Used 2021 GMC Sierra 1500

Still fresh off a recent redesign, the 2021 GMC Sierra is a capable and alluring choice among full-size pickups. Though it has similar underpinnings and powertrain choices as its Chevrolet Silverado sibling, the Sierra touts more premium flair and design differences.

The 2021 Sierra offers a variety of engines that range from GM’s tried-and-true 5.3-liter V8 to a potent diesel, turbocharged 4-cylinder, and big 6.2-liter V8. The Sierra also offers a broad selection of cab configurations and bed lengths. Trims range from a basic work truck to the popular and luxuriously outfitted Denali. Sierra AT4 models are even more adventurous with a factory lift and standard 4-wheel drive.

The Sierra’s max tow rating of 11,800 pounds falls short of the Ford F-150 and Ram 1500. The 2021 model year also marks the arrival of an all-new Ford F-150 that will be available as a hybrid with more horsepower, more torque, more towing ability, and more towing capacity than the GMC.

Despite the stiff rivalry, brand loyalty remains strong for truck buyers, and the GMC Sierra should please buyers with enhanced safety and trailering technology, and features like its innovative MultiPro tailgate.

Our first brush with this latest-generation GMC Sierra was in the Sierra Denali Crew Cab. Our test model was fitted with the excellent 420-horsepower 6.2-liter V8, the Sierra’s top-of-the-line engine. This big V8 has a healthy growl, and power off the line is smooth and quick. The engine uses Dynamic Fuel Management to control cylinder operation, but we could never tell when it was working — that’s a compliment to its seamless nature. The 10-speed automatic offers quick response when you accelerate, and power delivery is easy and rewarding. Shifts are smooth, not jumpy, and can be quickened when you engage the Sport drive mode.

On the other end of the spectrum is GM’s new 2.7-liter 4-cylinder turbo, which is also offered in the Chevy Silverado. If you don’t think a 4-cylinder engine can power a full-size truck, this one will make you reconsider. We found it peppy and quick, and it enabled the truck to feel light on its feet. For 2021, the max tow rating for this big 4-cylinder has improved to 9,200 pounds.

Also recommendable is the 3.0-liter Duramax diesel, a smooth turbocharged inline-6 that gives the Sierra excellent EPA highway fuel economy of up to 30 mpg. Towing capacity for this engine has increased to 9,300 pounds. What’s more, this light-duty diesel, which mates to a 10-speed automatic transmission, is refined enough for everyday use.

No matter your engine choice, ride quality is very good, and braking is nicely predictable and linear. When the previous Sierra was introduced, it boasted arguably the quietest interior in the segment. The new Sierra’s cabin is even quieter. Even though the interior doesn’t have the same pizazz as that of the new Ram, controls are nicely placed and easy to use, and color choices are clean and tasteful.

The 2021 GMC Sierra’s cabin is functional and has a nice amount of soft-touch surfaces, but it doesn’t quite raise the bar in design. The cabin is wonderfully roomy and quiet, and the optional head-up display is large and easy to read. Depending on trim and cab configuration, the 2021 Sierra can seat three passengers (regular cab), or five or six with the crew and double-cab configurations. Like other full-size pickups, lower trims have fewer frills, while some aspects of the High Country trim could pass for a luxury car.

The seats are comfortable, and if you get the 5-passenger Sierra, there is a big storage compartment in the center console. There are also clever side-hinged storage areas in the front of the rear passenger seats. Base models with a regular cab still make do with hand-crank windows and manual door locks, but all other models have power accessories.

The Sierra and its General Motors stablemate, the Chevrolet Silverado, have similar mechanicals and features, but the two intentionally differentiate themselves in exterior design. One difference has been the MultiPro tailgate (see Favorite Features), although this year, the Chevy truck also gets that option.

Every Sierra comes with side corner steps in the rear bumper and 12 cargo tie-downs in the bed. Offered initially in Denali trims is a carbon-fiber bed, which GMC says is the toughest bed it has ever made.

If the new Sierra is equipped with power-retractable steps, a button on the back angles the step closer to the bed – a thoughtful touch. The off-road-oriented AT4 trim has a 2-inch factory lift, dark exterior accents, beefy all-terrain tires, and a pair of red tow hooks in front.

PROGRADE TRAILERING
Thanks to tech magic derived from the Sierra heavy-duty series, this system features 15 camera angles, including a first-of-its-kind transparent trailer view. By combining cameras on the tailgate and a remote one at the back of the trailer, it creates an invisible outline of the trailer, enabling you to virtually see through it.

