The 2020 Chevy Silverado RST Explained
The RST trim on the 2020 Silverado is one of those badge names that gets thrown around a lot without people really understanding what it actually gives you. It stands for Red Stripe Truck, and back when Chevy revived it for the Silverado, they meant it as a sporty appearance package rather than a performance upgrade. That distinction matters more than most buyers realize. When you see an RST on a Silverado, the core package consists of blacked-out exterior accents. You get black wheel covers or dark-painted wheels, black bowtie emblems, black side moldings, and that signature red stripe running along the hood and tailgate. Inside, you typically get red stitching on the seats and steering wheel. That is basically it. No different engine, no suspension changes, no handling improvements. It is a cosmetics trim sitting between the work-oriented WT and the luxury-oriented High Country in the lineup. I picked up a 2020 RST last year thinking it might have some hidden performance goodies. It does not. The first thing I noticed was that the ride quality was identical to my friend's regular Work Truck with the same engine. The only real differentiator is how it looks parked. If you want actual performance, you are looking at the ZR2 or at least adding a performance package separately.
The 2020 model year came with a few key configurations worth knowing about. The base RST typically came with the 5.3-liter V8 as standard on the 1500, though you could spec it with the 4.3-liter inline-six if you wanted to cut costs. The 2500HD and 3500HD RST versions were rarer and usually paired with the 6.6-liter V8. There is no diesel RST option for 2020, which surprises a lot of people. The towing capacity across the board stays the same regardless of trim, so an RST tows no better or worse than a base model with the same powertrain. One thing people miss is that the RST package on the 2020 Silverado heavily depends on which cab and bed configuration you choose. The double cab with the 6-foot-7-inch bed is the most common RST combo, and it is also the one where the blacked-out look actually works well visually. The crew cab with the long bed looks awkward with the red stripe because the proportions throw off the balance. I saw a guy at a truck show try to explain why his RST looked like it was trying too hard. He was not wrong. The interior is where the RST gets a bit more interesting but also a bit more frustrating. You get the RS-specific cloth or available leather seats with red contrast stitching, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with red accents, and often an upgraded infotainment system depending on the package level. But here is the catch. The 2020 model year still uses the older MyLink system in many configurations, which means no wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto unless you specifically ordered the premium audio package with the upgraded head unit. I spent three weeks trying to get aftermarket wireless adapters to work cleanly before I just accepted that wired connections were the reality. The Bluetooth pairing also has a known glitch where it drops connections randomly after the initial sync, especially on colder mornings. A simple workaround is to delete the vehicle from your phone's paired devices list and re-pair it fresh rather than trying to fix an existing connection.
Paint options for the RST are limited compared to other trims. Chevy restricts certain colors to specific packages, and some metallic paints cost extra even on an RST. If you want a single-color blacked-out look, you are looking at colors like Black, Iridescent Pearl Tricoat, or Dark Ash Metallic. The red stripe only comes on select colors, so if you order a white or silver truck, you get the stripe. Go with a black truck and you do not. The wheels are another area where expectations and reality diverge. The RST comes with 18-inch or 20-inch wheels depending on the package, and they are painted black or dark gray. They look good standing still. When you throw mud, road salt, or brake dust on them, they show every imperfection because dark finishes hide nothing. I ended up washing mine weekly during winter just to keep them from looking neglected. An alternative many RST owners pursue is wrapping the wheels or swapping them for polished or brushed finishes, but that defeats the purpose of the package and drops resale value. Let me be clear about what the RST does not include because this is where most conversations go wrong. There is no sport suspension. There is no upgraded braking system. There is no limited-slip differential or performance tuning. The exhaust note is stock. The fuel economy numbers are identical to non-RST models with the same engine. If someone tries to sell you an RST as a performance truck, they are either misinformed or misleading you. The closest thing to a performance package you can layer onto an RST is the Z71 off-road package or the HD Duramax Diesel package, but even those do not change the fundamental character of the truck.
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Maintenance costs for the RST are the same as any other Silverado with the same powertrain. There are no special parts, no exotic fluids, no premium tire requirements beyond what the wheel size demands. If you put 20-inch wheels on it, yes, you will pay more for tires than someone on 18s, but that is a wheel-size cost, not an RST cost. The real expense people overlook is the cost of maintaining the black trim pieces. UV exposure fades and cracks plastic trim over time, and replacing those black moldings runs about $200 to $400 per side if you do it yourself or more through a dealer. Resale value is another consideration. The RST holds value slightly better than a base model but worse than a Z71 or High Country. The problem is that the blacked-out look ages poorly in photographs and in person, so a three-year-old RST with faded trim and chipped black paint looks worse than a three-year-old regular Silverado. I watched a local dealership struggle to move a 2018 RST that sat on the lot for eight months while similar-colored non-RST trucks sold in weeks. The perception is that it looks tired faster. If you are looking at buying one used, check the condition of the black trim carefully. Look for fading on the hood stripe, cracks in the side moldings, and whether the black wheel covers are still intact or replaced with mismatched ones. Sellers often patch these things up with spray paint or aftermarket covers that do not match the factory finish. A close inspection of the badge placement and seam lines will tell you if something has been redone poorly.
The 2020 Silverado RST is a perfectly fine truck if you want a Silverado that looks sharper than a base model without paying for a luxury or off-road trim. It is not a performance truck. It is not a off-road beast. It is a style choice dressed up as a trim level. Understanding that upfront saves you from disappointment and from overpaying for something the market inflates based on the badge alone.
