Savvy Owners

Anything digital can also be a problem for some of the old timers out there who didn’t grow up with technology like we have. Again, I haven’t seen the new 2021 Ford F-150 in person yet,  but if it isn’t easily accessible or easy to find on the interphase, it could be problematic for older people. I also hope the manual itself is easy to navigate and topics can be found quickly. Let’s hope Ford is making it as easy as flipping through a book. There will be a condensed supplemental version of the owner’s manual that will be present on all models however. It’ll contain about 25% of the original manual’s content, but it will contain vital information like how to properly jumpstart the vehicle in the event that the vehicle is dead or unusable.

Find out more about the 2021 Ford F-150

Learn more about the newest F-150 by checking out some of our other resources below!

You Can Also Learn More About the 2021 F-150 Here