Page 53 - Motor Trend (January 2020)

TOTY I Finalists

PRO Powerful diesel V-8 • Slick-shifting 10-speed • Clever trailering cameras CON Half-assed gas V-8 • Cheap, unsightly interior • Soft, squishy brakes
the torque in the world, and this
GMC Sierra 3500HD 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
hink carefully before you said, adding, “In a segment where for a truck of this size.” According the truck and trailer, made
check the option boxes— Ram and Ford are bringing their to Seabaugh, it’s “gutless and piloting this beast easier.
Totherwise your GMC Sierra A game, this phoned-in cabin inefficient” and “doesn’t feel like it Depending on the options
HD could be a dud. We sampled leaves much to be desired.” Thin makes more power than the turbo selected, the GMC Sierra HD
the gas and diesel engines at and hard seats, a dreadful layout, I-4 in the Silverado 1500.” can disappoint as much as it
Truck of the Year, and although and a tiny infotainment touch- Evans was confused by the impresses. We’d only consider the
one was good and the other bad, screen caught universal derision. archaic automatic, questioning diesel, but with an unsightly inte-
both brought plenty of ugly. Williams was willing to trade why this transmission still exists: rior and underpowered brakes it’s
Style is subjective, but most those shortcomings for an all-new “This old six-speed tends to hunt not a truck we’d ever love driving.
judges couldn’t look past the platform with more payload and and isn’t clever about down- Despite its mighty capabilities,
Sierra’s exterior design. Lieb- towing capacity.” shifting to maintain speed.” other vehicles in the segment
erman called Sierra HD’s fascia The Sierra HD is available Pulling a 10,500-pound trailer, accomplish the same tasks
“grotesque,” and “drenched in with a gasoline or diesel V-8, things only got worse. Priddle with better overall execution.
jewelry. The bling-bling Ram HD both displacing 6.6 liters. We asked, “Where did the power go?” Check the boxes for those trucks
looks restrained by comparison.” also evaluated the gas unit and Lieberman summed up our senti- instead. Alex Leanse
Indeed, the grille is in your face. its six-speed auto wrapped in ment: “The big problem for all GM
Interior design is more objec- the Silverado 2500 HD; it’s an HDs is that this V-8 exists.”
tive for a truck like this. It needs to identical driveline to the Sierra Conversely, we praised the
be a nice place to spend time on 2500 HD. In that installation, 445-hp, 910 lb-ft diesel V-8 and
a long-haul drive. Unfortunately, the 401-hp, 464-lb-ft engine its 10-speed automatic, which
it was more a place we wanted doesn’t seem up to the task. was tested in a dually Sierra 3500
to get out of. “It isn’t even close Cortina called it a “disappoint- HD. It’s the clear choice between
to class competitive,” Seabaugh ment,” saying it “feels too small the two powertrains—beyond
comparison to its lower-grunt
SPECS 2020 Sierra 3500HD Denali Duramax (CrewCab 4WD DRW) counterpart. Evans said it “has all
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 testing

Vehicle 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 in

*20,000-lb trailer | **35-55-mph uphill acceleration with 17,330-lb trailer
JANUARY 2020 MOTORTREND.COM 53