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GMC Sierra 1500 Hybrid - What the Auto Press Says

The 2010 GMC Sierra 1500 Hybrid ranks 4 out of 8 Full Size Pickup Trucks. This ranking is based on our analysis of 18 published reviews and test drives of the GMC Sierra 1500 Hybrid, and our analysis of reliability and safety data.

While the GMC Sierra 1500 Hybrid shows that GM gets great results with its two-mode hybrid system, that doesn't mean it's a good match for all consumers.

For the most part, the GMC Sierra wows reviewers with its combination of midsize sedan efficiency and pickup capability. The Detroit Free Press says, "Boasting a 40% increase in EPA city fuel economy to 21 m.p.g., the Silverado and Sierra crew-cab pickups are the first vehicles to combine hybrid efficiency with big-truck capability."

But while reviewers are impressed with the truck's technological sophistication, others question if the Sierra Hybrid is spreading itself too thin. In order to maximize fuel economy, some truck capability has been compromised. And, in order maintain full-size truck capability, the Sierra Hybrid's fuel economy is impressive for a truck, but doesn't come close to the fuel economy of smaller hybrids. The Sierra Hybrid also has a significant price premium over the gas-only model. Even with a $2,200 government tax credit, if gas prices stay low, it will take a while for the savings at the gas station to make up for the extra in the Sierra Hybrid's sticker price.  If you care more about saving money than saving the earth, the conventional Sierra is a better choice.

Still, several reviewers say that if you need a truck and want to go a little green, the Sierra Hybrid should work for you, particularly if you do a lot of city driving, which is where the truck makes most of its fuel economy gains. So, for urban contractors who need a truck but are sick of watching their profits go in the gas tank and out the tailpipe, the Sierra Hybrid makes sense.  It also makes sense for people who want to put the saving the planet before saving money.  We should also note that while the Sierra Hybrid costs quite a bit more than the base Sierra, for that extra money you do get a luxuriously outfitted interior, a crew cab, some nice tech options and significant green cred. And, who knows?  If gas prices skyrocket, the Sierra Hybrid just might pay for itself.  

The Sierra Hybrid is similar to the Chevy Silverado Hybrid, as well as the gas-only GMC Sierra 1500. The Sierra Hybrid and the Silverado Hybrid were both introduced for 2009.  For 2010, little has changed, though the one available engine, a 6.0 liter V8, is now flex fuel capable. The Sierra Hybrid is available only in a four-door crew cab with a short bed.

• "Offers the fuel efficiency and lower emissions of a hybrid with zero compromise to the truck utility side of the equation." -- Road and Track
• "GMC's Sierra and the similar Chevrolet Silverado are among the best large pickup trucks for refinement and available features. The Hybrid model's price premium will likely be steep, but so are the potential gas savings versus conventional Sierras." -- Consumer Guide
• "As long as regular gasoline continues selling for less than $2 per gallon, two-mode - and for that matter, every other hybrid--is a tough sell. . . .But this leap-ahead technology will soon enjoy its day. When gas prices again surge past $3 per gallon on their way to $4, investing a few thousand dollars to gain five or more mpg will seem like a genuinely shrewd move." -- Automobile Magazine
• "Lots of GM truck goodness plus some green cred." -- Car and Driver
• "If you like the sound of dual-mode hybrid technology in a full-size pickup, the 2009 GMC Sierra 1500 Hybrid crew cab and its Chevrolet Silverado twin are the only games in town. However, we question the value of these trucks relative to their conventionally powered brethren." -- Edmunds
• "I loved the comfort and ease at which the Sierra went about its chores. Yet, I thoroughly enjoyed my week with the fine looking GMC, but if it were my signature on the check, I would opt for a less expensive model." -- MarketWatch
• "If you need a full-size pickup truck, but want to use as little gasoline as possible, GM has built what may be the roughest, toughest hybrid this side of a transit bus. As long as the tax credits last, the payback period's not bad, and if you're OK with a crew-cab body, you won't have to compromise any truck functionality." -- HybridCars.com

 

Sierra-1500-Hybrid Performance - 8.5 (Very Good)

 The Sierra 1500 Hybrid gets mixed performance reviews. Some test drivers are impressed with its fuel economy and advanced hybrid powertrain, but others are disappointed in its towing and hauling capabilities.  Read More

Sierra-1500-Hybrid Exterior - NA

 Reviewers don't have much to say about the Sierra Hybrid's exterior, except to note that it's very similar to the gas-only Sierra.  Read More

Sierra-1500-Hybrid Interior - 7.4 (Good)

 Though the Sierra Hybird's interior is similar to the conventional model's, some reviewers are disappointed that the hybrid's higher price goes to the powertrain, not a more upscale interior.  Read More

Sierra-1500-Hybrid Safety - NA

 The 2010 Sierra 1500 Hybrid does well in government crash tests. The similar 2009 model even earned five out of five stars in side-impact crash tests, a rarity in the full-size truck class.  Read More

Sierra-1500-Hybrid Reliability - NA

 The GMC Sierra 1500 Hybrid comes with GMC's standard three-year/36,000-mile basic warranty and five-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. The electrical components of the hybrid system come with an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty.  Read More