2020 GMC Sierra 2500HD Review

　　

2020 GMC Sierra 2500HD Review

byRyan ZumMallenContributor

　　Ryan ZumMallen has worked in the automotive industry since 2012. He has written thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Ryan has also contributed to Road & Track, Autoweek, Trucks.com and more. In 2019, Ryan published his first book, Slow Car Fast, on the millennial generation and its unique take on modern car culture.

　　You know those chrome-trimmed, wood-grained pickup trucks that seem to be more and more common these days? The GMC Sierra pioneered all that, especially in its decked-out Denali trim. Even the heavy-duty 2500HD version has been as much about status and comfort as it is about hauling precious cargo. Now the 2020 Sierra 2500HD returns with a new look and features, ready to reclaim its crown among a growing field of opulent trucks.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2020 GMC Sierra 2500HD 2dr Regular Cab LB (6.6L 8cyl 6A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of N/A undefined in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　Not Available  for Sierra 2500HD Base

　　Sierra 2500HD Base

　　2dr Regular Cab LB (6.6L 8cyl 6A) - $35,600 MSRP4dr Double Cab SB (6.6L 8cyl 6A) - $38,200 MSRP2dr Regular Cab 4WD LB (6.6L 8cyl 6A) - $38,400 MSRP4dr Double Cab LB (6.6L 8cyl 6A) - $38,400 MSRP4dr Crew Cab SB (6.6L 8cyl 6A) - $40,000 MSRP4dr Crew Cab LB (6.6L 8cyl 6A) - $40,200 MSRP4dr Double Cab 4WD SB (6.6L 8cyl 6A) - $41,000 MSRP4dr Double Cab 4WD LB (6.6L 8cyl 6A) - $41,200 MSRP4dr Crew Cab 4WD SB (6.6L 8cyl 6A) - $42,800 MSRP4dr Crew Cab 4WD LB (6.6L 8cyl 6A) - $43,000 MSRPSLE 2dr Regular Cab LB (6.6L 8cyl 6A) - $40,000 MSRPSLE 4dr Double Cab SB (6.6L 8cyl 6A) - $42,000 MSRPSLE 4dr Double Cab LB (6.6L 8cyl 6A) - $42,200 MSRPSLE 2dr Regular Cab 4WD LB (6.6L 8cyl 6A) - $42,800 MSRPSLE 4dr Crew Cab SB (6.6L 8cyl 6A) - $43,800 MSRPSLE 4dr Crew Cab LB (6.6L 8cyl 6A) - $44,000 MSRPSLE 4dr Double Cab 4WD SB (6.6L 8cyl 6A) - $44,800 MSRPSLE 4dr Double Cab 4WD LB (6.6L 8cyl 6A) - $45,000 MSRPSLE 4dr Crew Cab 4WD SB (6.6L 8cyl 6A) - $46,600 MSRPSLE 4dr Crew Cab 4WD LB (6.6L 8cyl 6A) - $46,800 MSRPSLT 4dr Double Cab SB (6.6L 8cyl 6A) - $50,600 MSRPSLT 4dr Double Cab LB (6.6L 8cyl 6A) - $50,800 MSRPSLT 4dr Crew Cab SB (6.6L 8cyl 6A) - $52,400 MSRPSLT 4dr Crew Cab LB (6.6L 8cyl 6A) - $52,600 MSRPSLT 4dr Double Cab 4WD SB (6.6L 8cyl 6A) - $53,400 MSRPSLT 4dr Double Cab 4WD LB (6.6L 8cyl 6A) - $53,600 MSRPSLT 4dr Crew Cab 4WD SB (6.6L 8cyl 6A) - $55,200 MSRPSLT 4dr Crew Cab 4WD LB (6.6L 8cyl 6A) - $55,400 MSRPAT4 4dr Crew Cab 4WD SB (6.6L 8cyl 6A) - $57,700 MSRPAT4 4dr Crew Cab 4WD LB (6.6L 8cyl 6A) - $57,900 MSRPDenali 4dr Crew Cab 4WD SB (6.6L 8cyl 6A) (Most Popular) - $63,700 MSRPDenali 4dr Crew Cab 4WD LB (6.6L 8cyl 6A) - $63,900 MSRP

　　vs

　　$233/mo

　　Avg. Large Truck

　　As usual, the Sierra 2500HD shares dimensions and mechanicals with the Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD. Both trucks have roomy interiors, extra-wide and capable beds, and handy built-in steps for accessing the tall box. On top of that, the Sierra offers a few extra standard features and higher-quality interior materials. But where the Sierra 2500HD really separates from its Chevy sibling is the optional MultiPro tailgate. Available on all trims, it can open and fold in a number of different configurations to be used as a step, a desk or a helpful tool for hauling.

