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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  WAS FORD DRIVER FOR 15 YEARS - 2003 GMC Sierra 1500
  By RAD1959 - January 6 - 10:00 am

  I have been a loyal Ford man for 15 years. I shopped around this time, great incentives abound. The Sierra was so damn solid and quite, I could stop thinking about it. Fords windnoise was the convincer. GMC is a great drive, quiet truck, super performer and looks great too. Sign me, A Ford Use To Be.......

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  Love it so far - 2017 GMC Sierra 1500
  By Jim Tr - December 28 - 11:23 pm

  Quite spendy

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  awesome redesign style - 2007 GMC Sierra 1500
  By my07sierra4x4 - December 27 - 11:16 pm

  i recently purchased this 97 crew cab. it is awesome. traded in my 99 classic style sierra 1500 which i purchased new in 99. this truck is much better in style and power than my classic 99.i owned the 99 for 10 yrs and hardly ever had a problem with it. thats what sold me on staying with the gmc. was looking at switching to the new tundra until gmc changed the style of the new sierra. it is awesome. a real mans truck now.

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  My 2000 GMC Sierra Experience - 2000 GMC Sierra 1500
  By RidgeRunner - December 19 - 6:33 pm

  This truck has been exceptionally reliable and dependable. I have had other older similar trucks (Chevy) but this truck is better. In 6 years, only one 4x4 switch on the dash has failed me. It is fun to drive and very functional, comfortable and well designed.

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  GMC Denali - 2004 GMC Sierra 1500
  By RES281 - December 19 - 10:00 am

  This is an awesome vehicle, I will never by a FORD again. This is the best truck I have ever owned and plan on getting another soon.

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  Great Truck. - 2005 GMC Sierra 1500
  By Golf26guy` - December 18 - 10:30 pm

  Very comfortable truck. Im a sales manager and I drive over 45k miles a year. Seats are great, good gas mileage for a fullsize V 8 truck. I recently made a trip from Atlanta to Houston pulling a small trailer with a 4 wheeler in it, did not meet my expectations for pulling, keeps downshifting.

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  Great Truck - 2014 GMC Sierra 1500
  By lawman1967 - December 10 - 11:41 am

  Ive had my Sierra SLE 4X4 All-Terrain for three months now, though Ive only been driving it for one of those months as it was rear-ended by a Hummer (no frame damage) and in the body shop for a month, then I was away for three weeks of military duty. Still in those 5 weeks of driving Ive put over 8,000 miles on the truck and have a pretty good idea of its capabilities and performance. The truck remains an absolute joy to drive, no squeaks, supremely comfortable seats and quiet ride. Fuel economy up to 24 MPG at 75 MPH which is OUTSTANDING for a V8 4X4.

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  sierra denali - 2002 GMC Sierra 1500
  By Christopher - December 10 - 2:00 am

  this truck is so easy and fun to drive due to the quadrasteer system. i will never be able to drive another truck without it again. great interior

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  A great truck - 1999 GMC Sierra 1500
  By stangin1 - November 23 - 9:20 am

  This truck has been very reliable and it still looks great. It has pulled whatever we needed it to. We have pulled cars from CA to MO and back with no problems.

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  Velvet glove, Iron Fist - 2005 GMC Sierra 1500
  By Ray - November 13 - 1:20 pm

  This truck is the ultimate Great American Vehicle, a fast, powerful and exquisitely beautiful truck. I grew up in the seventies, and loved cars. This truck is quicker than Vettes of that era, with a ride equal to that of luxury cars of today. With its Z-71 suspension system this monsterous beast can cut around corners like a sports car, not bad for being able to tow 4 Mazda Miatas down the road without breaking a sweat. Gas mileage can stink, but this truck also comes with a sophisticated Driver Information System, one of its abilites is giving instantaneous fuel mileage. Steady 60 MPH kicks back 24.9 mph. That is phenomenal! Gunning the rumbling 5.3 motor is addicting however! I LOVE IT!