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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  Was expecting perfection, so far from it - 2009 GMC Sierra 1500
  By Truckguy101 - August 23 - 10:00 am

  i will say that I enjoy driving the truck when its not at the dealer with issues. has a real nice sound, but the 4 speed transmission makes an alarming jerky upshift at about 30 kph. horribly unreliable. definitely a money pit. the dealer really doesnt care and screws me over by saying they didnt find anything and charge me $70 labor every time. trucks left me stranded more times than necessary. had it in for dead battery every morning and the truck has been in for the cylinder deactivation system not kicking back to 8 cylinders when needed. auto rear locking differential wouldnt unlock. overall, shouldve done my research and paid a bit more for a Ford.

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  GMC Denali Quadrasteer - 2004 GMC Sierra 1500
  By Spurz - August 20 - 2:13 pm

  The GMC Denali provides a level of comfort and sophistication never available in a pick up truck. It offers the upscale appointments with comfortable, adjustable leather seats,the most advance drive train of any truck on the road, the convenience and security of OnStar, and the performance of GMs 6 litre engine. The manuverability is fantastic and a must if you are towing a boat or toy hauler or trying to fit in a tight parking spot. Excellent performance, refinement, and capability with the loan drawback being the poor gas mileage, which is to be expected.

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  Happy with used GMC Suburban purchase - 1995 GMC Suburban
  By Foghorn - August 20 - 2:00 am

  Purchased this used with 52,000 , and it has been very faithful for us. I pull a 30 Travel Trailer with no problems. It will hit 100,000 this month.

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  Love my Sonoma - 2000 GMC Sonoma
  By LAH - August 20 - 2:00 am

  I have owned my Sonoma for over two and I cant think of much to complain about. The only problem Ive had is at one point, the rubber seal around the windshield started coming off. This was fixed and covered by the warranty and has not been a problem since. No mechanical problems- still runs like new. I definitely recommend opting for the V6. Its a lot of fun to drive but the city gas mileage isnt so great. Overall, I have really enjoyed driving this vehicle.

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  A good compromise - 1999 GMC Jimmy
  By jimmydriver - August 19 - 2:00 am

  The GMC Jimmy (and my 1999) is a good compromise for those who dont wish to pay more. In general, the craftsmanship isnt very good, but acceptable. Bumpers etc. will move out of alignment with time. The car handles very nicely and you can take corners at the advertised caution speed or slightly above with no feeling of tipping over. A major problem is the turning radius, which is horrible) and the ball joints which frequently fail.

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  great - 1992 GMC Sonoma
  By bigjohn - August 17 - 2:00 am

  everything is very nice with this vehicle but the bed did rust out. that is the only complaint i have. love it.

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  Death At 47,000 Miles! - 1997 GMC Jimmy
  By TwoPutt - August 17 - 2:00 am

  The list of problems include quirky windshield wipers, faulty gas tank guage, ball joints, air conditioning broke, water pump leaked, and contamination of engine coolant. The biggest problem, which eventually caused us to get rid of it, was the coolant turning rusty mud and over heating every couple of weeks. Although the dealer tried to help out with many of the problems by having GMC pay for the parts, we were left paying for the labor. We were also left without the vehicle on many occasions. The other complaint I have is the turning radius is very poor.

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  Consumer - 2002 GMC Safari
  By Tuong Huynh - August 17 - 2:00 am

  You get more for your money.

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  Not good for towing - 2005 GMC Sierra 1500
  By Mike - August 16 - 1:20 am

  Have you ever wondered why GM truck owners have to turn their hitches upside down. Even with Z-71, the suspension and trailering provisions are too soft and too low. Also the standard rear-end is going to be a 3.42. Great for milage, not so good for loading. Even with the 5.3 the engineers have turned up the computer trying to hide the small rear end. Posi-trac, not so good. One slick boat ramp and you will glad for 4WD. Even empty on the highway using cruise, the drivetrain cannot maintain enough power on hills to keep from down shifting and raising the RPMs. I pull three trailers ranging from 900 to 5100 pounds. All will wag this truck around easily. Brakes/rotors are on 3rd set.

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  no quality in american cars - 1995 GMC Jimmy
  By sandbox - August 14 - 2:00 am

  This SUV was to be my vacation play car and it only can stand up to in-town travel. 1st scare was going 75 mph in 5000 ft elevation...and car stalls. No fix...tech states this model lacks a computer chip to recalibrate info for fuel system. Traveling in the middle of summer in 100+ degrees...A/C wimps out. Intermittent problem [cannot be duplicated in town] occurs on highway after an hour in elevated heat does...when you most need it. And lastly, the big Vortex engine with 190 horsepower falls behind 4 cyliner cars while driving up hills...torque sucks!