Overview & Reviews

The pickup truck has long been a mainstay of American byways and highways, and GMC has been there from day one. Originally used and respected by farmers, construction workers and small-business owners, GMC's hauler was a basic workhorse known for its reliability and longevity. More recent times have seen GMC's full-size truck adopt the name Sierra. And thanks to a variety of body styles, powertrains and trim levels, the Sierra is as adept at serving as the weekday family car as it is at transporting home-improvement supplies or towing a boat on the weekends.

Older versions of the GMC Sierra 1500 pickup have been praised for their strong work ethic, but soundly criticized for their bland, cheap cabins. With the newer generations, however, fit and finish is notably better. Of course, there are other choices in the full-size pickup truck market, but the Sierra 1500 remains a solid pick no matter what the intended use.

Current GMC Sierra 1500
Redesigned for 2014, the latest GMC Sierra 1500 is both trimmer and stronger than before. The V6-powered regular cab truck, for example, is about 250 pounds lighter this year while the engine lineup, particularly the V6, benefits from higher output and efficiency. Other changes for the new Sierra 1500 include revised suspension tuning for a smoother ride, forward-hinged rear doors on extended cab models and newly available safety features.

This full-size pickup is offered in regular cab, extended (double) cab and crew cab body styles with various bed lengths. Trim levels consist of base, well-equipped SLE, luxurious SLT and off-road-oriented Z71, and there is a choice of either two- or four-wheel drive.

All but the SLT come standard with a 4.3-liter V6 that makes 285 horsepower and 305 pound-feet of torque, enough muscle to tow up to 7,200 pounds. The 5.3-liter V8 (standard on the SLT and optional on other Sierras) makes 355 hp and 383 lb-ft of torque. Both engines come matched to a six-speed automatic transmission.

The new V6 is vastly superior to the old V6, not only in terms of power and performance but also refinement. Of course, the 5.3-liter V8 delivers strong acceleration as long as you're not shy about laying onto the gas pedal when needed -- it has a rather lazy response otherwise. The six-speed automatic provides smooth and timely shifts and the Sierra 1500's towing performance is commendable.

Overall ride and handling dynamics are solid, as the GMC Sierra 1500 feels robust structurally, yet compliant and comfortable over broken pavement. Models fitted with the Max Trailering package, however, have a noticeably stiffer ride that can grow tiresome. The newest Sierra is also very quiet, even at higher freeway speeds. On serpentine roads, the GMC goes around turns in a confident manner and its steering is well-weighted. Off road, the Sierra similarly feels composed.

Used GMC Sierra 1500 Models
The previous-generation GMC Sierra 1500 was produced from 2007 through 2013. There were three body styles (regular, extended and crew cabs), and trim levels ranged from no-frills "Work Truck" to ultra-plush Denali.

Powertrain choices through these years encompassed everything from an anemic 4.3-liter 195-hp V6 to a muscular 6.2-liter V8 with 403 hp. Most Sierras, however, were fitted with either a 295-hp 4.8-liter V8 or a 315-hp 5.3-liter V8. A four-speed automatic was initially standard across the board except on the Denali's 6.2-liter V8, which came with a six-speed unit. Eventually, the six-speed was fitted to the 5.3-liter V8 as well. Either rear- or four-wheel drive could be specified.

Calling cards of this GMC Sierra 1500 include strong performance, a refined and quiet ride (even with the heavy-duty towing package) and a comfortable, sensible cabin. The Denali was certainly plush, though it still didn't have the same space or high-end ambience of its Ford and Ram top-of-the-line rivals. Other potential downsides included minor ergonomic missteps and the hesitant downshifts of the four-speed automatic transmission. We had no such gripe with the excellent six-speed automatic, however, thanks to its smooth and on-point performance.

