GMC Sierra heavy-duty pickups are well-suited for real-world use and abuse. They can haul tons of brick and cement and tow the mixer, then turn around to be used for a night on the town or grocery shopping while the fifth-wheel's left in camp or the horses are in the corral. The Sierra HD models are the mid-level part of GMC's truck lineup, so if your hauling happens once or twice a year, or you tow a bass or ski boat, the 1500-series is better-suited; conversely, if you've got a mammoth trailer to pull, step up to the Kodiak/Top Kick medium-duties.
The GMC Sierra HD pickups were thoroughly redesigned for 2007, so changes for 2008 are limited to smaller items like seat adjusters, gauges, and adding XM Satellite Radio capability.
The GMC Sierra HD offers styling unique to GMC, so it's not just a Chevy Silverado with a different grille.
As with all heavy-duty pickup lines, the Sierra HD offers plenty of configurations with three cab sizes and two bed sizes in 2WD or 4WD. But it also offers two separate interior concepts, something the other guys can't match. And GM offers the only HD pickup with a six-speed automatic as standard (an option only on the Dodge Ram diesel). Its standard 6.0-liter gas V8 is rated higher than anyone else's, as is the 6.6-liter diesel. And only GM includes OnStar as standard.
Almost everything you can get in a GMC sport-utility is available here, including a subwoofer-equipped sound system, navigation, driver memory system, heated leather seats (and heated windshield washer fluid) and a moonroof. At the other end of the spectrum, for the entry price of around $24,000 you get a functional pickup with real load-carrying ability and all the safety bits of the top-line model.
The trick in buying a GMC Sierra HD is to give fair consideration and choose wisely. Compute the permutations among three cabs, two weight classes, two beds, two engine/transmission combinations, two drive systems and four trim levels, and then sort out options that cover everything from a diesel radiator cover to rear park assist, and you can see why prices run from that base $24,000 to well past double it.
