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Chevy says not to look at the 2019 Silverado's fuel economy rating

The 2019 Chevy Silverado is hitting dealerships soon, and one of the most notable changes for the new full-size pickup is the addition of a 2.7-liter turbocharged inline-four. The engine replaces the naturally-aspirated 4.3-liter V6 in volume consumer models like the Silverado LT and promises more power, less weight and — most importantly — better fuel economy. The thing is, the gains in efficiency haven't been as dramatic as some might have hoped, especially when stacked up against competitors from Ford and Ram. As Automotive News reports, GM's response is a little murky. First, let's talk numbers. We're pulling all figures from FuelEconomy.gov, the official U.S. government source for fuel ratings. Fuel economy numbers on trucks vary greatly based on a number of factors. Bed and cab configuration play a part, but so does a four-wheel-drive system. You also have to factor in tires, transmissions, rear-axle gearing, hybrid systems and cylinder deactivation. Things like that can make the difference between best- and worst-in-class. The EPA's website doesn't give enough information a lot of the time, so there's really no easy way to compare apples-to-apples. First, take a look at the ratings for the 2019 Silverado. A 2.7-liter model with two-wheel drive is rated 20 city, 23 highway and 21 combined. That's both better and worse than a two-wheel drive 2018 Silverado with the 4.3-liter V6 (18 city, 24 highway and 20 combined). The updated 2019 Silverado with a 4.3-liter V6 has yet to be rated. With less weight and a smaller engine, many hoped Chevy would make bigger gains. It's unusual to see any decrease in a fuel economy metric these days. GM says that it's not done tuning the new 2.7-liter engine, so fuel economy could theoretically increase. Expanding further, a V8-powered 2019 Silverado (17 city, 24 highway and 19 combined) actually gets better highway fuel economy than a turbocharged four-cylinder powered truck in certain configurations, even if the latter has a better overall average. But that's only with two-wheel drive, the 8-speed transmission and cylinder deactivation. A Silverado with the 5.3-liter V8 and a 6-speed automatic is rated at 15 city, 22 highway and 17 combined. The biggest issue with the Silverado 2.7-liter doesn't come from within GM itself but from Ford and Ram. GM cites the Ford F-150 with the 3.3-liter V6 and the Ram 1500 with the 3.6-liter V6 as the closest competitors to its new 2.7-liter inline-four.

Best trucks for the money in 2024, according to iSeeCars

Full-size trucks are some of the most popular vehicles on the road in the U.S., but they’ve become exceedingly expensive in some cases. That makes it even more important to choose the right full-size truck to maximize value and longevity. iSeeCars recently released its list of the best trucks for the money for 2024, ranking AmericaÂ’s full-size trucks on the cost to own over 10,000 miles. Though the Ford F-150 is the best-selling new full-size truck, it failed to break into the three best trucks for the money, landing at number four on the list. The top six pickups include: Chevrolet Silverado 1500: $2,863 per 10,000 miles Toyota Tundra: $2,868 Ram 1500: $3,352 Ford F-150: $3,469 GMC Sierra 1500: $3,598 Nissan Titan: $4,008 The list is short because there is only a handful of full-size trucks on sale. Though many are expected to last quite a while – some have lifespan estimates of more than 180,000 miles, and the Toyota TundraÂ’s average life is 226,032 miles – all of them are expensive. iSeeCars found that the average new truck purchase price is $61,353, with trucks like the GMC Sierra 1500 topping $66,000. iSeeCars ranked the trucks on their purchase price and 10,000-mile ownership costs, not on driving excitement, styling, tech, or safety. It also did not asses each truckÂ’s capabilities, such as towing and payload, but said that buyers looking to save money should only purchase one if they have “genuine truck needs.” The study looked at several vehicle types to find the best models for the money in each category. The Mitsubishi Mirage was the best car overall, returning a $1,099 10,000-mile ownership cost and a low $18,991 purchase price. The Toyota Tacoma was the best midsize truck, and Toyota landed a strong seven vehicles in the top 25 best cars for the money overall. Chevrolet Ford GMC Nissan RAM Toyota

GM, UAW poaching Nissan workers in Tennessee

General Motors and the United Auto Workers are going on a recruitment drive at the Spring Hill factory in Tennessee, and they're hoping to poach some skilled workers from Nissan's nearby plant in Smyrna, TN. The General and the union even bought a billboard advertising for industrial electricians near the Japanese automaker's facility, according to the Daily News Journal. The reason for the billboard was simple. "GM was short of electricians," said Tim Stannard, the president of the UAW local at Spring Hill, to the Daily News Journal. The factory currently builds the Chevrolet Equinox but has a contract to assemble the next generation of Ecotec engines and the Cadillac XT5, which replaces the SRX. Thanks to the $185-million deal, employment there is expected to double by May 2016, according to Stannard, with roughly 1,800 additional union jobs. Beyond just several billboards, GM has job postings online for the Spring Hill plant looking for workers with specific skills. There has already been some interest in the positions among Nissan employees, Stannard indicated. According to a recent study by the Center for Automotive Research, the average GM worker currently makes $58 an hour, including benefits. Comparatively, Nissan pays an average of $42 an hour with benefits. The General's number could change in the coming weeks because its contract with the UAW is about to expire, and higher wages are among the major negotiating points.