Make no mistake, this truck is large.
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Heavy-duty vehicles are special-purpose instruments designed to tow immense masses and haul mountains of stuff in all types of situations. Like different HD pickups, the 2021 GMC Sierra 2500 AT4’s common lack of refinement, low gasoline effectivity and ponderous dynamics make dwelling with it everyday a problem in case you do not want the huge functionality it presents.
LikeTowing and hauling capabilityRefined powertrainIngenious tailgate
Don’t LikeLackluster performanceSame outdated interiorBrash styling
Providing a bit of additional model and off-road functionality, the Sierra 2500 AT4 fashions characteristic darkish chrome exterior accents, body-color bumpers and a daring grille design. The commonplace bright-red restoration hooks look nice and ought to be tremendous helpful on the path. Ensuring this truck can take you out into the wilderness, it comes with Rancho shocks, a locking rear differential and commonplace 18-inch wheels with Michelin all-terrain tires, although this instance rolls on swanky 20-inch rims.
Bigger is not at all times betterWith a crew-cab physique and off-road suspension, this Sierra is big, a few trailer hitch wanting 21 toes in size, and that is with simply the 82-inch, standard-length mattress. Its elevated cab provides you skyscraper views of surrounding site visitors and makes climbing onboard a chore. Excluding the gargantuan telescopic towing mirrors, its physique is not any wider than a GMC Sierra or Chevy Silverado 1500’s, however this factor feels prefer it takes up a lane and a half, a sensation that is accentuated by its nearly comically raised hood that partly obscures ahead visibility and frightens pets and babies.
Maneuverability is a problem with this truck. Parking will be annoying, and I instinctively swing extensive for each flip to keep away from clipping curbs or scraping different autos. The Sierra 2500 is not actually any greater than rival heavy-duty pickups from Ford and Ram, but it surely positive feels a measurement or two bigger.Helping make issues just a little extra manageable, GMC presents a spread of helpful applied sciences. The out there ProGrade Trailering system, as an example, supplies as much as 15 totally different digicam views. This features a neat transparent-trailer characteristic that makes use of video to make it seem like there’s nothing behind the truck. A rear digicam mirror can also be supplied, which shows real-time video on a display screen mounted beneath the rear-view mirror glass, offering a a lot wider subject of view.
For people who repeatedly tow, this truck presents a great deal of intelligent options that may make it a lot much less annoying. A intelligent computerized electrical parking brake retains the truck from rolling that small quantity if you shift into park, one thing that may make hooking up a trailer fairly irritating. The towing mirrors can prolong or retract on the push of a button, hill-start help and hill-descent management assist preserve masses secure and safe when traversing mountainous terrain, and tow/haul mode will even stay engaged on the subsequent key cycle so you do not have to manually flip it on once more. This is all nice stuff, however maybe the Sierra’s cleverest characteristic is definitely its easiest one.
20-inch wheels look downright tiny on this massive truck.
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By the numbersSo you at all times know precisely what your explicit truck is rated to tow or haul, GMC features a sticker on the door jamb that spells the whole lot out, just like the gross automobile weight score, most payload, standard trailering capability, curb weight and extra. This takes the guesswork out of how a lot you may safely deal with.Flexing its muscle groups, this Sierra 2500’s most payload score is 3,232 kilos and it might tow as much as 14,500 kilos with the hitch. Hook a gooseneck trailer up as a substitute, and that determine will increase to a formidable 16,620 kilos. One extra variety of notice: six. That’s what number of capabilities the Sierra’s out there MultiPro Tailgate presents. This is without doubt one of the most progressive pickup truck options to come back out within the final 20 years. This ingenious setup has what quantities to a small gate inside the primary tailgate, which helps you to haul freight extra securely, simply attain gadgets saved within the mattress and it even works as a step so you may conveniently climb into the cargo field.The MultiPro Tailgate is without doubt one of the Sierra’s most progressive options.
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Modest efficiency, conceited consumptionThe Sierra 2500’s commonplace 6.6-liter gasoline V8 is potent sounding and easy working, however even with the truck mattress empty and no trailer in tow it feels overmatched. Despite having direct gasoline injection and even variable valve timing, this engine simply does not appear to carry out like one thing with 401 horsepower and 464 pound-feet of torque ought to. It’s not notably punchy round city, and merging onto the freeway takes longer than anticipated, the silky and astute six-speed computerized transmission doing its finest to assist get this rig on top of things. I blame the Sierra’s towering physique, mammoth frontal space and ready-for-action weight of 7,418 kilos for this pokey efficiency. Drivers who want extra functionality and confidence (or simply need to roll some coal) can get a 6.6-liter Duramax diesel matched with a 10-speed gearbox, although you pay via the nostril for the privilege of burning oil. This powertrain provides about 10 grand to the truck’s price ticket.Since the Sierra 2500’s gross automobile weight score is larger than 8,500 kilos, it is exempt from fuel-economy testing. Still, unladen, in real-world driving, I’ve averaged round 14 miles per gallon in response to the journey laptop, which is not too horrible for one thing of this measurement and weight.The truck’s journey is unquestionably on the agency aspect, but it surely’s not so starchy that it crashes over bumps or shatters your backbone. The journey is a contact harsher than I’d like, however this stiffness is critical so you are not sitting on the bump stops when the mattress’s filled with cargo. Load this GMC up with bricks, gravel or a twine or two of firewood and I wager it will journey rattling close to like a Lexus. The Sierra’s steering is gradual and imprecise, plus it is vulnerable to let the truck wander a bit, however the unbiased entrance suspension provides it an edge over competing heavy-duty vehicles, which nonetheless include strong entrance axles.This inside is boring and drab.
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Giant truck, tiny screensGM’s current-generation pickups usually are not identified for his or her stellar interiors. Silverado and Sierra cabins in each light- and heavy-duty kind are low-budget affairs made from unattractive arduous plastic. The seats are flat, and most of the secondary controls are of low high quality. Ram has a transparent benefit on this space and even Ford’s older vehicles are a hair nicer.The Sierra AT4’s infotainment system with built-in navigation is straightforward to make use of and responsive, but it surely’s displayed on an 8-inch touchscreen that appears tiny on such an expansive dashboard. Further cheapening the expertise, this panel’s viewing angles usually are not nice, with the colours simply washing out.The $7,975 AT4 Premium Package features a vary of facilities resembling Apple CarPlay and Android Auto that each join wirelessly, rear cross-traffic alert, entrance and rear parking sensors and computerized excessive beams. It additionally will get you a transparent and crisp head-up show and GMC’s Safety Alert Seat, which vibrates to warn the motive force of hazard.The Sierra HD is one powerful truck.
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Comfort on this truck is blended. The 10-way power-adjustable driver’s chair is agency however almost freed from any bolstering. It’s minimize for somebody a number of occasions heavier than me. The backseat, nevertheless, is kind of good, providing warmth for the outboard passengers and miles of legroom due to the crew-cab physique.Pony up, cowboyIn addition to that AT4 Premium Package, this Sierra 2500 additionally options vibrant Cayenne Red Tintcoat paint, a $645 choice, plus it is fitted with the $545 gooseneck/fifth-wheel prep choice. Including $1,595 in vacation spot charges, it checks out for $68,160, a steep value to make sure, however one which’s not completely unreasonable for the potential it presents. That determine can also be in keeping with a comparably geared up Ram Power Wagon or a Ford F-250 with the Tremor bundle.The 2021 GMC Sierra 2500 is succesful and hard-working. It’s a truck I can respect, even when it is one I do not love.