Overview & Reviews

GMC is a division of General Motors that focuses on producing SUVs, trucks and vans. Though GMC's vehicles are mechanically similar to related Chevrolet products, they are typically differentiated by unique features, trim levels and minor styling tweaks. The automaker's full-size pickups and SUVs are the most compelling offerings in its lineup; in many cases, its products in these categories are class-leading.

The marque's roots lie in the Rapid Motor Vehicle Company, a truck manufacturer that was founded by Max Grabowski in 1902. The outfit was purchased by General Motors in 1909 with the intention of having it serve as a division dedicated to building tough and capable trucks. The brand came to be known as GMC Truck; early models include the T16 and T20. Most of the manufacturer's trucks were very utilitarian in nature and functioned as dump trucks, fire trucks and military vehicles. GMC Truck's 3/4-ton Model 16 saw duty in World War I, serving mostly as a battlefield ambulance.

Sales continued to climb in the 1920s. After switching to a six-cylinder Buick-built motor, GMC Truck's 1- and 2-ton trucks earned the distinction of being the fastest in their classes. By the '30s, the line had grown to include everything from half-ton pickups to 10-ton trucks and buses. New models included the popular 1936 Suburban, which was essentially a truck-based station wagon that paired a truck's utility with a car's creature comforts.

World War II was a time of expansion for GMC Truck, thanks to its acquisition of Yellow Truck & Coach. Once again, the automaker's vehicles were tapped for wartime duty. New models like the Jimmy and the DUKW (nicknamed the Duck) were widely used by American troops.

Postwar, GMC Truck models became more consumer-oriented, and many were revamped to offer styling that more closely resembled passenger cars. The 1950s and '60s witnessed an upswing in sales, thanks to the popularity of recreational vehicles like GMC-based motor homes and pickup campers. The Jimmy name was revived and assigned to the brand's first ever sport-utility vehicle in 1970. That decade and the next saw a continued rise in the brand's popularity. The early '90s saw the brief appearance of the Syclone and Typhoon. The former was a small street pickup that burned up the asphalt with its turbocharged V6 and all-wheel drive. The latter was essentially a two-door SUV based on the same platform. Either one of these oddball speedsters could rip through a quarter-mile in around 14 seconds flat, making them among the quickest vehicles ever offered by General Motors. Also, by this time, GMC Truck had trimmed its moniker; the brand is now known simply as GMC.

In the past few decades, GM has consolidated its products and GMC's trucks have become less individualistic as a result. Today, most of GMC's vehicles are virtually identical to those sold by Chevrolet. The main differences lie in minor features and design tweaks that give GMC's offerings a more upscale image.

User Reviews:

• 

  Stuck with Envoy - 2006 GMC Envoy
  By P witkewiz - December 2 - 2:04 pm

  Envoy Denali features are nice but the products reliability and GMs lack of support is disappointing. After 36,000 miles, the steering rack and front transfer case failed leaving me with substantial expense and GM only partially helped - not nearly to my satisfaction.

• 

  Bad Quality - 1999 GMC Sierra 1500
  By paulaross - December 1 - 10:00 am

  Brakes went bad 800 dollars Replaced Anti Lock 1100 dollars Bolts fell out lot of recalls Crome plating on plactic parts came off Engine doesnot quite run right.

• 

  Expensive to maintain - 2001 GMC Jimmy
  By senseiccol - November 14 - 1:30 am

  Ive had to replace the alternator 3 times, the battery 2 times, both of the front ball joints As well as the idle arm have gone out, and the electrical system is junk. The door hinges and pins have gone out. I have also had to replace the fuses a couple of times. It stinks on gas. Nothing lasts very long on this SUV, and as soon as you fix one thing another thing goes out on you. Dont buy a Jimmy! Unless you like spending money on the same thing part again and again.

• 

  disgusted - 2004 GMC Sierra 2500HD
  By denise - November 2 - 11:00 am

  vehicle has 19,000 miles and the breaks give out periodically.....gmc does nothing to resolve...been fighting for over a year and a half with this issue....there best advice is keep driving till one of there mechanics can feel the breaks give out...will NEVER BUY ANOTHER GMC customer service and parts are terrable

• 

  This is a lemon, buyer beware and read up - 2000 GMC Jimmy
  By dmills77 - November 2 - 10:57 am

  We have had nothing but problems with this car. Buyers need to really review what others are saying as they seem to have all similar issues. 4 wheel drive engages itself as you are driving. Heater issues, wiring issues, the list goes on and on. I will never buy a GMC again. Really do your research! Google the make, year and model and read up on them. I cant believe that some of these things that we are having problems with havent been recalled its obviously issues many are having and over and over again once they are fixed. The worst car we have ever owned!

• 

  Worst vehicle I have ever owned - 1995 GMC Sonoma
  By vepj - August 24 - 12:26 am

  This truck caught fire at 7500 miles. The wiper motors have been replaced. The transmission has been rebuilt. The engine has been rebuilt. The timing chain broke at 60,000 miles. The brakes wear out every 5000 miles. I used to carry a code reader in the truck because I didnt know when it will pop a new code. And today the starter died again. The a/c went out at 75,000 miles. If my son wasnt a mechanic and my daughter loves this truck, I would have junked it ages ago. I finally gave it to my daughter and bought a jeep. Now I am happy. Dont ever buy this truck.

• 

  lemon - 2003 GMC Sierra 2500HD
  By darlene - July 4 - 10:00 am

  We have a 2003 gmc thats been a nightmare.the horn keeps blowing fuses,wont start in park,no reverse fuel light doesnt work plus the gas gage stuck on and the thin plastic bottom part of the bumper crack. Trying to get the dealer and gm to take this truck back hasnt been fun. Anyone looking to buy a new truck be careful,when you pay 45000.00 for a new truck you dont expect this.

• 

  Top Dollar Paid for Cheap Quality - 2007 GMC Yukon XL
  By hank - June 15 - 4:40 pm

  (1) Within a year, I had the drivers side carpet wear down to a hole by the arch above the carpet mat where I place my foot. The dealer replaced it at about 10K miles. At 35K miles..it happened again and they refused to replace it (GMC satsifaction intervened and refused also). So I pad $56k for their top of the line vehicle and had to drive it all this time with NOW a gaping hole in the drivers side carpet. (2) The door handles have popped off! Both on the drivers side and rear drivers door. Basically, when you try to open the door, to door handle popped off--broken plastic backing! (3) Rear defroster tab popped off (about 20k miles)..they had to weld it back but it popped off again.

• 

  So disappointed - 2009 GMC Yukon Hybrid
  By alex170 - June 4 - 10:06 pm

  I bought the Yukon new in 09 thinking the hybrid would save me some money on gas, well it did not preform nearly the way it was proclaimed to. It seemed to be cheaply built. The remove-able 3rd row was almost unusable as they were so heavy to put back in that it took two people

• 

  Denali promises but does not deliver - 2008 GMC Yukon
  By skytop - May 29 - 7:35 pm

  My 08 Denali Yukon XL SUV came to me after GM lemon lawed my first Denali. So now I have a second one. This one had little problems until yesterday. It suddenly dropped dead on the road. It went completely dead. Absolutely nothing worked including the much vaulted OnAtar. It did not work at all. I had to use my cell phone to call the dealer who called OnStar and after a 2 hour wait, a tow truck came and flatbedded the 2 ton dead whale to the dealer. I am sorely outraged that a 4 week old so called premier vehicle should totally drop dead on the road stranding the occupants. The dealer could not determine what the problem is and now I am once again victimized by GM. Bummer!