Paradoxically, GM has pulled off a bigger Silverado truck that weighs less. The new wheelbase is almost 4 inches longer with an overall length that sticks out 1 ½ inches more. The difference means more leg room in the crew cab and more storage space.

Chevy claims the new Silverado shaved 450 pounds off the 1500 before this year’s unveiling. Ford accomplished a similar feat in its redesigned F-series pickups by mixing a healthy dose of aluminum with the steel. But General Motors decided on a different approach. Instead of aluminum, they’re using a mixed-materials composite of aluminum, magnesium, and other metals. Buyers still get premium steel where it counts, but the tailgate, cab roof, and other parts are made of this mixed material. Either way you dice it, the Silverado is a lighter truck, meaning it’ll be more fuel efficient and feel a bit more powerful.

General Motors claims that the Silverado will offer better fuel economy than its competitors. In order to get best-in-class gas mileage, we’re probably looking at at least 30 highway miles per gallon. That’s good news for your wallet.

It’s not just the lighter metals that have improved the fuel efficiency of this goliath of a truck. The engine, which can disable cylinders when not needed, is responsible as well. In other words, an idle or cruising Silverado becomes a gasoline sipper while its competitors keep guzzling full-time.

The face of the Silverado is wide and mostly comprised of the grille, with high headlights. On the upper trims, that’s bona fide chrome on the grille, door handles, running boards, and more. If you don’t want your truck to look too flashy, opt for the two-tone chrome that dampens the glitz without compromising material quality.

You wouldn’t know it by looking at the face of this beast, but the Silverado is actually more aerodynamic than before thanks to front-end curtains that direct air around the front wheels and a spoiler in the rear of the cab.