2021 GMC Sierra 1500

The Sierra 1500 comes in six trims: Sierra, SLE, Elevation, SLT, AT4, and Denali. There are regular, extended, and crew cabs available, as well as short and regular cargo bed lengths. Shoppers have a variety of engines to choose from, plus rear- or four-wheel-drive. The base Sierra starts around $30,000 in regular cab form. Standard features include a V6 engine, steel wheels, front side airbags, curtain airbags in each row, a backup camera, daytime running lights, four-wheel disc brakes, automatic LED headlights, cloth upholstery, floor mats, manual locks/windows, air conditioning, a six-speaker audio system, Bluetooth, an auxiliary audio input, a seven-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The SLE trim adds many popular features for around $40,500. It comes with a potent turbocharged four-cylinder engine, power heated side mirrors, power locks/windows, remote keyless entry, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, cruise control, a WiFi hotspot, a front USB port, and an eight-inch infotainment screen. For about $42,500, the Elevation adds black alloy wheels, body-color bumpers, an alarm, fog lamps, remote engine start, and push-button ignition. The SLT rings in for around $47,000. It has a V8 engine, power-folding mirrors with memory, a tow hitch, leather upholstery, power-adjustable/heated front seats, driver’s seat memory, dual-zone climate control, a heated steering wheel, satellite radio, HD Radio, and voice-activated infotainment features. Shoppers looking for the most rugged Sierra will appreciate the AT4. Starting around $54,000, it gets exclusive off-roading features, like a two-inch lifted suspension, skid plates, Hill Descent Control, a heavy-duty air filter, mud terrain-rated Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac tires, red tow hooks, and unique styling elements. It also gets heated and ventilated front seats, plus USB ports for the back seat. The Sierra Denali is the most luxurious choice. Its roughly-$55,500 starting price includes blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, rear parking sensors, running boards, heated rear seats, a garage door opener, navigation, and a Bose premium audio system. Innovative options include a carbon-fiber bed, a Multipro six-function tailgate, and an available surround-view system with 15 camera angles.

The Sierra 1500’s base 4.3-liter V6 engine comes with the lowest-trim level. It makes good power, producing 285 horsepower and 305 pound-feet of torque. It uses a variable valvetrain and cylinder deactivation technology to improve fuel economy, but, according to the EPA, it returns a mediocre 17 mpg combined. Still, it does the job and provides sufficient muscle as a work vehicle. It is paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. The SLE and Elevation models come standard with a 2.7-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. Small, forced-induction power plants like this one are becoming more popular on the truck market, thanks to their respectable power-to-efficiency ratio. GMC’s turbo-four makes 310 horsepower and 348 pound-feet of torque. This motor pairs to an eight-speed transmission and returns 21 mpg overall. The upper-most trims get the Sierra’s flagship 5.3-liter V8. It uses a traditional pushrod valve train and generates 355 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque. It gets up to 19 mpg combined. The available 3.0-liter Duramax turbo-diesel balances pulling power with efficiency better than any other option, producing 460 pound-feet of torque while also offering an EPA-estimated 30 mpg highway (2WD model). That’s good enough strength to tow up to 9,200 pounds or drive up to 660 miles on one tank of gas.

The GMC Sierra 1500 has a large interior with sizable controls and buttons. Its tall dashboard, broad center console, and subdued colors give the Sierra a rugged and durable appeal while providing good ease of access to infotainment, HVAC, and driver settings. Cloth upholstery comes standard, while the SLT and upper trims have soft leather. Available features include heated/cooled front seats, heated rear seats, a Bose audio system, a head-up display, and a power sunroof. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity come standard. Tied with its mechanical sibling, the Chevrolet Silverado, the Sierra has some of the best front-seat passenger space in its class, especially in the crew cab. The 43 inches of headroom is particularly impressive (major rivals offer under 41 inches). The rear-seat area is still good, though not class-leading. The infotainment screen is located high on the dashboard, atop a vertical wall of physical controls for air conditioning, audio, and vehicle settings. A seven-inch display is standard, while most trims sport an eight-inch unit. Both work well, with fast, intuitive menus and included smartphone apps. The Sierra’s major rivals offer much larger available touchscreens, giving them a more upscale look. Chief competitors’ priciest trims feel more premium in other ways, too, with contrasting color schemes, higher-quality materials, and more advanced tech features.