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Chevrolet expands 2019 Silverado 1500 pickup bed size and calls it Durabed

The 2019 Silverado 1500 will be available with four tailgate variants

Chevrolet expands 2019 Silverado 1500 pickup bed size and calls it Durabed
Chevrolet expands 2019 Silverado 1500 pickup bed size and calls it Durabed

Chevrolet claims the 2019 Silverado 1500 has the most functional bed of any pickup, with best-in-class cargo volume, box depth, box length at floor, 12 fixed tie-downs and exclusive power up/down tailgate. Every Silverado bed size has increased significantly in volume for the 2019 model year. The short-box’s volume is up to 20% more than any competitor’s short-box, according to GM. Most of that increase was achieved by widening the maximum width of the bed floor nearly 10% (seven inches), which is implemented across all three bed sizes.

Tim Herrick, executive chief engineer, full-size trucks, General Motors, said: “The bed is the heart and soul of any pickup, so we made several improvements to the bed of the all-new Silverado to give our customers an even better hauling experience. We’ve added so many features and benefits that it deserves its own name – Durabed.”

For model year ’19, a higher-grade steel is being used in the construction of Durabed. The quality of the bed floor materials (high-strength steel) has improved from 340 megapascals to 500 megapascals. 

Silverado now has 12 fixed tie-downs, and the strength of each of these has doubled from 250 lbs. to 500 lbs. of force before bending. An additional nine moveable tie-down points are available as well for even more cargo flexibility. 

The Durabed truck bed, standard on all 2019 Silverado 1500 models, also includes larger cutouts in the GM-exclusive CornerStep bumpers to better accommodate steel-toed boots. It is also available with integrated, in-bed LED lighting and a 110/120-volt power outlet. A light at the top of the rear cab comes standard on all Silverado models.

The 2019 Silverado 1500 will also be available with four tailgate variants:

  • Standard gate: a manual gate with no lift assist; manually lockable (with key)
  • Standard Gate with Lift Assist: a stamped gate that includes lift assist; manually lockable (with key)
  • Power Lock/Release: includes lift assist and automatic release; power lockable
  • Industry-exclusive power up/down: available on the LTZ and standard on High Country, the tailgate raises or lowers using the key fob, touchpads on the gate or button in the cabin. Includes lift assist, automatic release and power closing; power lockable