Potential buyers should be aware of the significant changes made throughout the years. For 2009, the Denali's 6.2-liter, 403-hp V8 with its excellent six-speed automatic became optional on select other trims. That year also saw the debut of Bluetooth, a back-up camera option that didn't require the optional navigation system, and the "XFE" (extra fuel economy) package for the crew cab. The following year, 2010, saw the 5.3-liter V8 get the six-speed transmission and variable valve timing, which both improved fuel economy slightly. The 6.0-liter V8 (367 hp and 375 lb-ft) that had been offered since 2007 was dropped that year while side curtain airbags, front seat side airbags and stability control all became standard across the board. Lastly, USB connectivity (standard on Denali) became optional on the SLE and SLT. For 2012, the navigation system was updated (now hard-drive-based) and trailer sway control joined the safety features list.

Before this was the popular 1999-2006 generation of the Sierra. Underneath the conservatively handsome styling, a family of new V8s debuted, ranging in size from 4.8 to 6.0 liters. They offered output ranging from 255 hp with the smallest 4.8-liter, to 345 hp from the high-output 6.0-liter V8 in the Sierra Denali. A base V6 was also available, but as expected, most Sierras came fitted with one of the V8s. A unique four-wheel-steering option (called QuadraSteer), debuted about midway through this generation and cut the truck's turning circle down significantly to 37.4 feet -- around 10 feet less than a typical full-size pickup – making U-turns and maneuvering in tight spots much easier . Unfortunately, QuadraSteer was discontinued for 2006 due to a low take rate, as buyers were put off by the high cost of this option.

Consumers more interested in function than flash should be happy with a half-ton Sierra from this era. The truck offered plenty of performance and work capacity, but was hampered by a dated cabin design fraught with cheap materials and below-average fit and finish.

The previous generation of GMC Sierra 1500 pickups ran from 1988-'98. Standard cab and extended cab body styles were offered, as was a crew cab, though the latter was actually from the previous 1981-'87 generation. Although six-cylinder and diesel V8s were offered, chances are strong that most GMC trucks from these years will have either a 5.0- or 5.7-liter V8 mated to a four-speed automatic. In keeping with tradition, one could choose either rear-wheel drive (indicated by a "C", e.g. "C1500") or four-wheel drive (indicated by a "K"). Trim levels for these C/K1500 trucks include the bare-bones Special, base SL, midlevel SLE and top-line SLT. Strengths of these trucks include powerful, durable powertrains, while weaknesses center on sketchy build quality and subpar materials within the cabin.

For more information on older GMC pickups, go to our GMC Sierra 1500 history page.

User Reviews:

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  pretty good truck overall - 2013 GMC Sierra 1500
  By gmcdriver2 - July 26 - 10:41 am

  paid probably $3K too much, but got what I wanted; a really great looking fully optioned truck that can hold its own in a pasture or heading to a nice dinner all dressed up. A few minor and sometimes annoying negatives are far out-weighed by the pros and overall satisfaction with this great truck. Ive driven 7K miles since bought new in June 2013, but terrain and weather conditions since then have been pretty varied, so I fell like the review reflects a fair perspective from a guy who has driven lots of trucks. This is the nicest one so far for me. Granted I look forward to driving the new 2014 and experiencing those upgrades too, but the 2013 model stands its ground pretty well.

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  i love my truck - 2009 GMC Sierra 1500
  By djgmc - July 15 - 7:07 pm

  today my truck reached 20,000 miles i bought it in august 2009 it is a great truck i never had a problem with it , it runs smoothly on the freeway the a/c is ice cold , everyone loves my truck still looks like new . the only bad thing is that gas is too expencive right now .

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  Functional but boring - 2006 GMC Sierra 1500
  By Keith - July 12 - 9:53 am

  I drive this vehicle for business, and typically turn a vehicle over every two years after putting on about 100,000 miles of gravel, off road and hwy driving. Past truck was 05 F150. I picked the GMC for its gas mileage which is quite good for a full sized truck, definitely better than my experiance with Ford and Dodge. Unfortunately this is the only area where the GMC exceeds the other American brands. I found the GMC has a lot more interior noise at hwy speeds than the new model F150. The GMC trailer towing capacity is clearly less than the F150, cant really put the GMC in cruise as it will rev so high. On uneven roads the GMC has so much body flex, it creaks like a covered wagon.

