Pros

• Different engine choices to meet your needs for hauling and towing.
• The long berth has a lot of room for the back legs.
• There are many beds and places to tie things down inside the beds.
• The tablet looks great and is simple to use.

Cons

• Rougher ride than its main rivals.
• It’s a problem that trims cost more.
• The oversized hood and thick roof beams make it harder to see.

The Sierra 1500 is driven in what way? Our test car had a crew cab, four-wheel drive, and a 6.2-liter V8 engine that could have been added. The truck went from 0 to 60 mph in 6.2 seconds, which is quick for a full-size truck. It’s easy and fast to change gears with the 10-speed engine. Even though the maximum stopping power is impressive, the need for a feel on the brake pedal may make everyday driving difficult.

We are not as interested in how the Sierra handles. It leans over a lot and looks heavy as you go around bends. It feels like the steering wheel is also numb. A full-size car can go off-road on average. A Traction Select device lets you add more wheelspin and a smoother initial throttle response when the road surface is slippery.

How does the Sierra 1500 feel? The Sierra’s front seats aren’t as comfy as those in the F-150 and Ram 1500, but they’re still fine for long trips. It’s pretty smooth to ride on the highway, and the truck easily handles most small crashes. The car might get bumpy if you drive on roads with lots of dips and bumps.

The temperature control system can efficiently heat or cool the house, but many of the control buttons are pretty small, which could make it hard to use. We like the heated split front seats that are only offered by GM. The seatback and seat cushion can be set to different temperatures. The engine noise is peaceful until you apply a lot of power. After that, it gets annoying but not offensive.

How is the inside? The front has a lot of space for your head, shoulders, and legs. The crew-cab Sierra also has a very roomy back seat. You can stand shoulder to shoulder with three people about the same height. The steering wheel and driver’s seat can be adjusted in different ways, making it easy for drivers of all sizes to find a comfy position.

We like how the Sierra’s internal controls have been updated. It’s easy to find knobs, buttons, and switches, and it feels good to press, click, or spin them. When you press the touchscreen, it replies quickly and starts up quickly. On the other hand, it can be hard to get out of full-size cars, and the Sierra’s design needs to be revised. Shorter drivers may have trouble seeing over the hood, and significant side walls may make it hard to see. It’s great that there is an excellent surround-view camera setup out there.

How does the tech work? Technology is critical to the Sierra. There is a 13.4-inch tablet that can do many different things without being hard to use. It’s also easy to touch and move on the high-resolution screen. The maps are simple to read and easy to get to interesting places and sites. The speech recognition technology, powered by Google, also reads your questions back to you on the screen in natural language. The station, the weather, and other things can be controlled by voice.

In our test car, both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration were set up, along with WiFi. The big screen makes CarPlay look great. Your smartphone has its case to keep things safe, and some models come with a wireless charger. Several outside cameras can help the driver, which is handy when stopping this considerable truck. The rear cross-traffic alert system also has a valuable sound under the seat bottom.

Most of the time, adaptive cruise control works great, especially for a car this size. When dealing with stop-and-go traffic, our test truck did, however, brake quickly and harshly. The Denali Ultimate is the only trim level with GM’s hands-free driving assistance feature, Super Cruise. On the other hand, Ford has similar BlueCruise technology on some trim levels of the F-150.

How are things going with the storage and towing? The GMC’s bed is big and has bed stairs and several tie-downs. It also has a unique MultiPro trunk that can be opened in six ways. The best Sierra models come with a brake controller, memory settings for different trailer combinations, and a camera view that makes it easy to hitch any trailer. Even though they’re not the best in their class, the maximum two scores are good enough.

There is a lot of space between the seats for the big center desk, but it has a lot of room inside for small things. There are also a lot of cupholders. Any child safety seat should fit easily in the crew cab’s sizeable back seat.

What kind of fuel economy does it have? If you drive a Sierra with a big V8 engine and 4WD, the EPA says it will get 17 mpg on the highway and in the city together. While this is good, the hybrid powertrains in the Ford F-150 and Toyota Tundra use less gas. Our test truck got an average of 17.6 mpg on our mixed-driving route, which shows that the EPA numbers are correct.

Should you buy the Sierra 1500? The Sierra’s biggest problem is that it’s not worth the money, especially when you look at the more expensive trim levels. The materials look much better than last year, and the inside is well put together. However, besides the MultiPro tailgate that can be split and folded, a few other changes to the car make the significant price increase worth it. Other trucks are cheaper and can carry more.

The class standards are GMC’s three-year/36,000-mile basic warranty and five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty. For the first year, Ram and Ford offered free regular maintenance like oil changes and tire rotations. This means that they can’t compete.

Nowadays, a car has to do much more than just the basics. Style and how easy it is to drive are essential things to think about. The Sierra is a strong-looking truck that can tow and haul items well. It has strengths in those areas. However, rivals often do many of those tasks for less money and with slightly better results.

The best deal is in the Sierra 1500 SLE trim. It has a basic set of necessary features and doesn’t cost as much as the better trims of the Sierra. The MultiPro tailgate is handy and comes with warm seats, carpeting, cruise control, and more.

Types of GMC Sierra 1500

Regarding trim levels, the 2024 Sierra 1500 has mostly stayed the same from the previous year. You can choose from eight trim levels: Pro, SLE, Elevation, SLT, AT4, AT4X, Denali, and Denali Ultimate. There are three types of cabs: regular cab, double cab (which is the same as a crew cab but has smaller rear doors and less space for the back seats), and crew cab. Not every trim can be set up in every way. The bed can be any three lengths, depending on how the cab is set up.