2018 GMC Sierra 2500HD: After the gold rush
Overview: Capable of towing up to 18,100 pounds when properly equipped, the three-quarter-ton GMC Sierra 2500HD is a wieldy tool for truck buyers in need of more capability than the standard half-ton Sierra 1500 affords but who aren’t ready to jump into the driver’s seat of the burlier, one-ton Sierra 3500HD.
The Sierra 2500HD comes in four trim levels, three cab styles, and two bed lengths, and the truck offers two engine options with either rear- or four-wheel drive. The base Sierra 2500HD is the definitive work truck and lacks standard features such as a keyfob remote and power windows — at least in the two-door regularcab configuration. While fourdoor double-cab and crew-cab body styles can be equipped with either the standard 78.9-inch or optional 97.8-inch bed, the regular cab is limited to the eightfoot box.
Moving up to the Sierra 2500HD SLE adds convenience items such as an integrated trailerbrake controller, a larger 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system, and a 4.2-inch color information display in the gauge cluster.
The better-equipped SLT trim
is limited to double-cab and crew-cab models and brings luxuries such as leather seating, dual-zone automatic climate control, power-adjustable pedals, and more brightwork to the exterior.
Finally, the top-of-the-line Denali kicks things up a notch courtesy of standard heated and ventilated front seats, lane-departure and forward-collision warning systems, navigation, and modelspecific exterior and interior details. The Denali trim is exclusive to the crew-cab body style and the short bed.
With a base price of $57,240, the 2018 Sierra 2500HD Denali costs $17,420 more than a base Sierra 2500HD with the crew cab and a short bed but just $6125 more than a crew-cab, short-bed Sierra 2500HD SLT. No matter the trim, all Sierra 2500HD trucks can be equipped with either a stout 6.0-liter V-8 that produces 360 horsepower and 380 lb-ft of torque or a diesel-drinking, turbocharged 6.6-liter V-8 with 445 horses and a tarmac-tearing 910 lb-ft.
A large, functional hood scoop denotes diesel-powered Sierra 2500HD models from their gassipping counterparts. Both engines put their might to the ground by way of engine-specific, six-speed automatic transmissions.
The Denali test truck we drove for this review featured $14,800 in options, including a $9550 fee for the diesel engine and the Allison six-speed automatic transmission and $3200 for four-wheel drive. The options list included a $995 sunroof, a $395 coat of Dark Slate Metallic paint, $370 for a bedmounted hitch for towing with a gooseneck or fifth-wheel trailer, a $180 off-road suspension package that adds twin-tube Rancho shock absorbers and hill-descent control, $55 worth of roofmounted marker lamps, and another $55 for a radiator cover. All told, this Sierra 2500HD Denali wore an as-tested price of $72,040. What’s new: The base Sierra 2500HD gains a standard 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system and a backup camera for 2018. Previously, the two features were bundled into the optional Convenience package. Additionally, the truck’s tire-pressure-monitoring system is now able to give an alert once a tire has been filled to the correct pressure, while the Sierra 2500HD Denali trades its prior single-piece, eggcrate-style grille for a new three-piece unit.
What we like: Despite its mammoth proportions, the Sierra 2500HD feels surprisingly nimble. Credit its well-weighted steering and composed suspension setup, which includes an independent torsion-bar layout in front. Although most consumers will be plenty satisfied with the standard 360-hp 6.0-liter V-8 engine, it’s the optional turbo-diesel V-8 that truly wows.
Not only capable of towing mighty payloads, the diesel managed to move an 8000-pound 2017 Sierra 2500HD Denali from zero to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds in our testing and through the quarter-mile in 15.0 seconds at 91 mph, which is quicker than a 2509-pound Fiat 124 Spider Abarth. The diesel-swilling Sierra 2500HD was surprisingly thrifty, too — the chunky truck returned a reasonable 18 mpg on our 75mph highway fuel-economy loop. Performance aside, the Sierra 2500HD benefits from an impressively versatile cabin with ergonomically friendly controls, an easy-to-use infotainment system, and plenty of space for storing miscellaneous items.
What we don’t like: The big truck also is unavailable with certain comfort and convenience features we expect in modern cars and trucks. Not a single Sierra 2500HD model can be equipped with push-button start, a proximity key, lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, or automated emergency braking. Like the lighter-duty Sierra 1500, the Sierra 2500HD suffers from a steering wheel that is positioned just offcenter from the driver’s seat, which consistently annoys the obsessive among us. And while the Sierra 2500HD is more wieldy and comfortable relative to its competition, the three-quarterton pickup still rides far more stiffly than its half-ton counterpart. Unless you absolutely need the extra capability of the Sierra 2500HD, we’d recommend sticking with the more softly sprung Sierra 1500.
Verdict: A strong and shockingly swift three-quarter-ton truck.