GMC's High Sierra

(page 2 of 2)

Like other big pickups, the 2500HD comes with three choices of cab: regular, extended, and crew. The regular cab model only comes with a long, eight-foot bed and starts at $24,575 with two-wheel drive in the bare bones "work" trim level. (Add about $3,000 for four-wheel drive on all versions of the truck.) "Work" versions come with vinyl seats and a few basic features, such as cruise control and a tilt steering wheel.

The next step up is the SLE, which starts at $28,660 with a regular cab; $31,010 with the extended cab; and $33,085 with the big crew cab. It comes either with a long bed or a shorter, 6-foot bed.

There are two versions of this trim level, SLE1 and SLE2. The SLE1 adds features such as alloy wheels, chrome grille trim, fog lamps, a CD player, cloth seats, and full-power windows, doors, and mirrors. The SLE2 adds such goodies as steering wheel-mounted audio controls, front bucket seats with six-way power adjustment, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror.

At the top of the line is the fancy SLT version, which doesn't come with a regular cab. It starts at $35,165 with an extended cab and $37,155 with a crew cab. The SLT has all sorts of standard luxury-car features, including rain-sensing windshield wipers, leather upholstery, 12-way power and heated front seats, and a fancy, six-CD Bose sound system.

The standard engine in the 2500HD is a six-liter, 353-horsepower, gasoline-powered V8 paired with a smooth new six-speed automatic transmission. The gasoline engine delivers a respectable 373 ft-lb of torque.

But GM's optional 6.6-liter, 365-hp Duramax Turbo diesel makes the gas engine look like a wimp. The big Duramax delivers an incredible 660 ft-lb of torque when the engine is turning at just 1,600 revolutions per minute.

The new diesel gives GM a potential advantage over archrival Ford. GM's Duramax diesel is only marginally more powerful than the workhorse 5.4-liter, 350-hp diesel power plant in the new Ford F250, which delivers 650 ft-lb of torque starting at 2,000 rpm.

But Ford had big quality problems with the previous version of its workhorse diesel engine, which led to recalls and a nasty dispute with the engine's manufacturer, Navistar International (NAVZ), which is suing Ford for breach of contract and seeking $2 billion in damages. The bad publicity could scare traditional Ford buyers into buying a GM model instead.

Big pickups like the 2500HD don't have official government mileage ratings. In 232 miles of driving, I only got 15 miles per gallon in my test truck. That isn't great, but it's a lot better than the 12.4 mpg I got in the new Ford F250. However, I drive test trucks very hard. Based on e-mails I've gotten from owners, you're likely to get better mileage—probably 18 mpg or more—in normal mixed driving.

Behind the Wheel

What's amazing about the Sierra 2500HD is how well it drives. I thought the Ford F250 had a nice ride when I test-drove it in March, but the Sierra is noticeably smoother, quieter, and more refined on just about every type of road surface. The GMC truck has a more car-like ride and handling than the Ford but retains the ruggedness most buyers want in a heavy-duty pickup.

GM has refined the suspension system in its heavy-duty trucks and packed the cabin with sound-deadening materials. As a result, the 2500HD cruises down the highway almost as smoothly as a big sedan, with none of the bounce you often get in big pickup trucks at highway speed.

Even with the diesel engine, the cabin is quiet enough so that you can easily hold a conversation. The ride is more truck-like at slower speeds and on bumpy roads, but it's still much smoother than in previous generation heavy-duty pickups.

You don't generally buy a heavy-duty pickup truck to hot-rod around in. But the Sierra is amazingly quick off the mark for a big, hulking truck. My test Sierra 2500, with an extended cab, the big diesel engine, and six-speed Allison Transmission, did 0 to 60 mph in a little over eight seconds. That's a good two seconds faster than the Ford F250.

The interior of the GMC truck is nicely designed. As in the Silverado, the handles and knobs are large, so you can work them even with gloves on. Fit and finish is impeccable. The gaps around the various sections of the dash and center console are much tighter than in the past, and designers have added close-outs around the bottoms of the seats to conceal the seat mechanism.

The dash is pitched low, giving the cabin a roomy feel. Even in the less expensive SLE1 trim level, the truck's interior has the quality feel of a high-end family sedan, especially if you jazz it up a little with the relatively inexpensive leather seats ($800) and power sunroof ($795).

There are tons of thoughtful design features in the truck's interior, too. For instance, there are three big cupholders in the center console, plus an additional one molded into the storage compartment at the base of each of the front doors.

The glove box is bigger than before, and there's a large armrest storage compartment between the two front seats, as well as a lockable compartment under the seat in models with a bench-style front seat. The rear doors open to 170 degrees, wide enough that they can fold against the side of the truck when fully open.

There's even an optional remote starting system that allows you to start up the truck in advance from inside your house—at the touch of a button you could heat up the cabin during the winter or cool it off in summer.

In theory, the Sierra 2500HD will seat five people, but the rear seats in the extended cab version are too cramped for most adults. Rear legroom is just 34.3 inches in the extended cab version vs. 39 inches in the crew cab, so you need to go with the crew cab for genuine rear seat comfort. On the other hand, if rear seat spaciousness is your priority, the megacab version of the Dodge Ram 2500 is still the market leader.

Buy It Or Bag It?

For my money, GM's full-size pickups are the best buys on the market right now. You don't have to pay a big premium to get one, either. So far this year, the GMC Sierra 2500HD has been selling for an average of $38,571, according to the Power Information Network, somewhat more than its sister model, the Silverado 2500HD, which goes for $36,662.

At an average price of $35,418, the Dodge Ram 2500 is cheaper, largely because customers are getting an average cash rebate of $3,223 on Rams, compared with a bit less than $2,000 on the GM trucks. But the Ram is overdue for a redesign.

The most popular alternative, the new Ford F250, the redesigned version of Ford's heavy-duty pickup, is more expensive. It's selling for an average of $43,225, with an average of only $864 in rebates, and for my money the Silverado and GMC models offer better value.

If you decide on a GM truck, one of the big decisions you have to make is whether to go with the optional Duramax Turbodiesel engine. It's expensive (it costs an extra $7,195, plus an extra $1,200 for the sophisticated Allison six-speed transmission), but if you try one—trust me—you'll want one.

This engine runs much smoother and quieter than previous diesels, and starts instantly. It delivers amazing power with almost no hesitation when you punch the pedal.

You'll also recover at least some of the extra cost over time. In general, diesels get better mileage than gasoline engines. And the price of diesel fuel—which had been running as high as premium gasoline—has been falling lately, to the point that diesel once again costs less than regular gasoline in most parts of the country. Chances are, that price advantage will continue. Plus, the Duramax is capable of running on biodiesel.

Keep in mind, though, that this truck can cost a fortune if you go with the diesel engine and load it up with options. My test truck, an extended cab version in the SLE1 trim level, listed for $47,393. If you go with the fancier SLE2 or SLT trim levels, and start adding options such as navigation and rear seat entertainment systems, the price will soar way above $50K. This is definitely not a traditional, function-over-features heavy-duty pickup truck, unless you stick with the "work" trim level.

Of course, if you want to save money you can still buy the old version of the Sierra 2500HD, now known as the Classic. But I wouldn't. The '07 is much better than the old model—and its major rivals.

Click here to see more of the 2007 GMC Sierra 2500HD.

Thane Peterson reviews cars for BusinessWeek.com.