2021 GMC Sierra 1500 review

1. Room for everyone and everything

The 2021 GMC Sierra 1500's variety of body styles and trim levels enable it to fit three, five, or six passengers and a wide range of lifestyles. Its basic regular cab and eight-foot, two-inch bed configuration is perfect for transporting three people and plenty of tools and gear to a job site. The double cab with the six-foot, seven-inch bed offers a useful combination of passenger space and hauling capacity. The crew cab maximizes passenger space by providing nearly equal amounts of legroom in the first and second rows. Two different bed sizes allow you to select the right length for how much stuff you want to take along with you.

2. Wide array of engine choices

You get plenty of choices for what goes under the 2021 GMC Sierra 1500's hood, too. The 2.7L turbocharged inline-four engine makes up for its smaller size with substantially higher output: 310 hp and 348 lb-ft of torque. The torque-rich 3.0L Duramax turbodiesel inline-six combines slightly higher towing capability with EPA-estimated fuel economy figures as high as 23 city, 30 highway, and 26 combined mpg.

3. Impressive tech

Thanks to the 2021 GMC Sierra 1500's 15-inch head-up display (available on SLT, AT4, and Denali trims), you can keep an eye on your speed and other important readouts while watching the road ahead. If you happen to be pulling a trailer, you don't have to sweat that, either. When equipped with the available HD surround vision, rear camera mirror, and bed view camera technologies, the Sierra 1500 shows your truck and trailer from 15 different camera views. Updates for the 2021 model year enhance existing features and add new ones, including a trailer length indicator for more confident lane changes, cargo bed zoom view, bed hitch guidance, and jack-knife alert.

4. Off-road readiness

There are three basic levels to the 2021 GMC Sierra 1500's capabilities on rough terrain. There's basic 4WD, of course. The X31 Off-Road Package, available on Sierra, SLE, Elevation, and SLT models, adds a heavy-duty air filter, skid plates, hill descent control, an off-road suspension with Rancho shocks, and more. The dedicated AT4 model goes even further with a two-inch suspension lift and chunky all-terrain tires.

5. Trick tailgate

The 2021 GMC Sierra 1500's tailgate can do more than just give you access to the bed. The available GMC MultiPro Tailgate (standard on SLT, AT4, and Denali trims; available on SLE and Elevation trims) can help you get things knocked off of your to-do list in six different ways. Depending on how you fold it and its integrated panels, you can use it as a traditional tailgate, load stop at different heights, full-width step, or means of getting closer to the load floor or work surface. The GMC MultiPro^™ tailgate can even serve as a boombox, thanks to the available 100-watt Kicker exterior audio system (standard on Denali and AT4 CarbonPro Edition trims; available on SLE, Elevation, SLT, AT4, and Denali trims).