　　Sadly, however, the HD does not offer the nearly indestructible carbon-fiber box that the half-ton Sierra 1500 does. And with competitors from Ford and Ram taking luxury to another level in their heavy-duty trucks, it would be nice to see GMC put more design effort into ride comfort and interior quality. But if you're looking for a heavy-duty truck that's well equipped and highly capable, the Sierra 2500 is worth checking out.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Average

　　7.5

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

8.0/10

　　How does the Sierra 2500HD drive? The Sierra 2500's optional 6.6-liter diesel V8 is an excellent engine, and the 10-speed automatic it's paired to is top-notch. That V8 and its 910 lb-ft of torque propelled our 8,300-pound test truck from 0 to 60 mph in just 7.3 seconds — one of the quicker times in the 2500-series segment. We're less pleased with the brakes, however. The overly soft and long feel of the brake pedal action can diminish your confidence in the truck's abilities should you need to stop quickly.

　　Steering and handling are unremarkable. The steering is vague but well weighted. And despite its size, the Sierra tracks well through corners. In-town drivability and off-road capability are similarly average for the class. Keep the Sierra 2500 on bigger roads and you'll enjoy it just fine.

　　

Comfort

7.0/10

　　How comfortable is the Sierra 2500HD? Without any cargo in the bed, the Sierra 2500 has a bouncy ride, especially on the highway where road imperfections are common. The front seats help boost the Sierra's score with comfortable and supportive padding. Lumbar support is excellent, too. On a long road trip over relatively smooth roads, things should be just fine.

　　The Sierra's climate control system works quickly and is operated by easy-to-use control knobs placed conveniently on the dashboard. Road and wind noise is about average for the heavy-duty segment, but there is a pretty notable ruckus from the diesel up front, especially at idle. You'll definitely never forget that you got the diesel V8.

　　

Interior

7.5/10

　　How’s the interior? The Sierra 2500 is a big truck with a big interior. Headroom and legroom are abundant in the crew-cab configuration. Getting in and out will take some climbing, but the truck's available side steps help with that. Designwise, the interior of the Silverado 2500HD is essentially the same as the one in the previous-generation truck. The design, layout and switchgear are utterly familiar and a bit underwhelming. But to GMC's credit, it's all easy to use and well labeled.

　　Poor outward visibility drags down the Sierra's score a bit because of the small rearview mirror, big roof pillars and giant hood that's hard to see over. Luckily, the driving position is relatively high and gives a commanding view forward for most drivers.

　　

Technology

7.0/10

　　How’s the tech? Our Denali test truck came with the Bose premium sound system and the 8-inch infotainment touchscreen. The audio and picture quality on the system lived up to class standards, but there's no competing with the Ram 2500's massive center screen. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity are standard with the 2500, and our smartphones connected quickly during our test.

　　One weak spot is that the factory voice controls don't understand natural language, and they even have trouble with prescribed commands. Siri and Google Voice will paper over this weakness if you use them, though. We like that a full suite of advanced driver safety aids is standard, but the forward collision warning and blind-spot monitoring systems seemed too oversensitive in our testing.

　　

Towing and Storage

8.5/10

　　How are the towing and storage? The Sierra 2500 gets top marks in the cargo and utility segment thanks to an overabundance of big in-bed tie-downs, the trick six-position MultiPro tailgate, smartly placed bed sidesteps, robust hauling capability, and plenty of cargo space inside the cabin. The rear seats flip up easily to accommodate larger items, and cupholders abound throughout the cabin. In-cabin small-item storage could be better optimized, but there's still a decent amount.

