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:

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  Love it - 2015 GMC Canyon
  By Tony - October 16 - 1:47 pm

  I had been waiting for 6 months to see this truck. I had a 2007 Chevy Colorado and I hated it. But with all the hype I needed to see the new Canyon before I committed to any other truck and I am so glad I did. It is the most comfortable truck that I have ever driven. It is easy to maneuver and it does everything that I would expect out of a luxury truck ( and I do not even have all the bells and whistles. ) I took it on a long trip and there was never a time that I was uncomfortable. I love this truck and hope they only get better although I do not how it could.

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  Great SUV GOOD MPG - 2015 GMC Terrain
  By Jose - October 15 - 1:22 pm

  after reading a few post here Id decided to post my findings as well as my experience as an automotive tech and a 2015 terrain owner. I leased a 2015 SL2 4 cyld and so far so good, not a single issue. my wife and I are very pleased with this vehicle. I have worked on many gmc terrains as well as all gm vehicles and it is true the first couple of years of the terrain and Equinox was Horrible, lots of engine issues, oil leaks etc. but gm had solved all of this issues since 2012, the reason i bought mine now in 2015 and super happy with it. the advertised MPG is a little off but not like many people states here. I come from a lot of 6 and 8 cylinder engines and it takes some getting use to a 4 cylinder then it gets better. this is also a 4000 lbs vehicle, much heavier and wider then the competition paying a price at the pump but it increases safety. the Honda crv and toyota rav4 only weights 2800 lbs, not safe at all, and the case with many other compact SUV which by the way the terrain is much bigger than most compact SUV, it almost measures a mid size one. as far as MPG goes am doing 20.8 city and 31.6 highway with 25.9 combine and i only have 600 miles of use on my terrain. I only use shell gas 87 octane but that is not important, what is really important is the amount of ethanol in the gas that you are using, the more ethanol percentage the less mpg you will get. keep in mind that most mpg test are done fro 40 to 70 mph, anything above that will impact mpg and so does bumper to bumper traffic driving which is never accounted for. no mpg is exact on any vehicle make and there are many facts that will drastically lower it. i am super happy with my terrain and having worked and owned all brands and makes in the past 35 years I will say Gm is at the very top of the list. I will like to say I dont work for GM nor do I sell cars, this is my true story and experience and hope it helps someone.

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  HAPPY 1ST OWNER - 1995 GMC Jimmy
  By hondo101 - October 4 - 3:33 pm

  As the first owner of this car & having it on the road for the past 20 years I can tell you, GMC makes a great vehicle! Sure, 7 years ago I was ready to get rid of it cause it was running badly, but I put $500 into replacing the injector lines & it came back to life like new. No one wants to spend money on car repairs but its a fact of life. Other than regular maint. , tires, exhaust, brakes & the injector spider, Ive not had to spend BIG MONEY on it. I have never had a problem starting it. I reach in & turn the key & it starts every time. I did lease a Yukon & loved how quiet it was & of course all the bells & whistles but we kept the Jimmy as our "workhorse". The bodys straight, never been hit, and could use a "makeover" but Its a blessing. AND ITS PAID FOR! Bottom line, if you get a chance to but a GMC, check it out "thoroughly" as the person you get it from may have abused it being the workhorse it was built to be, but even a Clysdale can break a leg! If you get a good one, it will last for years! If you take care of it!

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  The little truck that could - 1996 GMC Sonoma
  By Charlie - September 12 - 1:51 pm

  I love my little truck. I have the 2.2 with a standard transmission. Its great on gas but does lack power especially up hill. I have had no major problems you wouldnt expect for a vehicle with 206,000+ miles. Replaced the starter clutch and a u joint. It has a minor oil leak from the head gasket, and a little leak from the thermostat housing. The rear wheel drive does make it a little difficult in adverse weather with no weight over the drive wheels. The front end components are tight though, and it grips the road and handles like a car on a dry day.

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  great engine - 1993 GMC Jimmy
  By Anthony - September 9 - 12:28 am

  I did not purchase mine on this site but i bought a used 4 door gmc jimmy 1993 4x4, 4d. It also has a really intimidating vortex engine i fill it up with $30 in gas and it runs loud and quick, and runs like a beast in the river. Im definitely looking foward to fixing mine up.

