2020 GMC Sierra 1500 Crew Cab

The 2020 GMC Sierra is one of the best selling Pickups in the segment. Engine options include a 4.3L 6 cylinder motor mated to a 6-speed auto gearbox. This engine is capable of producing a healthy 285 hp and 305 lb-ft of torque. While base Sierra gets optional vinyl interiors that can be hosed down after a hard day’s work, higher trims get exquisite leather upholstery and even wireless charging pad.

Like all modern full-size trucks, the 2020 GMC Sierra 1500 has no dearth of body style and powertrain configurations. There are 2-body configurations and only one engine options available – 4WD is offered on both of them. The Regular Cab Sierra 1500 with Standard Box, 5.2L engine and can be bought with front or 4 wheel drive. The base trim ports a price tag of $28.205. standard features include HID headlamps, 3.5-inch monochromatic display. 

The Sierra 1500 SLE also gets an enhanced driver alert package and can be bought for an MSRP $34,995. Bringing a full suite of advanced driver assistance systems and active safety features. Along with the upgraded standard equipment list bringing with it all the bells and whistles.

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Since the Sierra caters to a broad base of audience, reducing the number of trims also reduced the headache of choosing the right trim. If you need a basic works truck, a miserly equipped crew cab long bed base Sierra SLE trim with the capable 5.2L V8 will cost you approximately $34,995. it has all the features you would expect from your crew cab truck.

Handling the engine duties on the GMC Sierra 1500 is a 4.3L 6 cylinder motor mated to a 6-speed auto gearbox. This engine healthy enough to produce 285 hp and 305 lb-ft of torque. The 2020 GMC Sierra 1500 powertrain is hard to fault. This combined with supple suspension and high-speed composure makes the GMC Sierra 1500 an excellent freeway cruiser. However, the Sierra hates curvy roads and some modern trucks offer better handling.

The Sierra with Magnetic Ride Control dampers improve things considerably but comes with a hefty price tag. There is a dearth of Heave-Ho though. Equip the Sierra properly, and you can pull segment beating 12,500 pounds. Also, the optional 4wd and all-terrain package makes sierra a capable mountain goat.

Acceleration

With a curb weight that easily tops 5000 pounds, this GMC truck needs plenty of grunts to move with purpose. The Sierra 1500 with the 4.3L V6 does 0-60 in 5.3 seconds. That’s plenty fast for such a hefty vehicle. However, most of the buyers choose these trucks for other good reasons. It hits the sweet spot between performance and efficiency with a quarter-mile time of 13.6 seconds.

Coming to the acceleration part, both the Sierra and Silverado showcases similar quarter-mile and 0-60mph timings. yet again, Ford lacks behind in this test too. 

Ride and Handling

The 2020 GMC Sierra 1500 is a large truck and it doesn’t hide it. Don’t expect any kind of engaging driving experience. Rather, the electrically assisted steering makes handling this big and capable GMC Truck easy. The tractable naturally aspirated engine and good outward visibility further help in negotiating confined city roads.

Like any truck with leaf-spring rear suspension, the 2020 Sierra 1500 has a somewhat harsh ride especially when the bed is lightly loaded. Resist the temptation to get those flashy 20 or 22-inch wheels – they make matter worse. If you are very particular about ride quality, check out the air-suspension equipped Ram 1500.

Alternatively, if you can spend over $50,000, get the GMC Sierra Denali with Magnetic Ride System – the kind of hardware one expects in a Corvette. Its damper is filled with magnetic fluid that can change their viscosity within milliseconds when the sensors sense a change in road condition. This alters the stiffness of dampers and helps the Sierra adapt itself for comfortable cruising or spirited driving – neat.

Braking

The GMC Sierra 1500 gets 13-inch brake rotors up-front and 13.6-inch brake rotors at the back. These brakes can haul over 5000 pounds, Sierra, to stop from 60 mph in 134 feet. That’s comparable to the Silverado and Ram 1500.

Being the lightest, Ford F150 XL takes away the award for the shortest braking distance with 119 feet. on the other hand, both the Silverado and the Sierra settle for the second spot with similar specs.

Towing Capacity

The GMC Sierra 1500 and its corporate cousin – the Silverado 1500 are the huskiest pullers among full-size trucks with a max towing capacity of 8900 lbs when properly equipped. 

The Ford F150 fares only marginally better at 9100 lbs but it still takes the 1st position amongst its rivals.

Talking about towing capacity and Ford takes the lead of 200lbs of towing weight over both the Sierra and Silverado.

Keeping that 2 tons of curb weight in mind, the GMC Sierra 1500 manages to put good numbers with the 4.3L V6 rated at 18/24/20 for city/highway/combined.

Holding a fuel-efficient engine, the Ford -150 manages to put better mileage than both the Sierra and Silverado with increased mileage in all fields of city, highway and combined mileage. 

The Sierra has one of the best interiors among full-size trucks – even in base trim. While it costs a bit more compared to the similar Silverado 1500, it does boast better fit and finish and high-quality materials. Higher trims are especially luxurious and the Sierra 1500 Denali can even give a good scare to the product engineers of luxury marques. The GMC Sierra Crew Cab can seat up to 6-passengers with the front bench seats. The front seats are exceptionally roomy with huge 45.2-inch legroom and offer good support even for a tall frame. However, the driving position is weirdly off-center.

