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SETUP A: no body heading element: the blog platform renders the post title as the page heading. Silverado 1500 · Buying Local Most truck test drives are too short and too flat to tell you anything. Fifteen minutes around a parking lot and a straight stretch of four-lane will confirm that the truck runs, and almost nothing else. We're lucky here: within about twenty minutes of the lot on Central Avenue you can put a Silverado 1500 through a steep climb, a tight downtown crawl, a set of real curves, and a highway merge. That's a drive that actually answers questions. Below is the route our salespeople use, what to pay attention to at each stage, and the handful of things worth deciding before you show up so you spend your time driving instead of narrowing things down in the lot. If you want the full picture on the truck itself first, our complete 2026 Silverado 1500 guide collects everything in one place. Table of contents In this post Decide two things before you arrive · The route, stop by stop · What to feel for · If you're driving other trucks too · After the drive · Questions we get Decide two things before you arrive You'll get far more out of an hour here if you walk in with two answers ready: which cab and bed you want, and which engine you're curious about. Everything else can be sorted in person. Cab and bed is the one that's hard to undo. A Crew Cab with the short bed is the easy default and it's what most families end up in, but if you're regularly hauling sheet goods or long lumber, the longer bed changes the truck's usefulness more than any option package will. Cargo space runs up to 89.1 cubic feet with the 8-foot bed, and that's a number you feel every weekend rather than once a year. Our specs and dimensions breakdown has the bed and cab measurements side by side if you want to check them against your garage or your trailer before you come. Engine is the fun one, and it changes the drive more than anything else on the list. There are four: the 2.7L TurboMax four-cylinder (310 hp, 430 lb-ft), the 5.3L V8 (355 hp), the 6.2L V8 (420 hp), and the 3.0L Duramax turbo-diesel (305 hp, 495 lb-ft). They feel like four different trucks, especially on a climb. Pick one to drive and, if you're torn, ask for a second — that's a normal request and we'd rather you be sure. The trim-by-trim comparison shows which engines pair with which trims across the nine-trim lineup, from the work-focused WT up through the off-road ZR2. Worth knowing on price so nothing surprises you: the lineup starts at $36,900 and runs to $71,800, MSRP excluding the $2,795 destination charge. If you'd like to see what that looks like as a monthly figure before you drive, the payment calculator takes about a minute. The route, stop by stop The whole loop runs about twenty minutes of driving. You can shorten it or stretch it, and if you'd rather drive somewhere specific (your jobsite, your boat ramp, the hill you actually live on), just say so. That's usually a better test than anything we'd pick. 1. Central Avenue, first five minutes. Straight out of the lot into stop-and-go. This is the least exciting part of the drive and it's where a lot of trucks quietly annoy you: how the brakes take up, how much of the hood you can see over, whether the truck creeps smoothly in traffic, how big it feels between the lines. Tourist season makes this stretch an honest test of low-speed manners. 2. The climb up West Mountain. Two minutes later you're on a real grade with switchbacks and a low speed limit. Nothing on flat ground tells you what an engine feels like under load, and this does. It's where the difference between the four engines stops being a number on the page and becomes something you can feel in your back. Coming down is just as useful: pay attention to how the truck holds its speed and how the transmission handles the descent without you riding the brake. 