Published at CarReview.com
By Kurt Gensheimer
Blings
- New boxed frame design virtually eliminates flex
- Exceptional interior fit and finish for a work truck
- 10,000+ pound towing capacity even for the gasser V-8
Dings
- Kidney-jarring buckboard ride from the rear end
- Massive dimensions require a formal ‘plan of action’ every time you park
- 8,000+ lb GVWR exempts GMC from posting the atrocious MPG numbers on the window
Ruling: Unless you tow a trailer or haul thousands of pounds in concrete every day, you have no business owning a truck this big and manly.
GMC is trying to be like the Levi’s jeans of the truck world; rugged enough to handle any “Professional Grade” project, yet stylish enough to be cleaned up and taken out for a night on the town. While it’s true that the 2011 GMC Sierra 2500HD is more than ready for any herculean towing or hauling mission you bestow upon it, the whole night on the town thing is still up for debate.
To wit: does your wife possess the muscular fortitude to open the iron-reinforced door of an armored Brinks truck? Because it takes about the same amount of strength to open the door on a Sierra HD. So unless your wife can bench press you, she probably won’t be getting out of your truck without A) your gallantry B) a valet attendant or C) her pulling or straining something.
All hyperbole aside, the 2011 GMC line of trucks truly are designed for the dual purpose work site/country club lifestyle, as evidenced by the new Denali trim package which helps push the MSRP well over $60,000…for a pickup. Sure, it has navigation, leather seats, heated steering wheel, and every other accoutrement most often found on luxo-utes like the Escalade, but when the sun sets, it’s still a pickup truck meant to haul some major-league mass. And if you’re not using the truck most of the time for this purpose, you’re wasting money and gas while receiving a buckboard ride and an earful from your lady friend who can’t get out of the truck without debilitating herself.
Having typed that, if you’re still here reading, let’s get into the dirty details of all the improvements GMC has made for the 2011 Sierra 2500HD.
Performance
Now most folks who require the brawn of a full-size pickup truck for not only the payload capacity, but also for towing, tend to opt for the diesel. But our tester came with the recently revised and gasoline-powered 6.0 Liter VORTEC V-8, a motor that offers as much power as any reasonable diesel of only a few years ago. Rated at 360 horsepower and 380 lb.-ft. of torque (with 90% of that torque available at 2,000 rpm), depending on the chosen configuration, the VORTEC can haul up to 13,000 pounds and carry a 3,700 lb payload. In addition, our 2500HD in the SLE trim was equipped with a six-speed automatic featuring manual shift and tow-setting buttons on the column shifter, along with a mechanical locking differential and integrated trailer brake controller.
Because of it’s GVWR that’s north of 8,000 pounds, it is exempt from displaying EPA fuel economy numbers. And because we didn’t have enough quality mileage behind the wheel to get long-term MPG numbers, your guess is as good as ours. Figure 12-15 mpg with an empty load on the freeway and maybe 10 mpg towing. It’s probably better the ratings aren’t published, because they surely aren’t good.
To help control the 6,000+ pound curb weight of the Sierra, in addition to whatever mass you’re hauling, GMC has stepped up the braking power for 2011 by increasing rotor diameter from 12.8 inches to 14. The Sierra’s front independent front suspension – the only full-size truck to offer IFS – has been upgraded to forged steel upper A-arms and cast iron lowers to give it a gross front axle weight rating of 6,000 pounds. But perhaps the most marketable upgrade is the fully-boxed, ladder frame chassis which has significantly increased torsional rigidity.
In addition to added torsional rigidity, the new chassis design also features a kidney-clattering ride. With an empty bed and the tow-rated tires at 75 psi, the behavior from the rear makes a 19th Century buckboard seem more agreeable. Get on a potholed stretch of pavement and hold on tight. Any items not already secured will surely be on the floor.
And when you try to take air out of the rear tires to soften up the ride, the tire pressure warning system comes on at anything below 70 psi. Although the independent front suspension does a terrific job of dampening the ride, it makes for a strange road feel dynamic like a horse that prances gracefully in the front and bucks like a bronco in heat out back.
