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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  Long term Update - 2014 GMC Sierra 1500
  By qzationsa - December 26 - 6:14 am

  I wrote the review "looks good, drives poor" Here an update with 4000 miles. The truck has continued to be a disappointment. I had to replace bolt rear shocks due to leaks. The drives seat broke, twice. Im not a huge guy about 160 lbs and the seat keeps breaking. Drivability of this truck is poor, shifts are still very questionable both upshifts and down shifts. On a recent 650 mile highway drive, the truck shifted quite a bit on cruse at 74 mph. Average mpg on trip 17.3 Awful. MPG has declined and I average about 14.8. Compared to my 07 5.3 Silverado its about 3 mpg less. Maybe I got a bad one, but how many bad ones are out

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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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  What a truck should be. - 2003 GMC Sierra 1500
  By GTJ - December 13 - 10:00 am

  Overall, an excellent truck. Very quiet and plush on long trips. Excellent truck-like ergonomics, unlike the car- like feel and look of other manufacturers. Great audio (Bose) and Automatic climate controls. My wife and I share time behind the wheel so the seat and mirror memory is great to have. Very solid build quality, which translates into a quite, squeak (silicon lube on the weather striping) and rattle free ride. Front suspension is on the soft side in comparison to the rear. Only evident at slow speed at "bumps" perpendicular to the direction of travel, otherwise a very nice balance.

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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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  Dangerous headlights - 2014 GMC Sierra 1500
  By larry_rymal - November 18 - 3:59 pm

  Comfortable, secure-feeling pickup. Overall quality feel is pure A-1. Daytime confidence value just cant be higher. Motor is strong, shifting is smooth after about 1000 miles. Tows well without sagging in the back due to trailer tongue weight. Best truck I have owned. But, this truck has a blemish--a dangerous one. In rural areas, the headlamp lighting is awful. There is no lateral light spill to assist turning onto intersecting roads. None. Left turns are the worse. You will be turning into total darkness. The effect is as if you have a burned out left lamp. Going straight, the hi-beam doesnt "reach out and touch" enough. You will need to buy auxiliary lighting.

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  Still not Toyota Quality - 2010 GMC Sierra 1500
  By North Dakota - November 16 - 10:00 am

  Bought this truck to handle snow (4x4) and because they had a dealership in the small town I moved to. After 6 months of driving and 5k miles, does not match Toyota quality. I traded in a 2003 Toyota Tacoma PreRunner 4-door 4x2 that had 48k miles for this truck. It had zero squeaks and reliability was perfect. The GMC 6 speed transmission slips, shifts hard and hesitates at times. The driver’s door squeaks any time you hit bumps, wash boards or rough pavement. The upside is the fuel economy (better than my Toyota v6). The appearance is bold, which is a personal opinion. Will stick with Toyota next time and make the trip for service in the highly unlikely chance it needs it...