The rear bench seats also offer generous room even for three large adults with legroom of 40.9 inches. However, they also have a caveat – the backrest is too vertical for long-distance comfort. There is plenty of in-cabin storage to stow away small items and the massive center console can accommodate your laptop easily.

Infotainment

While the base 2020 GMC Sierra 1500 gets a 3.2-inch monochromatic display while the top-end trim comes with a 5.2-inch color display infotainment with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay capability. Although the GMC Intellilink is intuitive, the icons are on a smaller side. Audiophiles can get the optional Bose Audio system.

Interior Features

Some of the key interior features are

• Vinyl or fabric upholstery
• Multi-function steering wheel
• 4-way adjustable driver seats

Payload and Storage

The 2020 GMC Sierra 1500 comes with three-bed sizes – the Short Box (5 feet 8 inch), Standard Box (6 feet 6 inch) and the Long Box (8 feet). If you are shopping for a work truck that needs to haul plenty of items in the bed, the 8-feet Long Box is available with the Regular Cab.

While the Double Cab only gets the Standard Box, the Crew Cab is available with Standard Box or the Short Box. It comes with spray-in bed liners and access to the bed is made simple with footstep integrated into the bumper and a handgrip. Well placed tie-downs, 110V power outlet and LED lights adorn the bed. The most capable GMC Sierra has a maximum payload rating of 2230 pounds.

If you want to store your luggage inside the cab out of the elements, you can fold the flip-up rear seats. This reveals a flat floor that can easily swallow a weekend worth of luggage. You can also option the Under-seat storage for added convenience.

The 2020 GMC Sierra 1500 looks like a typical full-size pick-up truck – it’s huge, blocky and has a massive grille. The Sierra gets especially chrome heavy grille and huge 20-inch wheels. There is now an All-Terrain X package available in 4WD Sierra XLT with all-black exteriors, dark wheels, and a bed-mounted sports bar.

All Sierra come with standard LED accent lights – a pleasantry for spending a little more than the similar Silverado 1500. Higher trim also gets damped tailgate eliminating the dreaded tailgate slam. However, the now common passive entry with pushbutton start is not on offer in the GMC Sierra – it looks like GMC intends to give you some old-school experience – at least while entering your truck

Dimensions and Weight

Even with the shortest body configuration, the Sierra is a lengthy beast. If you are a first-time truck buyer, check the garage dimension. Also, maneuvering such a large vehicle through tight-city may overwhelm you.

Being the lightest truck the Ford F150 at 4051 lbs. It is also the longest one amongst its rivals at 209.3 inches.

Exterior Features

Some of the key exterior features of the GMC Sierra 1500 are

• Heavy-duty steel rims
• Large front grille
• HID headlights

The 2020 GMC Sierra 1500 gets the standard rear-view camera. Aside from this, there are plenty of available advanced active safety features and driver assistance systems including:

• Low-Speed Forward Automatic Braking
• Front and Rear Park Assist
• Forward Collision Alert
• Lane Keep Assist

Aside from these, the 2020 GMC Sierra 1500 also gets the following safety features:

• StabiliTrak, stability control system with Proactive Roll Avoidance and traction control, includes electronic trailer sway control and hill start assist
• Daytime Running Lamps with automatic exterior lamp control
• Airbags, dual-stage frontal and side-impact, driver and front passenger and head-curtain and seat-mounted side-impact, front and rear outboard seating positions with Passenger Sensing System
•  Rear Vision Camera
• Tire Pressure Monitoring System with Tire Fill Alert

The 2020 GMC Sierra 1500 has got a 5-star safety rating from NHTSA. That’s the best possible rating. However, the 2020 Sierra has not received the Top Safety Pick rating from IIHS.

2020 GMC Sierra 1500 vs. Ford F150

The F150 is the best-selling pickup and for good reasons – it combines excellent fuel economy with class-leading hauling and towing capacity. It comes with feature-loaded cabin and packs spacious, supportive and comfortable seats. However, Sierra’s cabin quality is a class above the F150’s and it does most of the other tasks almost as competitively.

2020 GMC Sierra vs. Chevy Silverado 1500

The Chevy Silverado 1500 and the GMC Sierra 1500 are corporate twins and are mechanically identical. The Sierra justifies its higher price by exhibiting one of the best cabin quality among trucks. The Sierra looks distinguished too with a sleeker look. So if you need a capable truck and want an American icon, get the Silverado. If you need the same capability with more quality and charm, pay more and get the Sierra.

2020 GMC Sierra vs. Ram 1500

The Ram 1500 has a significantly lower towing and hauling capacity than the GMC Sierra and other full-size pickups. However, overlook that and you will be amazed by its soothing ride quality when equipped with optional air suspension. It’s also available with an efficient turbodiesel engine.

If you want the capability of a modern full-size pickup truck but want something a bit classier, the 2020 GMC Sierra will impress you. Starting with the exterior that’s sleeker looking than any other pick-up in the market, the classy feeling continues all-the-way to the tastefully built and assembled interiors. All these come at a price that’s slightly higher than its corporate cousin – the Silverado 1500. The transmission is equally impressive but the experience behind the wheel is hampered by the quirky off-center driving position.

The all-new Sierra is more efficient, better equipped and has even more towing capacity. However, you can go ahead and buy one as it’s more than capable to meet your needs and desires. Moreover, GMC dealers are offering attracting deals for current outgoing Sierras.