UPDATE: 2026/09/17 15:00 EST BY SEAN MCMANUS
The New Silverado/Sierra 1500 Out-Muscles Competitors
We added a brief summary of how the new 5.7-liter and 6.6-liter V8s will allow General Motors’ new truck to beat all the competition in terms of towing capacity. Plus, the entry-level four-cylinder engine is more powerful than ever.
General Motors’ new Generation VI small-block V8 has a number of improvements over its predecessors – hopefully including the ability to remain intact beyond the first 30,000 miles – but some DIY customers may balk at one of the changes. It sounds as though the 5.7-liter L76 and 6.6-liter L78 engines that will appear in the 2027 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and its GMC Sierra 1500 cousin will go without a traditional dipstick, relying instead on a digital oil level readout in its freshly redesigned infotainment system.
Digital oil level sensors aren’t new, but we suspect that those who do their own maintenance will be frustrated with the change to GM’s hard-working pickups.
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The Oil Level Sensor Will Read Out On The Touchscreen
Originally reported by The Verge, the new electronic interface will include valuable maintenance and vehicle status information on the 16.3-inch center display. That will include a virtual dipstick, which will replace the old, crankcase-mounted tool, on all Gen-VI small-block V8s. Checking the oil level regularly will now be quite a bit easier, as it’ll only require a few icon taps from inside the car – a boon for anyone who’s fumbled with a hood release, paper towel, and dipstick at the gas station on a freezing winter day.
But those with a healthy distrust of technology may be frustrated that they can’t verify the oil reading with their own two eyes, especially returning owners who’ve been burned by the reportedly unresolved recalls for the 6.2-liter V8 found on the current-generation Silverado and Sierra. Furthermore, the readout will be less convenient when doing an oil change on the truck, requiring a trip to the infotainment system and mucking up the interior with greasy clothes and oil-stained hands rather than simply inspecting a physical dipstick.
2027 GMC Sierra 1500 parked on a rocky pathGMC
Why Is GM Switching To A Digital Display?
The 2027 Sierra and Silverado 1500 have an all-new infotainment system, the design and programming of which must have cost General Motors a decent chunk of change. Since most modern trucks, including the outgoing Chevy and GMC full-sizers, already have an oil-level sensor integrated into the on-board computer, converting it into a full maintenance display on the infotainment likely didn’t add any physical cost to the truck.
However, removing the dipstick could save GM hundreds of thousands of dollars. Last year, the automaker sold nearly 600,000 light-duty Silverado and Sierra trucks, and if a 50-cent dipstick were removed from each, that would result in 300 grand saved in parts costs alone. That sum may be a drop in the bucket compared to the $900 million GM spent developing its sixth-generation V8, but beancounters are happy to save a penny every chance they get.
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The New Silverado/Sierra 1500 Out-Muscles Competitors
2027 Chevrolet Silverado 1500Chevrolet
GM made a potentially horrible decision regarding its lack of an oil dip stick, but it made some potentially good decisions, too. Both new engines, the 5.7-liter and the 6.6-liter V8s, are more powerful than their predecessors. They have more horsepower and torque than the outgoing 5.3L and 6.2L engines (hopefully without the rod bearing destruction), which results in better towing capacity.
Additionally, GM made some improvements to other engines in the lineup. The 2.7-liter TurboMax four-cylinder was already fairly impressive, but now it’s set to make 350 hp and 455 lb-ft of torque (up from 310 hp and 430 lb-ft). For more information on specific towing capacities, how the new Silverado and Sierra 1500 is stronger than the F-150, Ram 1500, and even the Tundra, read our article here.
CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters:
Most shoppers who buy a 2027 Silverado or Sierra may never even realize their trucks don’t have a dipstick, especially those who frequent their dealers for maintenance and service. The ever-dwindling population of Luddites who buy new cars, however, will likely have some choice words for Chevrolet and GMC given the seemingly insignificant change it made to its new trucks.
Base Trim Engine
2.7-L TurboMax inline-4
Base Trim Transmission
10-speed automatic
Base Trim Drivetrain
Rear-Wheel Drive
Segment
Full-Size Pickup Truck
Provided the new V8 engine family is more reliable than its predecessor, we might never hear of a problem relating to the lack of a dipstick. But only time will tell if that’s actually the case.
Source: The Verge via The Drive