3. North on Highway 7. Curves, elevation changes, and enough room to let the truck settle at speed. This is where ride quality separates the trims: how the suspension handles mid-corner bumps, how much road noise reaches you, whether the seat still feels right twenty minutes in. If your commute involves mountain two-lane, this stretch is a fair preview of it. 4. Highway 70 and the merge back. A proper on-ramp and some open four-lane. Merge hard on purpose. If you're looking at a High Country, this is also where you'd want to try Super Cruise, the hands-free driving system available on the High Country, on a compatible stretch. It's a feature that's difficult to appreciate from a description and obvious after five minutes of using it. 5. Optional: bring your trailer. If towing is the reason you're buying, tow on the drive. Hook up your own trailer, run the same loop, and you'll learn more in twenty minutes than in an afternoon of reading. Call ahead so we can have the right truck hitched and ready. Properly equipped with the Duramax diesel, the Silverado 1500 tows up to 13,300 pounds (Double Cab, standard bed, 2WD, conventional hitch), and our towing capacity guide lays out the ratings by engine and configuration so you can confirm your setup before you arrive. Boat owners: the ramp backing test is worth doing here, with the camera views on. What to feel for Once you're moving, the drive goes quickly and it's easy to get to the end without having checked the things that matter daily. A short list worth running through: Seating position first, before you leave the lot. Set the seat, wheel, and mirrors like you own it. A truck that can't quite get comfortable in five minutes won't get better in five years. Getting in and out. Do it a few times, from both sides, the way you actually will. Step height and grab-handle placement matter more than almost any figure you could look up. The bed, at your height. Reach into it. Drop the tailgate. If you'll be loading alone, that's the test. Rear seat, with your people in it. Bring them along. Car seats especially: install one if you can. Phone and screen. Pair your phone on the drive, not after. Run your actual navigation and music setup for a few minutes. Parking it. Back into a normal space downtown. The camera views make this easy, and it's worth knowing which view you'll come to rely on. If questions come up mid-drive that we can't answer on the spot, the Silverado 1500 FAQ page covers most of the common ones, and we'll happily chase down anything it doesn't. If you're driving other trucks too Plenty of people shopping a half-ton drive two or three before deciding, and that's a smart way to buy. One suggestion: drive them the same day, on the same roads, in the same order. Impressions fade fast, and a truck driven on Tuesday on flat ground will always compare oddly to one driven Saturday on a hill. If the F-150 or the Ram 1500 are on your list, we've put together honest head-to-head breakdowns covering where each truck is strongest: Silverado 1500 vs. Ford F-150 and Silverado 1500 vs. Ram 1500. Cross-shopping Toyota? The Silverado 1500 vs. Tundra comparison covers that matchup, including how the available diesel factors into the decision. And if partway through the drive you find yourself thinking your trailer might be more than a half-ton should handle, say so — that's a good problem to catch before you buy, not after. Our Silverado 1500 vs. 2500HD comparison walks through where the heavy-duty truck becomes the better answer, and we sell both, so we've got no reason to steer you either direction but the right one. After the drive There's no obligation to decide the same day, and we won't push you to. If you liked it, the next steps are simple: check what's on the ground in the configuration you drove, and get the financing question settled so the number is real instead of hypothetical. You can apply for financing in a few minutes, or talk it through with our finance team, including how a trade-in changes things. If the exact truck you want isn't on the lot, that's usually solvable. The 2026 Silverado 1500 overview shows the current lineup and what we have available, and we can locate or order a specific configuration. Worth thinking about before you sign, too: what the truck asks of you over the years you'll own it. Our maintenance and ownership guide lays out the service intervals, and the same service department that preps your truck is the one that'll take care of it afterward. Questions we get How long does a Silverado 1500 test drive take? Plan on about an hour at the store, with roughly twenty minutes of that behind the wheel. The route above covers town traffic, a real grade, curves, and a highway merge in that window. If you want longer or want to drive a second truck, there's no problem with that. Do I need an appointment? You're welcome to walk in, but calling ahead means the truck you want is charged, fueled, cleaned, and out front instead of being located while you wait. It matters most if you want a specific engine or trim, or if you're bringing a