Review: 2020 GMC Sierra 1500

The GMC Sierra is a full-sized pickup truck and shares its platform with the Chevrolet Silverado. The two are slated for production at GM’s Oshawa plant in late 2021.

Exterior Design

The 2020 GMC Sierra incorporates the signature front grille and C-shaped LED lighting throughout the exterior.

The cameras are well placed with some combined with the touchpad at the tailgate and a couple more at the centre mount brake light to display the truck bed.

The front camera is discreetly located in the front grille.

Given the number of cameras on the vehicle, there are lots of options in terms of display view.

Our road test included 18” aluminum wheels with gray accents, and a set of Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac – perfect for a rugged off-road terrain.

GMC maintained its saddle steps – an easy way to get into the truck bed if you are not using (or don’t have the option to use) the MultiPro tailgate step feature.

Our road test included the CarbonPro (Carbon Fibre Composite) bed which is dent, scratch and corrosion resistant. The MultiPro tailgate is an innovative spin on the traditional tailgate allowing six different uses for the tailgate.

When it comes to power, the 2020 GMC Sierra offers multiple exterior outlets at the rear and in the trunk bed.

Interior Design

The 2020 GMC Sierra is a full-size pickup truck and the interior cabin is spacious. There are multiple storage solutions including under the rear bench, inside the rear seats, and a double glove box arrangement on the front passenger side.

There are small storage cut-outs on the dashboard and in the centre console lid.

The centre console is large and accommodates hanging file folders which is helpful to keep things organized especially for commercial users. The centre console also has USB ports, an SD card reader and an auxiliary jack.

The dashboard overall has a utility feel with switched, levers, buttons, and the knobs have a rubber contour to allow easy control if you’re wearing gloves. The interior of the GMC Sierra continues the exterior angled rectangle design.

Our road test had a premium GMC infotainment system with navigation and an 8” digital colour touchscreen. The system is compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

The instrument cluster is a combination of digital and analog gauges and shows important readings such as oil pressure, coolant temperature and battery voltage (in addition to speed an engine RPM, of course). The centre digital display can be changed to indicate condition of the air filter and other maintenance items, toggle for the drive modes, and angles for off roading such as pitch and rolling angles.

Our 2020 GMC Sierra road test’s wireless charger was conveniently located and there was plenty of charging ports throughout the truck.

Since the rear window of trucks is smaller than a car or SUV, the rear headrests fold down easily for a better view if you don’t have any passengers in the rear.

Under The Hood / Basic Maintenance

The Duramax 3.0L Turbo Diesel engine is used in a number of GM products. When you open the hood, the engine bay is spacious and most maintenance components are located within easy reach. For example, the owner’s manual notes how to replace the air filter, there is an indicator on the instrument panel for the condition of the air filter, and the component itself is located up top near the coolant reservoirs. There are multiple coolant reservoirs for the engine, and the brake fluid reservoir is tucked underneath the one located closest to the driver side.

One maintenance item to note is that the Duramax 3.0L Turbo Diesel engine oil pump belt is recommended to be inspected every 240,000kms. It’s not a frequent item to be concerned of in terms of the mileage interval. Having said that, in order to inspect the belt, the transmission must be removed to access. Our service manual indicates that it’s at least 12 hours of labour and for that price instead of having it inspected, you may as well replace the belt. If you’re keeping the truck long-term, this maintenance item should be factored into your auto expense budget.

The spare tire, as with most trucks, is located just under the bed towards the back. Since the spare tire is exposed and doesn’t have a cover, if you’re using the truck in terrain that has a lot of dirt and debris, remember to check that the cable moves freely for you to lower it in case you need to use it in a flat tire emergency (in addition to adjusting the tire pressure, and inspecting the overall condition of the tire for any weather cracks).

GM’s owner’s manuals across all of their brands are well written with the driver in mind. Details in the 2020 GMC Sierra include information on how to change the transfer case fluid, how to reset the brake pad life indicator, replace light bulbs, and driving tips such as off-road recovery, steering in emergencies and how to handle skidding.

Child Car Seat

The 2020 GMC Sierra AT4 has ample space for a rear-facing child car seat so you will likely not need to move the front passenger seat too far forward to accommodate the car seat’s recline angle (depending on the make and model of the child car seat). The rear seat bench is flat and the cushions are firm, you may not need additional aids such as a rolled towel to achieve the proper recline angle. The UAS anchors are easily accessible.

For a front-facing child car seat, the headrest of the rear seats does not overlap with the seat back. This allows the child car seat to sit flush against the back. The top tether is located behind the headrest on the outboard positions. You must pass the tether hook through the loop provided, make sure you read your owner’s manual for details.

It's clear that the 2020 GMC Sierra is quite capable of handling most industrial work environments. On the other hand, it easily converts over to recreational life if you’re planning to use it to tow or you’ve got dirt bikes or a Sea-doo to haul for some down time. Starting price is $63,098 CAD.

Model tested:

2020 GMC Sierra 1500 AT4

Duramax 3.0L Turbo-Diesel I6

10-speed automatic electronically-controlled transmission

Advanced Twin-Clutch All-Wheel Drive

Seating Capacity: 5 people

Road Test Terrain: 70% city, 30% highway

Tested MSRP: $77,738 CAD