MultiPro TAILGATE
The GMC Sierra was the first pickup truck to get this innovative tailgate, which can be reconfigured six different ways to make it easier to load, organize and remove gear, or simply create a seat for optimum tailgating. It also comes up with a power-up/-down feature controlled by the key fob.

As with rival half-ton pickups in this segment, the GMC Sierra spans from a basic work truck on one end to a leather-laden, feature-rich luxo-cruiser on the other. At its simplest in regular-cab form, the 2021 GMC comes with a 4.3-liter V6, 4-way manual-adjust seat, and 17-inch painted silver wheels.

While the interior is basic with crank windows and only a 2-speaker stereo, you do get a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto integration, Bluetooth pairing, and a USB port. In reality, most buyers outside of fleets will skip this model. We recommend stepping up to at least the SLE trim, which adds a leather-wrapped steering wheel, cruise control, keyless entry, automatic climate control, chrome bumpers, Wi-Fi hotspot, and 6-speaker audio system.

Plenty of creature comforts, technology, and driver-assistance and safety aids can be had on the 2021 GMC Sierra by climbing trims or adding options. They range from leather interior and an 8-inch touchscreen system with navigation and Bose premium audio to the aforementioned MultiPro Tailgate and a selection of wheels.

Active safety and driver-assist options include automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and adaptive cruise control. We laud GMC for making the Safety Confidence Package optional on even base models. It adds forward-collision warning and automatic emergency braking.

Also new for 2021 is wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which is included in SLT, AT4 and Denali trims.

Top-line GMC Sierra Denali models also include heated and ventilated front seats, wireless phone charging, a universal garage-door opener, remote start, and dual-zone automatic climate control. Denali and AT4 trims are also offered as Carbon Pro Editions, which feature an exclusive, ultra-tough carbon-fiber pickup bed.

The MultiPro tailgate is now available starting on SLE trims.

The 2021 GMC Sierra offers several engine choices, ranging from a peppy turbocharged 4-cylinder to GM’s rumbling 6.2-liter V8. There are also two types of cylinder-management systems to improve fuel economy. Active Fuel Economy is the better-known cylinder shut-off system that has helped boost GM truck mpg. Dynamic Fuel Management is designed to fine-tune the balance between efficiency and power demand. It lets the engine operate anywhere between two and eight cylinders, within 17 different patterns.

Base Sierras still use a 4.3-liter V6 that we found barely gets the job done. Unless low cost is your greatest priority, we recommend stepping up to another powertrain. The 2.7-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder is surprisingly potent and helps make the Sierra feel nimbler and more athletic. Then there are the V8s. Tried-and-true, the 5.3 continues to impress, while the 6.2-liter V8 remains a real workhorse with loads of smooth power.

Another engine we really like is the optional turbodiesel inline-6. We’ve tested this engine in several GM vehicles and came away impressed with its locomotive force and good fuel efficiency. For 2021 this engine is more tempting thanks to a price reduction of $1,500, making it only $995 more than the 5.3-liter V8.

All 2021 GMC Sierras use an automatic transmission, either 6-, 8-, or 10-speed depending on engine and trim. Some of the engines also use a start/stop system that cuts engine power at idle to save fuel. The system can be deactivated with the press of a button.

4.3-liter V6
285 horsepower @ 5,300 rpm
305 lb-ft of torque @ 3,900 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 16/21 mpg (2WD), 15/20 mpg (4WD)

2.7-liter turbocharged inline-4
310 horsepower @ 5,600 rpm
348 lb-ft of torque @ 1,500-4,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 20/23 mpg (2WD), 18/21 mpg (4WD)

3.0-liter turbodiesel inline-6
277 horsepower @ 3,750 rpm
460 lb-ft of torque @ 1,500 rpm to 3,050 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 23/30 mpg (2WD), 22/26 mpg (4WD & AT4 models)

5.3-liter V8
355 horsepower @ 5,600 rpm
383 lb-ft of torque @ 4,100 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 15/21 mpg (2WD, 6-speed automatic), 15/19 mpg (2WD, flex-fuel), 17/23 mpg (2WD, 8-speed automatic), 15/20 mpg (4WD, 6-speed automatic), 14/18 mpg (AT4, 6-speed automatic), 14/18 mpg (4WD, flex-fuel), 16/21 mpg (4WD, 8-speed automatic), 16/21 mpg (AT4, 8-speed automatic), 16/22 mpg (4WD, 10-speed automatic), 16/21 mpg (AT4, 10-speed automatic)

6.2-liter V8
420 horsepower @ 5,600 rpm
460 lb-ft of torque @ 4,100 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 16/20 mpg (4-wheel drive), 15/19 mpg (AT4)

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