trailer. Can I test drive with my own trailer hooked up? Yes, and we'd encourage it if towing is your main reason for buying. Call ahead so we can have a properly equipped truck ready with the right hitch setup, and bring your trailer's weight information so we can confirm the configuration is a correct match. Can I drive more than one trim or engine in a single visit? Absolutely, and it's the fastest way to settle a decision between two engines. Driving them back to back on the same roads is far more telling than driving them a week apart. Which drive should you ask for? A quick router, from what people usually tell us they need: Mostly commuting and family duty, occasional hauling: drive a Crew Cab with the 2.7L TurboMax. Its low-end torque surprises people on the West Mountain climb, and it's the efficiency-minded pick. Weekend boat or camper towing: drive a V8, and tow with it if you can. Bring your trailer weight and we'll match the configuration. Heavy or frequent towing, long highway miles: ask for the Duramax diesel. The torque delivery on a grade is the whole argument, and it's hard to appreciate any other way. Long highway commutes, comfort first: drive a High Country and try Super Cruise on the Highway 70 stretch. Trails, gravel, and hunting camp access: ask for a Trail Boss or ZR2 and pay attention to ride quality on pavement, since that's where most of your miles will still happen. Closing CTA band Come Drive One Book your Silverado 1500 test drive Tell us which engine you'd like to try and roughly when you're coming, and we'll have it ready out front. Bringing a trailer or a car seat to fit? Mention it and we'll plan around it. Schedule a Test Drive Browse New Inventory Hours & Directions

TITLE + BYLINE Published July 31, 2026  ·  Allen Tillery Chevrolet Sales Team  ·  4573 Central Ave, Hot Springs, AR 71913] HERO IMAGE (real pool frame) QUICK ANSWER BOX (AI summary) Quick answer The 2026 Chevrolet Equinox comes in three trims: LT from $28,800, RS and ACTIV from $33,600, before the $1,995 destination charge. All-wheel drive adds about $2,000 on any trim, before destination. Every trim uses the same 175-horsepower turbocharged 1.5L four-cylinder, rated 26/29/27 mpg with front-wheel drive and 25/29/26 with all-wheel drive. Cargo runs 29.8 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 63.5 with them folded. All-wheel-drive models properly equipped with the conventional-hitch trailering package tow up to 1,500 pounds. Blind-spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, reverse automatic braking, and adaptive cruise control are standard on every trim, including the base LT. ANSWER-FIRST LEDE If you are shopping a 2026 Equinox in Arkadelphia, Malvern, or anywhere in between, the short version is this: the LT starts at $28,800 and the RS and ACTIV both start at $33,600 before the $1,995 destination charge, and every one of them runs the same 175-hp turbocharged 1.5L engine. What actually separates the trims is appearance and wheels, not capability, which makes this an easier decision than most compact SUV lineups. We have been selling Chevrolets from 4573 Central Ave since 1969, and the Equinox is one of the vehicles we field the most questions about, mostly from families around Central Arkansas trying to work out whether the LT is enough truck for what they do. Below is what is on the lot, what the Equinox actually does well, where it falls short, and who each version actually suits. Inventory turns over quickly, so treat the live Equinox inventory page as the source of truth on what is physically here today. TOC In this post What is in stock and what it costs What the Equinox does well Honest trade-offs How it drives around here Which Equinox is right for you Common questions H2 1 What is in stock and what it costs The 2026 Equinox lineup is three trims deep, and the pricing gap is simple to read. The LT is the value trim and the one we sell most of. The RS and ACTIV cost the same as each other and split on personality: the RS is the blacked-out sporty look on 19-inch wheels, the ACTIV is the outdoorsy one on 17-inch all-terrain tires. Trim Starting MSRP (excl. dest.) What defines it LT $28,800 17-inch wheels, heated front seats and heated steering wheel standard RS $33,600 Blacked-out styling, 19-inch wheels ACTIV $33,600 Rugged trim, 17-inch all-terrain tires Add $1,995 destination on any of them, and $2,000 if you want all-wheel drive. One timing note worth knowing before you shop: Chevrolet has already announced 