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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  Worst truck I have owned so far. - 2011 GMC Sierra 3500HD
  By zolo1978 - April 20 - 11:11 am

  At 23,000 miles the exhaust fluid warning came on, took it to the dealer and they took 2 days to fixed it. At 43,000 miles something outside the engine malfunction It cost me $18000.00 obviously they told me that that is not cover by the 100,000 mile power train, now at 53,000 miles something with the transmission went bad and the dealership is telling me that it will cost around $800.00 to fix and of course is has nothing to do with the power train so no luck. I will never buy another GMC vehicle in my life. I can put up with the small space inside, because I liked the oversized bed, but not paying $2700.00 with in a 6 month period give me a brake.

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  trashtruckforthemoney - 2016 GMC Canyon
  By SICK - April 18 - 11:11 pm

  I bought 2016gmccanyon transmissionunreliable dont know what to exspeat next dealer cant fix gm said they didnt know how to either as they were not concern cant talk get alawyer most unreliable vehicle I ever owned sorry I ever thought about this vehicle

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  GMC 3500 - 2005 GMC Sierra 3500
  By ronshoney - April 18 - 11:36 am

  Its a beautiful truck, feels like your riding in luxury. We have the TV/DVD package and that works great for our 4 kids who fit comfortably in the back on long trips. Good on gas for something that size, always runs and drives great. Have also used it to pull out the tractor when it got buried plowing the field, was not a problem it came right out and the truck barely had to try. Also pulled out a boat hauler that was stuck in a field, no limit to this truck.

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  Reliable, comfortable truck with decent fuel econ. - 2007 GMC Sierra 1500
  By Mizzou Engineer - April 16 - 11:11 pm

  This truck has been very reliable for 11 years. Repairs have been minimal. Routine service is easy. Fuel economy has averaged about 19.5 mile/gal with mostly rural driving. The truck is extremely comfortable to drive. It has good load and trailer towing capacity. Acceleration is adequate, but not impressive. The 40/20/40 seats are very comfortable.

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  Reliable, comfortable truck with decent fuel econ. - 2007 GMC Sierra 1500
  By Mizzou Engineer - April 16 - 11:11 pm

  This truck has been very reliable for 11 years. Repairs have been minimal. Routine service is easy. Fuel economy has averaged about 19.5 mile/gal with mostly rural driving. The truck is extremely comfortable to drive. It has good load and trailer towing capacity. Acceleration is adequate, but not impressive. The 40/20/40 seats are very comfortable.

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  Never buy American Again!!! - 2002 GMC Envoy
  By Never Again GMC - April 14 - 2:16 pm

  I looked at every make and model of SUVs, and sadly ended up with the Envoy. We did not even have the vehicle 24 hours and the power seats stopped working. Then we had to return to the dealership twice because the engine was leaking oil. Third, the weather stripping in the rear doors fell completely off. Fourth, the cruise control went out. This also caused the tail/brake lights to short out. Finally, we had to take it back because the windows did not seal properly.

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  Best SUV Weve Owned By Far - 2008 GMC Acadia
  By CPPhotoDude - April 14 - 12:36 pm

  As I thought about it more, I thought I could give you a little bit more color on my experience with the Acadia. As I said, the topline summary is that I love it, but here are some more details about my experience: Very quiet -- probably the quietest car at freeway speeds that Ive ever owned. Powerful drivetrain -- for a car of its size, it really gets up and goes. You have to be careful, because with how quiet and powerful it is, you can be going 80 MPH and it feels like 65. Comfortable -- this is a personal thing, but for me, it works great for long trips. I drove back from Utah in a day, and was comfortable the whole way. Gas mileage -- I get about 16 to 25 MPG depending

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  If it onlly could turn better!! - 2005 GMC Sierra 1500
  By Rich M - April 11 - 8:46 pm

  This is as comfortable as any car I have owned. It has decent gas mileage and enough power for most needs (5.3L).

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  Best truck on the market...Period - 2008 GMC Sierra 1500
  By hound - April 11 - 6:40 pm

  Gas mleage is remarkable for a large truck with the 5.3 l engine. I typically average 18.9 combined driving and 20.2 on long interstate trips and have measured it numerous times. I test drove all the trucks on the market and this is hands down he best on the market. The quietness, comfort, handling, audio system is just simply the best on the market.

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  This is the ultimate SUV - 2003 GMC Yukon XL
  By Denali-lover - April 11 - 10:00 am

  The Denali couldnt get any better - I think the only thing they missed is an automatic back massager. This truck runs like the best luxury vehicle you can drive. And the sterio is the best Ive heard - better than the Audis or BMWs! We feel like the king and queen of the road when driving this. We cant wait to go on a long road trip just to ride in our Denali!