We'd hoped for better fuel economy. We were told we should see up to a 13-percent improvement from an equally optioned extended cab, but we couldn't find it. Over the truck's 15,000 miles, we averaged 14.3 mpg, getting a best of 15.2 on several long hauls. Maybe this shouldn't surprise us; many of the Hybrid's benefits will be enjoyed by those who do a lot of start-and-stop city driving, where killing the engine at long street lights or between work sites will help.
We were surprised at how much the hybrid system cost. The laundry list of required add-ons because of the gas/electric system is too long to list here (it's in our March/April 2005 issue), bringing our as-tested price to just under $38,000--a hefty price to pay by any measure. Bottom line: This is all truck, with plenty of electrical benefits, but we never got used to the quirky startups.
| 2004 Chevrolet Silverado LS Hybrid |
| Price | $37,743 |
| Engine | 5.3L OHV 16-valve V-8 plus electric motor |
| Miles | 15,101 |
| EPA, city/hwy | 17/19 |
| Observed average mpg | 15.67 |
| Observed worst mpg | 12.2 |
| Observed best mpg | 23.24 |
| Average distance per fill-up | 223 |
| Average cost per gallon | $2.47 |
| Average cost per fill-up | $30.95 |
| Number of services | 1 |
| Overall service cost | $41.32 |