2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LT & Z71 Packages $19,890

Powerful, comfortable and offered in a wide array of body styles and configurations, the 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 is a prime choice for a full-size pickup. Vehicle overview Back in "the good old days," the only folks who had pickup trucks were those who owned horses, trailers, boats or their own construction/home improvement business. Those workhorse rigs were typically bare-bones standard-cab models with a flat vinyl bench seat, manual windows and an AM radio with one speaker in the middle of the dash. Now, however, folks demand a lot more from a truck than just the ability to do grunt work. As a result, we have seen full-size pickups morph into family vehicles, available as luxurious crew cabs sporting automatic climate control, CD changers and leather seating. And among this modern breed, the 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 proudly stands as a smart choice, if this type of vehicle is truly what you need. The previous generations of the Silverado were rightly criticized for their el-cheapo cabin ambiance, but that changed recently when General Motors finally realized that folks want attractive styling, high-quality materials and fine fit and finish in their trucks. Thanks to a full redesign a few years ago, the Chevrolet Silverado's interior is much improved, though it still lags behind the competition in a few areas. The latest Silverado also has ruggedly handsome styling, much-improved driving dynamics and more safety features, the latter including stability control and side curtain airbags. This year's Silverado also has a newly optional six-speed automatic transmission, which is a welcome upgrade over the standard four-speed auto.