2016 Chevy Silverado 1500 MPG
The 2016 Chevy Silverado 1500 gets 15–18 mpg in the city and 19–23 on the highway (17–20 combined), across the 12 gasoline versions the EPA rated.
The most efficient pairs the 4.3-liter 6-cylinder engine with an automatic transmission and rear-wheel drive, at 20 mpg combined. At the other end, the 5.3-liter 8-cylinder engine with an automatic transmission and rear-wheel drive manages 17 mpg combined, 3 mpg less. The EPA also rated a hybrid version, the best at 20 mpg combined. That matches the best gasoline version of the 2015 model.
| Version | Engine | Transmission | Drive | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silverado C15 2WD | 4.3 L 6-cyl | Automatic 6-spd | Rear-Wheel Drive | 18 | 23 | 20 | Gasoline or E85 · 449 g CO₂/mi |
| Silverado 15 Hybrid 2WD | 5.3 L 8-cyl hybrid | Automatic 8-spd | Rear-Wheel Drive | 18 | 24 | 20 | Regular · 447 g CO₂/mi |
| Silverado C15 2WD | 5.3 L 8-cyl | Automatic 6-spd | Rear-Wheel Drive | 16 | 23 | 19 | Gasoline or E85 · 480 g CO₂/mi |
| Silverado C15 2WD | 5.3 L 8-cyl | Automatic 6-spd | Rear-Wheel Drive | 16 | 23 | 19 | Regular · 480 g CO₂/mi |
| Silverado K15 4WD | 4.3 L 6-cyl | Automatic 6-spd | 4-Wheel Drive | 17 | 22 | 19 | Gasoline or E85 · 475 g CO₂/mi |
| Silverado C15 2WD | 5.3 L 8-cyl | Automatic 8-spd | Rear-Wheel Drive | 16 | 22 | 18 | Regular · 492 g CO₂/mi |
| Silverado K15 4WD | 5.3 L 8-cyl | Automatic 6-spd | 4-Wheel Drive | 16 | 22 | 18 | Gasoline or E85 · 496 g CO₂/mi |
| Silverado K15 4WD | 5.3 L 8-cyl | Automatic 6-spd | 4-Wheel Drive | 16 | 22 | 18 | Regular · 493 g CO₂/mi |
| Silverado 15 Hybrid 4WD | 5.3 L 8-cyl hybrid | Automatic 8-spd | 4-Wheel Drive | 16 | 21 | 18 | Regular · 489 g CO₂/mi |
| Silverado C15 Cab Chassis 2WD | 5.3 L 8-cyl | Automatic 6-spd | Rear-Wheel Drive | 15 | 20 | 17 | Regular · 525 g CO₂/mi |
| Silverado C15 2WD | 6.2 L 8-cyl | Automatic 8-spd | Rear-Wheel Drive | 15 | 21 | 17 | Regular · 526 g CO₂/mi |
| Silverado K15 4WD | 5.3 L 8-cyl | Automatic 8-spd | 4-Wheel Drive | 15 | 21 | 17 | Regular · 521 g CO₂/mi |
| Silverado K15 Cab Chassis 4WD | 5.3 L 8-cyl | Automatic 6-spd | 4-Wheel Drive | 15 | 19 | 17 | Regular · 537 g CO₂/mi |
| Silverado K15 4WD | 6.2 L 8-cyl | Automatic 8-spd | 4-Wheel Drive | 15 | 21 | 17 | Regular · 519 g CO₂/mi |
2016 Chevy Silverado 1500 fuel cost per year
Driving 15,000 miles a year on regular gasoline at the September 2026 U.S. average of $4.36 a gallon, the 2016 Chevy Silverado 1500 costs about $3,270 a year to fuel in its most efficient form (20 mpg combined), or roughly 22 cents a mile.
The thirstiest priced version (17 mpg combined) comes to about $3,840 a year, $580 more.
This is an estimate from EPA combined mpg and the EIA national average price; your cost depends on how and where you drive and on local prices.
2016 Chevy Silverado 1500 specs
The EPA lists 4 engine choices for the 2016 Chevy Silverado 1500: 5.3 L 8-cyl, 4.3 L 6-cyl, 5.3 L 8-cyl hybrid and 6.2 L 8-cyl. It came with an automatic transmission, in four-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive versions. For fuel-economy purposes it sits in the EPA's "Standard Pickup Trucks" class.
| Engine size (L) | Cylinders | Transmissions | Drive | Versions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.3 L | 8 | Automatic 6-spd; Automatic 8-spd | Rear-Wheel Drive; 4-Wheel Drive | 8 |
| 4.3 L | 6 | Automatic 6-spd | Rear-Wheel Drive; 4-Wheel Drive | 2 |
| 5.3 L hybrid | 8 | Automatic 8-spd | Rear-Wheel Drive; 4-Wheel Drive | 2 |
| 6.2 L | 8 | Automatic 8-spd | Rear-Wheel Drive; 4-Wheel Drive | 2 |
2016 Chevy Silverado 1500 problems
As of October 2026, NHTSA (the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) holds 797 owner complaints about the 2016 Chevy Silverado 1500.
Service brakes are the most-reported area (24% of component mentions), followed by power train (18%) and electrical system (11%).
Spread over its time on sale, that is 72 complaints a year: fewer than the 2015 (92 a year) and about as many as the 2017 (71 a year).
That ranks 9th of 17 Chevy Silverado 1500 model years (2008–2024), counting from the most complaints per year.
