2014 GMC Sierra 1500

More often than not, today’s half-ton pickup trucks are doing double duty.  You hardly ever see 2-door models anymore.  And with advancements in truck refinement, these rigs will happily play the role of luxury sedan.  Which mean you’re just as likely to see them out here as you are here; taking your family away to a seaside vacation.  The all-new 2014 GMC Sierra is ready to serve in either way.

Parity in the full-size truck segment has never been more evident.  Perhaps with the exception of the prehistoric Nissan Titan, when you drive off the lot in a new truck nowadays you can rest assured that it’s a highly competitive product.  The latest players in this hot-selling market are from GM – the Silverado and Sierra twins.  The GMC brand is considered a half notch above its Chevy cousin and as such carries a $500 premium, bringing the starting price of a Sierra 4X4 Crew Cab with the short box to $36,845.

But my extended 2 week loan was spent in a much richer model.  At launch, this is the highest trim level available – the SLT 4WD powered by a 5.3-liter V8.  And when it comes optioned with everything you see here – and the list of extras is extensive – it’s a Fire Red machine priced at over $51,000.

Styling changes, including the new eye-catching projector headlamps with LED accents, are subtle yet wholly noteworthy.  I once returned to this truck to find a guy snapping photos of it in a grocery store parking lot; that’s when you know it’s capturing attention.  GMC stylists got it just right – it’s a great looking truck.

I spent my time with the Sierra in both the work and play environments it’s likely to encounter, first, experimenting with its 4-wheel drive capabilities replete with 2-wheel, auto, 4 high and 4 low settings including an auto locking rear differential.  The Sierra has revised electric steering and a retuned suspension partially using aluminum – a lightweight metal also used for the hood.  A number of other weight savings measures have also been taken.  Even with the optional 20” Goodyear Eagle LS-2 on-road tires, the Sierra possesses the rugged confidence and far reaching capabilities that should never leave its owner in an embarrassing situation.  Maximum payload is just under a ton while max towing for my tester with the standard 3.08 rear end is 6,600 pounds.  My only use for the receiver this week was for my bike rack…making this truck even more ungainly in parking situations.

Three engine choices await the Sierra buyer and this one is the workhorse.  Known as the EcoTec3, this 5.3-liter V8 generates 355 horsepower, 383 pound-feet of torque and is Flex-Fuel capable.

Standard on the SLT Crew Cab, it also has GM’s second-generation Active Fuel Management which is imperceptibly seamless and operates longer as a V4 for better efficiency.  I put over a thousand miles on this one with lots of highway driving and used a tank of E85 for good measure and recorded 16mpg – the EPA rated city number for this truck.  And at 22mpg highway, it’s earned a higher number than Ford’s EcoBoost V6.

My tester has the smaller 5’ 8” box and though the 6’ 6” box would be tempting keep in mind this one is already a handful in crowded parking lots.

The bedliner, an easy lift and lower tailgate, an LED cargo light and a handful of tie-downs are welcome additions but there’s no cutting edge cleverness back here…unless you consider the new bumper cornersteps which aren’t quite as handy as Ford’s tailgate step.

So the majority of my week was spent using the Sierra as a family vacation taxi.  The large rear seats garnered praise from kids and adults alike while the chrome assist steps made getting in easy.  The cabin is noticeably quieter with a luxury-level hush but the on-road ride feels noticeably truckier than before with significant jounce and wheel hop on less than perfect pavement…the biggest surprise I encountered with this new truck.   The Ram 1500’s leading ride quality is not to be challenged here.  The Sierra is great at gobbling highway miles however with excellent steering feel – better than in a number of cars I could mention -and an assured brake pedal.  The 6-speed automatic however sometimes shifts with a disconcerting violence.

GMC made their biggest gains with the Sierra in here.  For far too long, GM has had some of the most dour cabins in the industry but this one is brilliantly advanced.

Indeed, this is the Sierra’s highlight moment – a place to spend time that offers everything a truck owner could dream of.  Not only are the features expertly placed but it’s large, luxurious and chock full of all of life’s modern conveniences including the most affective cooled seats I’ve ever tested.  Just one caveat; apparently the motor blows hot air out the rear side.  A major complaint of my rear seat passengers.  Strangely there’s no blind spot monitor – there is a mirror – but forward collision alert, lane departure warning and the apopreciated front and rear park assist are here.  Cadillac’s safety alert seat that vibrates to the specific side of a warning is here too.  It can be deactivated through the thorough IntelliLink screen which also provides access to navigation, weather, OnStar and more.  It’s not the best infotainment system but it’s pretty darn good.  But just look at how many USB ports and other connection options GMC gives you!  Kudos for all of the choices.  And here’s a button I got accustomed to – the one for the power folding mirrors, because parking this beast was always an adventure.  A huge center console was greatly appreciated by my wife as it easily gobbles up a pocketbook.  An optional sunroof, heated steering wheel with Chrysler-like rear audio controls and a high-res info display in the gauge cluster further the positive impression.  The Sierra’s cabin is a very comforting, modern place to commute.

All told, the 2014 Sierra 1500 advances its power, fuel efficiency and maximum capabilities wrapped in a very attractive package with a huge increase in interior refinement.  Perhaps GMC didn’t want you to completely forget you’re in a truck as the only puzzlement is to why it doesn’t ride as sumptuously as it used to.