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  id buy another - 1999 GMC Sierra 1500
  By satified - June 1 - 10:00 am

  great vehicle, this is the second one ive owned. only promblem is it rides like a luxuray car and youll hesitate to take it off road for that reason.

• 

  high oil consumption ,delay in throttle response and cheaply built parts - 2007 GMC Sierra 1500
  By nickb407 - May 29 - 11:14 pm

  6.0 litre vortex max...i love the looks of it and it really is a hard working truck. at 2 years of age i was using aprox 1 1/2 quarts of oil between changes. at three to four years old. i couldnt make it a full oil change before getting a low oil light ( about 3 quarts low). no leaks, just burning it. also its a huge truck with little leg room for me. and a sometimes very scary delay in throttle response. when hitting the gas to cross a busy street and it doesnt move for a full second seems like an hour!! and very cheaply made parts.... a stabilizer link made from plastic!! really?! how ridiculous

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  Like it - 2009 GMC Sierra 1500
  By BillyB - March 21 - 11:36 am

  Purchased the SLT Z71 with 5.3L, which replaced a 2007 SLE. Although not estatic with the last truck, I couldnt pass up the repeat-buyer rebates on the 09. The SLT interior is very comfortable and pleasing to the eyes, and its worth the upgrade from the SLE. The BOSE sound system is very good. Truck rides and handles nicely. My only complaints are a constant squeaking in the driver side door panel area (which the dealer is trying to fix), 18" tires that collect and throw rocks causing the exterior paint to chip, and the soft paint.

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  Weak drive train - 2005 GMC Sierra 1500
  By Hwy363 - March 19 - 10:00 am

  Not a bad truck until the warranty was up. Before then, the only thing to go wrong was the rear door latch adjustment. It worked well in winter (western Canada), got great highway mileage and was reasonably comfortable. For the past two years the following have gone wrong: transmission replaced at 65K, 4WD position sensor replaced three times, tie rods twice, front hubs once. My mileage is 4/5 highway / 1/5 gravel. Its never been driven hard and has had very little mountain driving. Fit and finish are not great but not bad either. Accessories still all work. I bought the truck after having an Olds Alero and Saturn Ion (both had serious drive train issues). I wont buy anything from GM again.

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  A truck is a truck - 2007 GMC Sierra 1500
  By Gregs Work Truck - March 8 - 9:13 pm

  We purchased this truck for the sole purpose of hauling things. We chose the regular cab, 8ft bed 4.3l automatic work truck. We have rental property and we decided we needed a basic truck with lots of bed space. Our GMC does the job very well. We load lots of stuff in the back and doesnt strain, not one bit. Sheets of plywood and drywall fit perfectly. I am not a fan of trucks, so I dont get excited driving it. The flip down covers for the power ports broke and were replaced. The rubber stops for the gas cover broke and were replaced. All else is good. Its a truck. The airbag light comes on and shuts off the engine. The dealer updated the software and it hasnt happened again.

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  Fine Truck - 2005 GMC Sierra 1500
  By Myran - March 4 - 5:50 am

  I love getting into my GMC. It is well built. It is comfortable to the people in the back seat, and it is nicely appointed.

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  Good truck!! - 2005 GMC Sierra 1500
  By steve b - February 13 - 9:20 pm

  I bought this truck after driving the Ford, Dodge and Chevy. I had a trade and the dealer offered me the best deal. The P rated tires that came standard with the Z-71 package were junk, so I spent a few more bucks and got the same size 17" BFGs. That dropped the mileage from 22-23-to 18-20 depending on speed but the reliability is much better. The auto transmission does seem weird at times but the all aluminum block V8 with the higher H/P is just fantastic.Overall the trans is good. I tow a light weight camp trailer and I forget its behind me. No problems so far. 12,000 miles through all kinds of weather. For the money, best truck I ever owned and I have had a few. Good looking truck..