Of the 797, 42 mention a crash, 10 a fire and 11 an injury.
| Component | Mentions | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 256 | 24% |
| Power train | 194 | 18% |
| Electrical system | 120 | 11% |
| Steering | 110 | 10% |
| Unknown or other | 81 | 8% |
| Engine | 72 | 7% |
| Suspension | 30 | 3% |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 26 | 2% |
| Structure | 21 | 2% |
| Wheels | 21 | 2% |
| Air bags | 18 | 2% |
| Electronic stability control (esc) | 18 | 2% |
| Exterior lighting | 17 | 2% |
| Visibility/wiper | 15 | 1% |
| Seat belts | 12 | 1% |
| Hydraulic service brakes | 11 | 1% |
| Vehicle speed control | 11 | 1% |
| Visibility | 6 | <1% |
| Forward collision avoidance | 5 | <1% |
| Tires | 5 | <1% |
| Seats | 4 | <1% |
| Back over prevention | 1 | <1% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 1 | <1% |
| Equipment | 1 | <1% |
| Gasoline fuel system | 1 | <1% |
| Lane departure | 1 | <1% |
What owners told NHTSA
Vehicle suffered a failure cascade of the brake booster vacuum pump system. …
Vehicle: 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Component: Powertrain – Automatic Transmission (8L90) Manufacturer: General Motors (Chevrolet) I am submitting this complaint regarding recurring transmission problems with my 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 equipped with the GM 8L90 eight-speed automatic transmission. …
Approximately one week ago I was driving at a safe speed on a two-lane highway. Suddenly, my steering wheel and truck jerked to the right. For 8-10 seconds a warning message was displayed "Power Steering ... …
2016 Chevy Silverado 1500 recalls
The 2016 Chevy Silverado 1500 has been the subject of 12 recall campaigns.
The most recent, campaign 26V611000 from September 2026, concerns air bags.
Air bags account for 5 of the 12 campaigns, more than any other area.
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Silverado 1500 years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26V611000 | September 24, 2026 | Air bags | 2016–2017 |
| 21V504000 | July 1, 2021 | Air bags | 2015–2016 |
| 21V245000 | April 8, 2021 | Seat belts | 2014–2016 |
| 20V736000 | November 25, 2020 | Air bags | 2015–2016 |
| 19V761000 | October 24, 2019 | Service brakes, Hydraulic service brakes, Electronic stability control (esc) | 2014–2018 |
| 19V645000 | September 6, 2019 | Hydraulic service brakes | 2014–2018 |
| 18V578000 | August 30, 2018 | Hydraulic service brakes | 2015–2016 |
| 18V291000 | May 3, 2018 | Seat belts | 2015–2016 |
| 17V437000 | July 10, 2017 | Seat belts, Air bags | 2014–2017 |
| 16V651000 | September 8, 2016 | Seat belts, Air bags | 2014–2017 |
| 16V256000 | April 28, 2016 | Suspension | 2016–2017 |
| 16V069000 | February 5, 2016 | Hydraulic service brakes | 2015–2016 |
Safety ratings
NHTSA crash-tested 7 versions of the 2016 Chevy Silverado 1500; the best overall score is 5 out of 5 stars.
| Version tested | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PU/CC 4WD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| PU/CC RWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| PU/EC RWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| PU/EC 4WD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| PU/RC RWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| PU/RC 4WD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| Hybrid PU/CC RWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
Crash-test photos: NHTSA (public domain). NHTSA can reuse a test for later model years of the same design.
Compared with other years
Complaints per year on sale divide each model year's NHTSA complaints by the years since it went on sale, so older and newer Chevy Silverado 1500s can be compared fairly. Among other 2016 models in the EPA's standard pickup trucks class, the 2016 Ford F-150 (21 mpg) and 2016 Ram 1500 (24 mpg) come closest on combined fuel economy.
| Year | Best mpg | Complaints | Per year on sale | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 21 | 301 | 21 | 2 |
| 2014 | 20 | 1,436 | 110 | 6 |
| 2015 | 20 | 1,110 | 92 | 11 |
| 2016 | 20 | 797 | 72 | 12 |
| 2017 | 20 | 714 | 71 | 7 |
| 2018 | 20 | 521 | 57 | 7 |
| 2019 | 21 | 1,096 | 136 | 10 |
Every Chevy Silverado 1500 model year compared →
Similar 2016 models
FAQ
Is the 2016 Silverado 1500 a good car?
We don't rate cars, but the official data gives a picture. The 2016 Chevy Silverado 1500 has 72 NHTSA complaints per year on sale (9th most of 17 model years), 12 recall campaigns, a best overall crash rating of 5 stars and up to 20 mpg combined from the EPA.
What are common 2016 Silverado 1500 problems?
The components owners report most to NHTSA are service brakes (256), power train (194) and electrical system (120). Complaints are unverified owner reports.
How many recalls does the 2016 Silverado 1500 have?
NHTSA lists 12 recall campaigns. To see whether a recall is still open on a specific car, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2016 Silverado 1500 get?
The EPA rates the gasoline versions at 17–20 mpg combined (15–18 city, 19–23 highway). The hybrid versions reach up to 20 mpg combined.
How much does it cost to fuel a 2016 Silverado 1500 per year?
About $3,270 a year for 15,000 miles in its most efficient form, up to about $3,840 for the thirstiest version, using EPA mpg and the September 2026 U.S. average regular gasoline price of $4.36 a gallon (EIA).