2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500: Australia’s last V8 pickup can hold more after update
The Chevrolet Silverado 1500 is now classified more like a light truck than a ute in Australia, allowing the V8 pickup to sidestep new safety regulations.
General Motors Specialty Vehicles (GMSV) has announced a handful of updates to the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 for Australia, increasing its gross vehicle mass (GVM) rating and payload capacity, while incurring a slight price increase.
Called the ‘2026’ model year update, the Silverado 1500 will be reclassified from August 1, 2026 as an 'NB1' vehicle (a Medium Good Vehicle), rather than its current ‘NA’ class.
While it’s currently subject to the same regulations as the likes of the Ford Ranger, Toyota HiLux and other smaller utes, the move to the NB1 rating covers it under the same regulations as most light trucks and vans.
This has been achieved by Chevrolet raising the Silverado 1500’s GVM from 3300kg to 3505kg – NA vehicles can only have a maximum GVM of 3500kg – resulting in increased payload capacities for the LTZ Premium (942kg, up from 748kg) and ZR2 (922kg, now 713kg).
As a result, the Silverado 1500 avoids being impacted by the incoming Australian Design Rule 98/01, which is in effect from August 1 and requires NA class vehicles to be fitted with autonomous emergency braking technology which meets certain performance requirements for avoiding pedestrians.
While the Silverado 1500’s AEB system can detect pedestrians, its performance may have meant it would not meet the ADR requirements.
In addition, it also means the pickup will be exempt from New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) penalties, which do not currently apply to vehicles with a GVM between 3501kg and 3885kg.
As reported earlier this month though, the Australian Government is looking to amend the NVES rules to remove that exemption for vehicles with a GVM up to 3885kg, which would close the loophole and result in the aforementioned models counting towards their makers’ total fleet emissions.
If enacted, the proposed changes would come into effect from July 1, 2027.
The Silverado’s updates aren’t just on paper, with the LTZ Premium gaining black badging for the front grille ‘bowtie’ and the Z71 logos on its wheel arches, as well as, black tailgate lettering, the latter of which is also applied to the ZR2.
Under the skin, the LTZ Premium has moved from its ‘Z71 off-road suspension’ and Rancho dampers, to ‘off-road suspension with twin-tube dampers’, despite keeping its Z71 badging. There’s no equipment changes to the ZR2.
Jordan Mulach
The updated Silverado 1500 LTZ Premium is priced at $135,990 before on-road costs, while the ZR2 variant is priced at $147,490 plus on-roads. Both figures represent an increase of $1000 over the previous model year.
The Chevrolet Silverado 1500 is converted from left- to right-hand drive by Walkinshaw in Melbourne.
GMSV has yet to confirm if the new-generation Silverado, revealed in North America last month, will come to Australia.