Build Quality
There’s no questioning the quality improvements made across the board with all GM products, and the 2011 Sierra is no exception. In addition to the boxed frame which allows the Sierra to have much tighter panel gaps, the interior is made with high quality fabrics and plastics. The dashboard features textured black plastic that’s light years beyond the low-grade plastics used in old GMC trucks. And despite the buckboard ride which can shake the cab like a temblor, not a rattle or squeak can be heard from inside. On the freeway, the cabin is exceptionally quiet, especially for a full size pickup. You might get bucked around on a rough road, but at least it’s done in a serene manner.
Interior
More welcoming and luxurious interiors in full-size work trucks are not just a feature limited to GMC. Ford and Dodge also are on the same level when it comes to well-appointed cabins resembling a car more than a work truck. Although our truck was not the Denali line, and lacked luxo-features like leather seats and navigation, for what we’d use a truck like this for, it was perfectly outfitted. The instrument cluster is tastefully done, with six circular gauges reminiscent of early 1980’s GMC designs. Simple, clean and efficient are what we like with interiors, and GMC hit all three perfectly.
The cloth seats are supportive and comfortable, and in our regular cab bench seat model, the middle seat features not only a monstrous console, but also a handy, hidden locking console underneath. The center console also features three cupholders, and with two more cupholders in each door panel, the grand total comes to seven for a maximum of three passengers; evidence that America’s obsession with over-hydrating is still alive and well.
Headroom in the Sierra won’t be a problem for anyone. And we do mean anyone. Even a six-footer with an abnormally tall torso still has nearly two feet of headroom, enough for two 10-gallon hats stacked on top of one another; or one 10 gallon hat with an obnoxiously long eagle’s feather. Hand it to GM – they know their target market quite well.
Our tester also offered technology like Bluetooth®, OnStar®, XM® Satellite Radio and USB port for mobile devices.
Exterior
Nothing really notable here. The exterior of all 2011 Sierras are unchanged from the 2010 model. Yes, everything on this truck is big. From the 8 foot bed to the 2 foot wide foldable side mirrors to the gargantuan muffler and 3.5 inch exhaust to the wheel wells that make the stock 255 tires look like a spare from a Hyundai. You could probably throw a set of 315s on and not have to lift the truck a single inch.
Although some reviewers think the plastic VORTEC-badged hood scoop looks chintzy and cheap, we actually thought it livened up the design on an otherwise ordinary and forgettable exterior.
Value
Maybe it’s just us, but does $38,500 for a standard cab 4×4 pickup truck with a pretty basic interior seem like a lot of cash? Granted, it can tow a small village, but so can a slightly used diesel for nearly 40 percent less. The 2011 Sierra comes in a ridiculous number of available permutations -3 cabs, 2 weight classes, 2 bed sizes, 2 engine/tranny combos, 2 drive systems and 4 trim levels – WT, SLE, SLT Denali. We won’t even get into the available options list. It reads longer than War and Peace and offers everything from snow plow package to a heated steering wheel.
Equally ridiculous is the price range on the Sierra, starting at a base of $28,000 and running north of $60,000 for a fully-optioned diesel Denali. $60,000. For a pickup. At least for us it’s hard to justify the value, but for some people who want both a work and luxury vehicle wrapped into one, it might make more sense.
Who Should Buy It?
On this one, the question can be more easily and succinctly answered by asking “who shouldn’t buy it?” Anyone who needs a pickup but doesn’t haul at least a ton in payload or tow at least 5,000 pounds on a regular basis should not buy this truck. It’s simply too much machine. Remember, GMC is “Professional Grade”. Are you?
Conclusion
With every new model that GM releases, the company pulls itself from the doldrums of product mediocrity. The GMC Sierra HD is further proof that General Motors has its act together, and that they are serious about once again becoming America’s premier automotive brand. Although this truck is more machine than most people will ever need, for those who truly need its full capacities, the Sierra HD line does not disappoint, no matter what the configuration.
In the end, we can live with a buckboard ride, after all, it’s a pickup truck; a simple design platform that’s been around for over a century. But what we still have trouble with is the value aspect, because after all, it’s a pickup truck; a simple design platform that’s been around for over a century. Oh that and opening the door for your special lady friend every single time you disembark. It’s nice and romantic for a little while, but it gets old quick.