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  GMC Lover - 2015 GMC Terrain
  By marona - August 28 - 5:08 am

  Ive had my 2015 GMC Terrain for 3 weeks now and completely love it. The exterior is shiny with chrome features that really set it off. Im in love with the front end style, the grill and headlights are so classy. Its comfortable, stylish, affordable (lease), great gas mileage, easy on the eyes. Im coming out of a 4 dr sedan so riding higher than normal is awesome. The interior features are good, with the exception of the vent placement. I like air movement, weather it be cool or warmer air - I like to feel it on me. The placement of the vents dont allow that to happen unless I lean towards the center, over the arm rest. The steering wheel is in the way and while I can adjust the wheel to tilt and extend, it doesnt help much. I will update again once Ive owned for awhile and have a trail run in the snow. So far, impressed. I feel like Im driving a luxury vehicle and a mid class price level. I recommend test driving if youre at all interested.

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  V6 AWD - 2014 GMC Terrain
  By Jonathan Linder - August 9 - 7:09 pm

  Good looking, excellent safety on IIHS small overlap, quiet ride, comfortable. Fantastic power from V6. Transmission shifts should be smoother, although it is liveable and I have gotten used to it. Navigation works well. The radio doesnt have an automated seek button, so you have to click over and over to cycle through channels. The rear seat has huge legroom, great for preventing babies from kicking the driver. On the highway, I get between 27-30 MPG with air conditioning. In the city with aggressive stop and go, its about 16 MPG. Combined I have 23.5 MPG. Got a special price on the car with college student pricing and July 4 discounts.

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  Impressive New Addition... - 2015 GMC Canyon
  By B L - July 14 - 12:32 am

  ... to the mid size truck market. Have had my 2015 Canyon 4 x 4 SLT about 2 months now. Have used it mostly for city driving other than a 1500 mile trip to Northern CA and Northern NV. Averaged 23.9 during the trip and averaging 20.2 overall. Very comfortable for long trips, smooth ride for a 4 x 4. Controls user friendly, and thank you GM for making a nav system that can be used by a passenger while driving. My RAM 3500 and Jeep GC had nav systems that were unable to use during vehicle movement. Great looking truck and no issues thus far.

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  ENVOY SLT Solid as Stone Mountain - 2008 GMC Envoy
  By Bill Poindexter - July 8 - 12:12 am

  We purchased our 2008 GMC Envoy SLT with 10,000 miles on it and one year old. Now we have over 150,000 on it and would not trade it for anything new and free. The best way to describe the old school, body on frame, straight six SUV is SOLID. For work I have the opportunity to rent many vehicles and nothing comes close to the solid feel and stump pulling power of GMs Envoy and Trail blazer twin. My brother in law is a master mechanic and shop owner and rather than purchase a new vehicle (which he could easily afford) he chose a well cared for Trail Blazer. He is highly impressed with the bullet proof power train rugged body on frame design. I can attest it feels like you are driving a SUBSTANTIAL vehicle. The mass of power available at the slightest touch of the gas verifies what I read. The truck engine in these SUVs were over built by GM. The solid axil always stays put and signals when you are adrift in the lane resulting in a reassuring ride and stable tracking regardless of the highway condition. Newer vehicle designs may give you more storage pockets and cup holders but I value solid construction and indestructible power train as more important for getting you from A to B. Comfort is exceptionable and everything is quiet and solid inside the car. Repairs have been limited to a cracked exhaust manifold and wires chewed up by a demented squirrel. I would strongly lean toward buying a well cared for Envoy over a new vehicle just because they simply dont build them like this any more.

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  I have the Denali AWD with the 6 cylinder - 2015 GMC Terrain
  By tradedcmax - May 28 - 7:49 pm

  While we have only had this for a couple of weeks, it is proving to be a great SUV/CUV. It isnt the cheapest out there, but for a premium ride and feel, coupled with the money off of sticker price, it is a nice compromise. For the sticker price, you could get more bang for your buck at a competitor, but after taking money off, that isnt so true. This vehicle has a premium feel and ride, with some decent features. Compared to my foreign SUV/CUV, it feels like Im driving a high end model, even though my foreign SUV/CUV is a limited trim. Everything seems more luxurious in the Terrain. It is a nice blend of size and features.