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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  ONLY small pickup that can be towed. - 2012 GMC Canyon
  By tompaine1 - October 9 - 10:34 pm

  Never figgered out why other companies build auto transmissions that CANNOT allow people to tow the vehicle with all four wheels down. And Edminds NEVER mentions it as a HUGE advantage of GM vehicles. There are a BUNCH or RVers out there who buy Canyon and Colorado SOLEY due to this characteristic. Otherwise, it is a small pickup. What do you expect ? Since the S-10 got dumped, its the only game in town.

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  One Of The Best Cars Ever!! - 2011 GMC Terrain
  By evnsptc - September 15 - 12:18 am

  I bought this car with 19K miles, and it runs great! It is steel blue metallic with black perforated heated cloth. The interior is perfect it has everything I need and more! The ride is very comfortable especially on bumpy country roads where I live. The transmission feels a bit sluggish in "ECO" but is overall very good. The 2.4L has great get up and go and gets great gas mileage! I took it on a trip (75 miles highway) and got an average of 30.4 mpg and get 19.6 mpg in the city! The car is barely broken in and will only get better in time! The car is great! I have 2 Grand Prixs and 2 G6s and love all of them but especially this one!

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  Good bang for the buck - 2006 GMC Yukon
  By bigricky77 - September 14 - 8:55 am

  Bought used in 2009, although I have a 5.3 and it is only 2wd. It rides and drives smooth. Local dealership sold it to me for 15,000$ with 49,000mi when it BB for 19,000$ at the time, found out it had a bad battery, rear right passenger window didnt work, and the dvd system was going out, not to mention the water pump was leaking. The starter went out as well.I replaced all with better more reliable parts, jokes on the dealership, the only challenging repair was replacing the DVD system with a bigger screen system.Very spacious interior, a little cheap with plastic but I can over look that due to the good reliability.Fits a family of 5 comfortably,if you want more trunk space buy an XL.

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  Love it, but.... - 2013 GMC Terrain
  By fayettedale - August 30 - 11:51 pm

  I just bought a 2013 Terrain SLE-1 FWD. I really like the vehicle, but the build quality is terrible, There a 1/4" gap on the left front side between the hood and headlight/fender. Also, on the right side, the front and rear doors do not align. QC must of had the day off when they built this one. I didnt not notice these things til I got home and really looked it over. I am taking it back to the dealership tomorrow to get a different one as this one has who knows how many other defects. I hope they do me right as I really like the Terrain, it has decent power, is really quite, and the interior is super nice. I will post an update in a day or two and let you know how GMC handles this.

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  light housing melts - 2008 GMC Acadia
  By unhappy_acadia - July 29 - 1:34 pm

  Until recently, I would say that I am the proud owner of a 2008 GMC Acadia. Until we went into have the daytime running light replaced. We have replaced several in the 5 years we have owned the car. What has made us very upset is that the last time we went into replace a burnt out bulb, we were informed that this would not be a $100 repair, but instead a $1000 repair. We were told that the plastic housing that reflects the light out is a $1000 item. The housing has literally melted around the light. We were also informed that the other side was doing the same thing. So in the end, it will cost us $2,000. This is a flaw, not normal wear and tear and should be covered by GMC, but no!

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  Decent Value in a Midsize truck. - 2007 GMC Canyon
  By sdaigle - June 29 - 7:16 am

  This is a review of regular cab "work truck" 3.7L I5 with 4-spd automatic. This truck has come in very handy with home renovations and trips to the dump. The 5cyl. engine has plenty of power and rivals competitors V6s. The 4-spd auto is very smooth. The interior is spacious and relatively comfortable, but horribly cheap in quality. Everything is hard plastic. There are ugly gaps in dash pieces. It looks poor quality. Reliability has not been all that great. The truck was purchased for a very low price, so the myriad problems are easier to swallow. I dont recommend considering this truck unless you can get a fantastic deal on one. Otherwise there are much better trucks for the money.

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  Great SUV - 2011 GMC Acadia
  By beezer34 - June 25 - 10:46 am

  Loved the Acadia. Plenty of room for all. Smooth driving. Leased it and had no issues to report. Recommend to all

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  2008 GMC Acadia SLT2 - 2008 GMC Acadia
  By kristintemples - June 20 - 2:23 pm

  I would love to give this vehicle an outstanding review but I cant. I love everything about this vehicle except that so many owners have had transmission problems prior to 100,000 miles just months after the warranty runs out. My vehicle is sitting in my driveway after 4 months of owning it and the transmission wave plate has gone out like so many others. GMC is not taking responsibility for their defective transmissions which is costing the consumer $4,000 out of pocket and in my opinion if people have extended warranty insurance they are ripping them off as well. They know it is a crappy design or they would not have redesigned it for the newer Acadias.

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  Refresh Done Well - 2013 GMC Acadia
  By ocbp29 - May 24 - 2:47 pm

  We previously drove a Buick Enclave for 5 years, so we knew what to expect with the Lambda platform which is shared between the Chevy Traverse, GMC Acadia and Buick Enclave. The refresh has given this CUV what we consider a more truck like presence which appeals to both the male and female driver in our family. Fit and finish is what one would expect from GM with improvements made to the transmission in the Acadia (no more searching for gears up hills), less flashy wheel offerings and, better integrated telematics (bluetooth, nav, DVD). Overall one of the best values for the content and quality that GM now offers in this segment.

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  Jeckyl and Hyde - 2012 GMC Acadia
  By bwilling - April 5 - 2:41 pm

  Decent ride, a bit underpowered but MPG ok. Very comfortable and tons of room even with three kids in the back. Seats take awhile to heat up. Big problem is with carbon monoxide. This vehicle sets off alarms in our house when started in the garage ( garage door open of course). Service dept is like a human rain delay in trying to get it fixed. Fot the 55k spent on top of the line we had many other choices, cant imagine them being any worse. When not thinking about the CO it rides nice.