What was the Silverado called before?
The Silverado was previously known as the Chevrolet C/K pickup line before the rebranding took hold in 1999. In short, the nameplate replaced the long-running C/K designation for Chevy’s full-size trucks, with the GMC counterpart continuing as Sierra.
Origins of the name
Chevrolet’s full-size pickups had carried the C/K branding for decades. In the late 1990s, General Motors launched a branding refresh that introduced Silverado as the new name for Chevrolet’s light- and, later, heavy-duty trucks, aligning Chevy with its GMC Sierra sibling in a single, modernized family of trucks.
Timing of the switch
The Silverado name first appeared with the 1999 model year, replacing the Chevrolet C/K 1500/2500/3500 line for the light- and, in time, heavier-duty trucks. The GMC counterpart for Chevrolet’s new branding remained the Sierra, continuing a shared platform under different names.
What changed for the lineup
With the shift to Silverado, Chevrolet pursued a cleaner branding strategy aimed at signaling durability and modernity in the full-size pickup segment. The Sierra name persisted for GMC, providing a parallel, co-branded lineup across GM's truck brands.
Concise timeline
Below is a quick timeline to illustrate the branding evolution from C/K to Silverado and how the lineup progressed in its early years.
- The Chevrolet C/K line was the established name for Chevy’s full-size pickups for many years.
- 1999 model year: Silverado nameplate introduced for Chevrolet’s light-duty pickups (1500) and later expanded to heavier variants.
- Early 2000s: Silverado 2500HD and 3500HD variants were introduced as the heavy-duty counterparts, while GMC used Sierra as its parallel name.
In summary, the Silverado did not appear as a brand-new concept; it repurposed and refreshed the long-standing C/K family of pickups, marking a branding shift that continues in the modern lineup.
Summary
What truck did the Silverado replace?
Introduced for the 1999 model year, the Silverado is the successor to the long-running Chevrolet C/K model line. Taking its name from the top trim level from the Chevrolet C/K series, the Silverado is offered as a series of full-size pickup trucks, chassis cab trucks, and medium-duty trucks.
What was the truck before the Silverado?
Early Years. The Silverado was a trim level on the C/K and the Suburban before the truck received its own line. It wasn't until 1999 that Chevy released the Silverado as the light-duty truck model to replace the C/K.
What did Silverado used to be called?
General Motors first introduced the “pickup truck” in the year 1930. Later, in 1975, the term “Silverado” was used as a trim level name for Chevrolet CC and CK pickups, Tahoes, and Suburbans. This lasted through 1999, when the first generation Chevy Silverados and Sierras were introduced.
What were Chevy trucks called before Silverado?
C/K
The Silverado evolved out of the C/K lineup to become the incredible truck it is today. It was originally offered as a trim of the C/K line before essentially taking over the lineup, with the C/K name retiring in 2002.
