What it is: The Sierra 1500 is GMC's entrant in the half-ton, full-size pickup truck segment. It’s a corporate cousin of the Chevrolet Silverado 1500, sharing the same platform, engines, body styles and major mechanical features. The Sierra has different styling, particularly in front, and GMC positions its vehicles as more upscale than Chevrolet’s. Competitors include the Ford F-150, Ram 1500 and Toyota Tundra.
Three cab styles — regular, extended and crew — and three engines are available for the Sierra 1500. All the engines are gas-powered: a 4.3-liter V-6, and 5.3-liter and 6.2-liter V-8s. As with the Silverado, the Sierra is available in 2500HD and 3500HD heavy-duty versions that offer a turbo-diesel engine and higher payloads and towing capacities.
The base truck gains a standard 7-inch touchscreen radio and a backup camera. The tire pressure monitor now includes a tire-fill alert that monitors how much air is pumped into a tire.
Sierra 2500HD and 3500HD
The GMC Sierra 2500HD and 3500HD heavy-duty pickup trucks are the true workhorses of the Sierra lineup and are designed for hauling heavy payloads and towing large trailers.
Changes for 2018 include a standard backup camera on all models with a cargo bed, a standard 7-inch touchscreen radio for the base model and a new grille for the Denali version.
What’s Special
- Standard 360-horsepower, 6.0-liter V-8
- Available 445-hp, turbo-diesel 6.6-liter V-8 with 910 pounds-feet of torque
- Maximum towing capacity of 20,000 pounds with a conventional trailer hitch (3500HD with dual rear wheels)
- Maximum fifth-wheel or gooseneck towing capacity of 23,300 pounds (3500HD with dual rear wheels)
