*20,000-lb trailer | **35-55-mph uphill acceleration with 17,330-lb trailerVehicle Layout Front-engine, AWD, 5-pass, 4-door truck Engine/Transmission 6.6L turbodiesel OHV 32-valve V-8/10-speed automatic
Curb Weight (F/R Dist) 8,634 lb (57/43%) Wheelbase 172.0 in Length x Width x Height 266.1 x 96.7 x 80.7 insaid, adding, “In a segment where
Ram and Ford are bringing their
A game, this phoned-in cabin
leaves much to be desired.” Thin
and hard seats, a dreadful layout,
and a tiny infotainment touch-
screen caught universal derision.
Williams was willing to trade
those shortcomings for an all-new
platform with more payload and
towing capacity.”
The Sierra HD is available
with a gasoline or diesel V-8,
both displacing 6.6 liters. We
also evaluated the gas unit and
its six-speed auto wrapped in
the Silverado 2500 HD; it’s an
identical driveline to the Sierra
2500 HD. In that installation,
the 401-hp, 464-lb-ft engine
doesn’t seem up to the task.
Cortina called it a “disappoint-
ment,” saying it “feels too smallT
hink carefully before you
check the option boxes—
otherwise your GMC Sierra
HD could be a dud. We sampled
the gas and diesel engines at
Truck of the Year, and although
one was good and the other bad,
both brought plenty of ugly.
Style is subjective, but most
judges couldn’t look past the
Sierra’s exterior design. Lieb-
erman called Sierra HD’s fascia
“grotesque,” and “drenched in
jewelry. The bling-bling Ram HD
looks restrained by comparison.”
Indeed, the grille is in your face.
Interior design is more objec-
tive for a truck like this. It needs to
be a nice place to spend time on
a long-haul drive. Unfortunately,
it was more a place we wanted
to get out of. “It isn’t even close
to class competitive,” Seabaughfor a truck of this size.” According
to Seabaugh, it’s “gutless and
inefficient” and “doesn’t feel like it
makes more power than the turbo
I-4 in the Silverado 1500.”
Evans was confused by the
archaic automatic, questioning
why this transmission still exists:
“This old six-speed tends to hunt
and isn’t clever about down-
shifting to maintain speed.”
Pulling a 10,500-pound trailer,
things only got worse. Priddle
asked, “Where did the power go?”
Lieberman summed up our senti-
ment: “The big problem for all GM
HDs is that this V-8 exists.”
Conversely, we praised the
445-hp, 910 lb-ft diesel V-8 and
its 10-speed automatic, which
was tested in a dually Sierra 3500
HD. It’s the clear choice between
the two powertrains—beyond
comparison to its lower-grunt
counterpart. Evans said it “has allthe torque in the world, and this
transmission handles it nicely.”
Seabaugh agreed, appreciating
how it felt “ridiculously powerful
yet simultaneously unstressed.”
Walton welcomed the 3500
HD’s heftier steering over its 2500
HD counterpart, which made the
task of keeping it centered in the
lane easier. It handled a 10-ton
trailer admirably, but Walton
thought the exhaust brake didn’t
do much if anything; manual gear
selection was more effective for
downhill speed control.
Stopping power left judges
wanting more, worrying Cortina: “I
really had to get on the brakes to
get it to stop. It does, but I have to
press hard on the pedal.” That’s
a troubling evaluation for such
a heavy chunk of steel. Still, the
available camera array, which
provides 15 different views around
the truck and trailer, made
piloting this beast easier.
Depending on the options
selected, the GMC Sierra HD
can disappoint as much as it
impresses. We’d only consider the
diesel, but with an unsightly inte-
rior and underpowered brakes it’s
not a truck we’d ever love driving.
Despite its mighty capabilities,
other vehicles in the segment
accomplish the same tasks
with better overall execution.
Check the boxes for those trucks
instead. Alex LeansePRO Powerful diesel V-8 • Slick-shifting 10-speed • Clever trailering cameras CON Half-assed gas V-8 • Cheap, unsightly interior • Soft, squishy brakesTOTY I Finalists
GMC Sierra 3500HD
SPECS 2020 Sierra 3500HD Denali Duramax (CrewCab 4WD DRW)
Base Price/As Tested $67,895/$80,805
Power (SAE net) 445 hp @ 2,800 rpm
Torque (SAE net) 910 lb-ft @ 1,600 rpm
Accel, 0-60 mph 6.9 sec
Accel, 0-60 mph (loaded) Not tested
Accel, 0-60 mph (towing) 23.1 sec*
Quarter Mile 15.3 sec @ 89.8 mph
Quarter Mile (loaded) Not tested
Quarter Mile (towing) 22.7 sec @ 59.7 mph*
Braking, 60-0 mph 134 ft
Braking, 60-0 mph (loaded) Not tested
Double Lane Change Time 4.1 sec
Davis Dam Frustration 26.0 sec @ 1,830 ft**
Cruise Control 65-mph Overrun 5.3 mph
EPA City/Hwy/Comb Exempt from testingJANUARY 2020 MOTORTREND.COM 53