　　Maximum fifth-wheel gooseneck towing capacity for the GMC is respectable for the class, but the topped-out rating for conventional towing is a few thousand pounds behind key rivals. But the Sierra makes towing easy with standard extendable tow mirrors, a remarkable 15-view towing-camera system, and a tire pressure monitoring system for a trailer's tires.

　　

Fuel Economy

7.5/10

　　How’s the fuel economy? The EPA doesn't require fuel economy testing for heavy-duty pickups, so the Sierra 2500 doesn't have a published fuel consumption number. That said, our diesel-powered test truck returned respectable numbers during its time with us. On long highway journeys, it averaged around 17-18 mpg, which is good for the segment.

　　

Value

7.0/10

　　Is the Sierra 2500HD a good value? It's built well, and our test truck didn't have any glaring flaws in construction, inside or out. But the Sierra, especially in Denali trim, can get pretty expensive, and it still uses a lot of the Chevrolet Silverado's middle-of-the-road cabin materials. For a truck that can easily crest $80,000, we'd like things to be a bit higher-quality.

　　The ownership experience is about average for the class. The Sierra has an average basic warranty and average powertrain coverage for the class at three years/36,000 miles and five years/60,000 miles, respectively.

　　

Wildcard

7.5/10

　　Like many of its rivals, the Sierra 2500's personality comes mostly from its sheer size. Up front, the tall and imposing grille gives it a certain curb appeal. And from inside the cabin, the high driving position makes you feel like you're on top of the world. There's a certain amount of fun to be had in a rig like the Sierra Denali.

　　

Which Sierra 2500HD does zzdcar recommend?

Plenty of Sierra 2500HD buyers choose the range-topping Denali version. While we know it's tempting to spring for its neat tricks and comforts, there simply isn't enough value to entice us away from the bargain SLT trim. Here you get the MultiPro tailgate standard, plus a number of unlocked features and available packages to justify the starting price over more basic trims. Its lower curb weight also enables better towing and payload capacity than the chromed-out versions.

　　

2020 GMC Sierra 2500HD models

Like all full-size pickups, the Sierra 2500HD has a long list of available trims, features and packages. The standard Sierra kicks things off, followed by the SLE with a few basic upgrades to the cabin and technology. The SLT takes things to another level more befitting a luxury truck of this price. New for this generation is the off-road-focused AT4. And of course there is the Denali, the envy of every cowpoke.

　　All trims are available with either a 6.6-liter V8 gasoline engine (401 hp, 464 lb-ft) mated to a six-speed automatic transmission or a 6.6-liter Duramax V8 turbodiesel (445 hp, 910 lb-ft) paired with a 10-speed automatic. You can probably guess which one the vast majority of customers choose.

　　The base version is the Sierra. There is not much to draw the attention of anyone interested in a luxury truck. Features as basic as power seats or the 8-inch touchscreen are simply not available. This version, however, does come with standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability, along with Bluetooth connectivity. And it's the best hauler in the group.

　　One step up is the SLE. Here you get a standard color info screen and a Wi-Fi hotspot, plus cruise control and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. A number of options also become available. Among them: the coveted ProGrade Trailering system and its plentiful menus and cameras.

　　For a significant step up, spring for the SLT. The MultiPro tailgate is standard, as is an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen, dual-zone automatic climate control and power-adjustable front seats. A big plus is the standard ProGrade Trailering package with towing-specific apps and a rearview camera positioned over the tow hitch.

　　For a tougher look and a bit more off-road capability, there's the AT4. It's easily distinguished from other trims with a lifted suspension, additional skid plates, dark chrome trim and bright red tow hooks.

　　Finally, there's the Denali. In this trim, the cabin is swathed in exclusive materials and technology, such as premium leather on the heated and ventilated seats and upgraded climate control. Not everything is included, however. The fanciest features are still add-ons, such as a color head-up display and a surround-view camera. Unlike some other heavy-duty trucks, adaptive cruise control is not offered at all.

　　

2020 Sierra 2500HD Highlights

Type: Crew CabRegular CabDouble CabCrew Cab

　　Trim: BaseSLESLTAT4DenaliBase

　　

Base MSRP	$40,000
Engine Type	Gas
Seating	6 seats
Drivetrain	rear wheel drive
Max Towing Capacity	18,500 lbs.
Warranty	3 years / 36,000 miles