2027 Equinox pricing, and it moves up: the 2027 LT lists at $30,995 with destination against $30,795 for the 2026. That makes the 2026 units sitting on lots right now the better-priced version of a mechanically identical vehicle. If you want the full trim-by-trim breakdown, we wrote one: LT vs RS vs ACTIV compared. H2 2 What the Equinox does well Two things stand out, and neither is horsepower. The standard safety list is unusually complete for the price. Blind-spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, reverse automatic braking, and adaptive cruise control are standard on the base LT, not locked behind a package. At this price point most rivals still charge for at least two of those, and adaptive cruise in particular is the one that changes how a drive to Little Rock feels. The cargo hold punches above the footprint. There is 29.8 cubic feet behind the second row and 63.5 with the 60/40 bench folded flat, plus a hidden bin under the load floor. Rear legroom is adult-sized, so you are not choosing between passengers and gear. The cargo and interior breakdown covers what actually fits behind each seat configuration. The rest is solid rather than showy: an 11.3-inch touchscreen with Google Built-In and an 11-inch driver display on every trim, 3-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper and 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain coverage, and a complimentary first maintenance visit in year one. H2 3 Honest trade-offs A few things we would rather tell you now than after you sign. 175 horsepower is adequate, not quick. The turbo four does fine around town and merges without drama, but if you regularly run a full car up grades you will notice it working. Drive it before you decide. There is no hybrid. The gas Equinox is gas only. The Equinox EV is a separate vehicle with a different layout, so if your priority is maximum fuel economy, a hybrid rival will beat 27 mpg combined. Towing tops out at 1,500 pounds on an all-wheel-drive model properly equipped with the conventional-hitch trailering package. Front-drive models are rated at 800. That covers a small utility trailer or a pair of jet skis. A loaded bass boat is a different conversation, and one we would point toward a Colorado or Silverado instead. H2 4: LOCAL BLOCK How it drives around here Most Equinoxes we deliver do the same week: school and work on Central Avenue and AR-7, a run out US-270 toward the county line, and a weekend at the water. That is where its actual strengths show. The roughly 8 inches of ground clearance and the Drive Mode Selector, now standard on all trims for 2026, handle the gravel and washboard on the access roads down to the Lake Ouachita and Lake Hamilton ramps without any drama, and the all-terrain tires on the ACTIV help on loose surface more than the extra styling suggests. Our humidity and the long warm season are harder on cabin air filters and battery life than winter is, and we see almost no road salt here, so the Equinox tends to stay tidy underneath. Buyers driving over from Benton usually ask about all-wheel drive: for most of them front-drive is honestly enough, since the handful of icy mornings we get each year are better solved by the standard Snow mode and good tires than by $2,000 of hardware. If you tow or you live at the end of a steep gravel driveway, that math flips. H2 5: DECISION BLOCK Which Equinox is right for you If you... Get this Want the most vehicle for the money and do mostly pavement LT, front-wheel drive. The safety gear is identical to the pricier trims. Care about how it looks in the driveway RS. Blacked-out trim and 19s, same drivetrain. Spend real time on gravel, ramps, or forest roads ACTIV with all-wheel drive. All-terrain tires plus the 8-speed and 1,500-lb rating. Need to pull past the 1,500-lb rating, or want a hybrid Look elsewhere. A Colorado suits the first; the Equinox is not the answer to the second. MID-POST CTA (highest-intent moment) Know which one you want? See what is physically on the lot right now. See every Equinox in stock Get pre-approved Not set on a new one? Our used inventory usually has recent-generation Equinoxes at a lower entry point, and the rest of the new Chevrolet lineup is worth a look if a Trax or Traverse fits your space needs better. Already own one? Our service department can book your next oil change or maintenance visit online. FAQ Common questions How much is a 2026 Chevrolet Equinox? The LT starts at $28,800 and the RS and ACTIV both start at $33,600, before a $1,995 destination charge. All-wheel drive adds $2,000 to any trim. What is the gas mileage on the 2026 Equinox? Front-wheel-drive models are EPA-rated at 26 mpg city, 29 highway, and 27 combined. All-wheel drive is rated 25 city, 29 highway, and 26 combined. Does the base Equinox LT come with blind-spot monitoring? Yes. Blind-spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, reverse automatic braking, and adaptive cruise control are standard on every 2026 Equinox, including the LT. How much can a 2026 Equinox tow? Up to 1,500 pounds on an all-wheel-drive model properly equipped with the conventional-hitch trailering package. Front-wheel-drive models are rated at 800 pounds. Is the 2026 Equinox available as a hybrid? No. The 2026 Equinox is gas only. The Equinox EV is a separate, fully electric model rather than a hybrid version of this vehicle. CLOSING CTA Come drive one See the 2026 Equinox at Allen Tillery Chevrolet We are at 4573 Central Ave, an easy drive from Malvern. Check what is in stock, or reach out and we will have one ready when you get here. View Equinox Inventory Contact Us Finance Center RELATED: full hub + spoke set (nav bucket) More on the 2026 Equinox Start here Equinox Research Hub Overview Equinox Model Overview Trims LT vs RS vs ACTIV Specs Specs and Dimensions Cargo Cargo and Interior Ownership Maintenance Schedule Comparison Equinox vs GMC Terrain FAQs Equinox FAQs Pricing shown is manufacturer's suggested retail price and excludes destination freight charge, tax, title, license, dealer fees, and optional equipment. Dealer sets final price. EPA-estimated fuel economy; your mileage will vary. Towing requires proper equipment. Verified July 23, 2026.

By the Allen Tillery Chevrolet Sales Team · Published July 2026 The 2026 Chevrolet Trax starts at $21,700, returns 28 mpg city and 32 mpg highway, and carries 54.1 cubic feet of cargo with the rear seats folded. It is the least expensive new SUV in the Chevrolet lineup and one of the least expensive in the segment, which is exactly why it keeps showing up on the lot at Allen Tillery Chevrolet. Below is a complete walk-through of the 2026 Trax: what each trim gets you, what the ownership numbers look like, and how to see one in person. Every section links to the deeper research page if you want more detail. QUICK ANSWER BOX (AI summary) Quick Answer The 2026 Chevrolet Trax is a subcompact SUV with five trims from $21,700 to $25,400 before the $1,795 destination charge. Every Trax shares a 137-horsepower turbocharged 1.2-liter engine, a six-speed automatic, and front-wheel drive. EPA-estimated fuel economy is 28 mpg city, 32 mpg highway, and 30 mpg combined. Allen Tillery Chevrolet stocks 2026 Trax models at 4573 Central Ave in AR 71913. H2: TRIMS AND PRICING Which 2026 Trax Trim Is Worth Your Money? Five trims cover the range. The LS opens at $21,700 and comes standard with wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Chevy Safety Assist, which is more standard equipment than most buyers expect at this price. The 1RS and LT both list at $23,200; the LT trades the 1RS's 18-inch wheels for an 11-inch HD touchscreen, a digital driver display, and a six-speaker system, which makes it the trim most local commuters land on. The 2RS and ACTIV top the lineup at $25,400 with 19-inch or 18-inch wheels, richer interiors, and available heated seats. A side-by-side comparison of every 2026 Trax trim breaks the feature and price ladder down in detail. If you are budget-focused and want the most SUV for the least money, the Trax LS delivers; if the screen and driver display matter, the LT is the step that justifies the price. Full specifications and dimensions for every trim are on the Trax specs page. H2: WHAT TO EXPECT DRIVING What the 2026 Trax Is Like to Drive Around Central Arkansas The 1.2-liter turbo three-cylinder puts 137 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque through a conventional six-speed automatic. It is not a quick SUV and it is not trying to be. What it does well is move through stop-and-go traffic on Central Avenue, fit into the angled parking downtown, and stretch a 13.2-gallon tank on a weekend run out to Lake Hamilton or down Highway 7 toward Caddo Valley. The 28-city / 32-highway EPA estimate is accurate in the kind of mixed driving this area delivers, and 30 mpg combined means fewer fill-ups than most SUVs in the price range. All-wheel drive is not available on the Trax, which is a real trade-off. If ice events on