A refresh for 2003 models was introduced in 2002, bringing slight design changes and an upgrade to the audio and HVAC controls.

[2] There are a number of models of light-duty Silverados and Sierras, including the half-ton, three-quarter-ton, SS, and Hybrid.

The Silverado/Sierra Z71 off-road package, only available on 1500 4×4 models, received 46mm gas-charged shock absorbers, jounce bumpers, stabilizer bars, skid plates, and a high-capacity air cleaner.

GM introduced a minor revised version of the Silverado and Sierra for the 2003 model year, with a new front end influenced by GM's own Cadillac Escalade of the same generation (except the Escalade did not have a horizontal bar), and a slightly updated rear end.

Its SUV counterparts, the Suburban, Tahoe, and Yukon, retained the use of the pre-facelift sheet metal (except Mexico).

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gave the Silverado an overall "marginal" score on the frontal offset crash test for poor structural integrity and poor dummy control, although no injuries were recorded on the dummy's body regions.

It was a four-wheel steering system that greatly reduced the truck's turning radius and improved lane changing while towing.

General Motors dropped Quadrasteer from the Sierra Denali after the 2004 model year and its entire lineup after 2005, citing poor sales of this expensive option.

Based on the Silverado 1500 Extended Cab with a 6.5' Fleetside box, it features upgrades in the drivetrain and both exterior and interior appearance, and included the 6.0-liter Vortec High-Output (LQ9) V8 rated at 345 hp (257 kW) at 5200 rpm and 380 lb⋅ft (515 N⋅m) of torque at 4000 rpm coupled to a 4L65E four-speed automatic transmission.

Chevrolet and GMC advertised this engine as the "Vortec High Output" and later as the "VortecMAX," while Cadillac called it the "HO 6000."

In 2005, in an attempt to increase sales, a 2-wheel drive version became available (the 2WD SS also lost its rear disc brakes in favor of drums, as did the rest of the 1/2-ton GMT800 pickups).

SS trucks were only available from the factory in Black, Victory Red, and Arrival Blue Metallic from 2003 to 2004.

The truck came with several minor appearance upgrades (rear spoiler, embroidered headrests, Intimidator custom badging), but was essentially a standard Silverado SS.

[7] The Vortec High Output (VHO) option was first introduced in 2004 to a limited market (mainly consisting of Texas and several surrounding areas); it was available nationwide for MY 2005.

Unlike the previous years with the SS package, interior choices ranged from basic cloth to fully loaded.

The Vortec Max package was added to the option list with an array of similar features and new badges, and at its core retained the LQ9/4L65-E powertrain.

However, the Vortec Max package differed from the Performance edition in that it also came with a variant of the Z85 Handling/Trailering suspension, as well as 17-inch wheels and tires under the option code NHT (and was available on 4×4 and 4×2 models) versus the Z60 High Performance Suspension and 20-inch wheel and tire package of the regular B4V (which was limited to 4×2 trucks).

Later in 2005, the truck was offered at retail in Alaska, California, Florida, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and Canada.

Starting in 2009, General Motors offered a second-generation Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra equipped with a Two-Mode Hybrid powertrain and CVT.

Built as either a 1500 or 2500HD Extended Cab Short Box model with two- or four-wheel-drive, the Professional was billed as the ultimate contractor's truck.

These trucks also featured a standard bedliner, box-rail protectors, in-bed power outlet, and many optional accessories suited to tradesmen (such as ladder racks and toolboxes).

The addition of 4×4 tends to reduce the towing and carrying capacity by 200–400 lb (91–181 kg), depending upon year and model.

For 2003, the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra models received a mid-cycle refresh (the former known as the "cateye" design to the general public).

The interior was also redesigned, with a new dashboard design that included a new instrument cluster with an optional enhanced Driver Information Center (DIC), and a new four-spoke steering wheel.

Other additions to the powertrain lineup for 2003 included a new E85-capable version of the 5.3 L Vortec V8 gasoline engine, which was available in states without California emissions standards.