GM Confirms New Silverado 1500 and Sierra 1500 Will Debut This Year

General Motors has confirmed that new versions of its two full-size pickups from Chevrolet and GMC are on the way, with redesigned Silverado and Sierra 1500 models scheduled to be revealed sometime during 2026.

The news was announced quietly during GM’s fourth-quarter 2025 earnings presentation, where the automaker revealed that both Chevrolet and GMC will show off the next-gen Silverado 1500 and Sierra 1500 this year. No timing was attached, but the statement makes it obvious that GM’s bread-and-butter trucks are nearing the end of their current product cycle.

Late last year, a patent filing offered an abnormally clear look at what can only be assumed is the next-generation Chevrolet Silverado, well ahead of its debut. The expected lighting treatment shown in the drawings is the biggest visual departure from the current truck; it’s a look already familiar from the facelifted Tahoe and Suburban.

Full-size trucks remain the financial backbone of the company’s North American business, and a new generation typically arrives with major updates beneath the sheetmetal as much as on it. One of the most important changes is expected under the hood.

Last year, GM announced an $888 million investment toward its upcoming sixth-generation small-block V8, with production expected to begin in 2027, which lines up neatly with the expected launch window for the next Silverado and Sierra. Rumor has it that the next-gen small blocks will show up in 5.7 and 6.6-liter displacements, with GM saying the new engines will bring more power while improving efficiency through updated combustion and thermal-management strategies.

Today’s trucks offer a 5.3-liter engine that produces 355 horsepower, while the larger 6.2-liter makes 420 hp. At the far end of the spectrum, Cadillac’s Escalade-V uses a supercharged version of the 6.2-liter with 682 horsepower. A lot of ink has been spilled over the 6.2-liter L87 and its propensity to self-ventilate due to alleged manufacturing flaws. The 5.3-liter L84 hasn't been without problems either, with some engines experiencing lifter and cam failures due to problems with GM's much-maligned Dynamic Fuel Management system.

The current Silverado and Sierra launched for the 2019 model year and were refreshed in 2022, bringing new interior tech and off-road-focused trims like the Silverado ZR2 and Sierra AT4X. They’ve also weathered a turbulent few years, including the chip shortage period when some trucks shipped without features buyers had come to expect and, in some cases, paid for.

Our Take

Aside from the sheet metal styling, the new small-block architecture is one of the more important developments to come out of General Motors in years. After the last decade of difficulty for the Gen V small blocks, especially the last five years or so for truck and SUV owners in particular, we might see a lot of buyers sitting on the sidelines patiently watching and waiting for market feedback on the Gen VI engines.

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