Highway 270 toward Mount Ida worry you, a set of good all-season tires and the standard traction control handle the occasional Arkansas freeze, but the Trax is not the choice for someone who needs mechanical grip in all four corners. For everything else, the ride is composed, the turning circle is tight, and parking at Bathhouse Row is easy. H2: OWNERSHIP COSTS Ownership Costs: Warranty, Maintenance, and Reliability The Trax comes with Chevrolet's bumper-to-bumper coverage for 3 years or 36,000 miles, a powertrain warranty for 5 years or 60,000 miles, and roadside assistance with courtesy transportation matching the powertrain term. Chevrolet covers one maintenance visit in the first 12 months, including an oil and filter change, a Multi-Point Vehicle Inspection, and a 4-tire rotation. RepairPal rates the Trax 4.0 out of 5.0 for reliability and pegs average annual repair costs near $488, which is lower than the all-vehicle average. The full maintenance schedule lays out every service interval, the right oil, and milestone costs so you know what to budget before you buy. When that first service is due, you can schedule a service appointment online or browse current service coupons before coming in. H2: TRAX VS COMPETITION How the 2026 Trax Stacks Up The closest cross-shop is the Buick Envista, which shares the Trax's platform but starts higher and adds a larger standard screen across trims. Our Trax vs. Buick Envista comparison covers pricing, cargo, and feature differences side by side. If your list includes the Kia Soul, Hyundai Venue, or Nissan Kicks, the Trax wins on cargo volume and standard wireless connectivity but gives up all-wheel drive availability to the Kicks and a longer warranty to the Hyundai. At $21,700 the Trax undercuts most of them on sticker. H2: DECISION BLOCK — WHO IS THIS FOR Who Should Buy the 2026 Chevrolet Trax? The Trax fits a few buyers perfectly and is the wrong SUV for a few others. Be honest about what you need: First-time buyers on a budget: the LS at $21,700 is the most affordable new SUV you can walk into, with Apple CarPlay and safety tech standard. Pair it with a pre-approval and the monthly payment stays low. Daily commuters from Malvern, Benton, or Arkadelphia: the 30 mpg combined and a small footprint make it an easy daily driver with low fuel spend and effortless parking. Downsizers or second-car buyers: the LT's 11-inch screen and 54.1 cubic feet of cargo space handle errands and road trips without the running costs of a bigger SUV. Not the right fit if you tow or need AWD: the Trax is not tow-rated and front-wheel drive is the only configuration. If you need to pull a trailer or want all-wheel drive, look at the Trailblazer or Equinox. More common questions about the Trax, including cargo details, safety ratings, and what changed for 2026, are answered on the Trax FAQs page. MID-POST CTA In Stock Now See Every 2026 Trax on Our Lot Browse trim, color, and pricing on the Trax models we have right now, or jump to all-new or pre-owned inventory. 2026 Trax Inventory All New Inventory Used Inventory H2: FAQs 2026 Chevrolet Trax FAQs How much does a 2026 Chevrolet Trax cost? The 2026 Trax starts at $21,700 for the LS and tops out at $25,400 for the 2RS and ACTIV, before the $1,795 destination charge. That comes to $23,495 including destination for the base trim. What gas mileage does the 2026 Trax get? EPA estimates are 28 mpg city, 32 mpg highway, and 30 mpg combined across all trims. Does the 2026 Chevrolet Trax come in all-wheel drive? No. The 2026 Trax is front-wheel drive only. If you need AWD, the Chevrolet Trailblazer and Equinox both offer it. Where can I test drive a 2026 Trax nearby? Allen Tillery Chevrolet is at 4573 Central Ave in Hot Springs, AR 71913. You can schedule a test drive or call (501) 525-4343. CLOSING CTA See the 2026 Trax at Allen Tillery Chevrolet The fastest way to know if the Trax is right is to drive one. Allen Tillery Chevrolet is at 4573 Central Ave and has been here since 1969. Browse the current 2026 Trax inventory, get pre-approved online, or use the payment calculator to see what the monthly number looks like before you visit. If you are weighing the entire Chevrolet SUV lineup, our 2026 Trax Research Hub collects every guide in one place. Already own a Trax and need parts? The parts department can order what you need, and our finance center handles everything from first-time buyers to trade-in valuations. INVENTORY WIDGET: drop DealerOn model-filtered Trax SRP widget here