Trucks used to be pretty easy. You bought a GMC because it was nicer than the others. Powertrain choice was about what your plans were with the truck. Now it’s ... Well, still easy. It just looks complicated.
At a glance
- Four propulsion options for four sets of needs
- For actual truck use, the diesel is probably still tops
- Turbo-four in a full-sized truck? What?
- For commuting, the EV is the best proposition
Today, GMC has decided that the Sierra should be all things to all people. I drove the gas, diesel, and electric models to see what’s going on here. What this means is you can buy the gasoline one because you want it simple, or you like V8 noises and make the occasional weekend lumber store runs. Or you get the diesel because you tow things big and small. Then there’s the electric one, which you buy if you’re going to commute.
The weird part is that GMC hasn’t built four entirely different personalities here. Instead, it’s built four versions of the same idea: a premium truck for people who want capability wrapped in leather, giant screens, and enough chrome to make Harley riders envious.
With all of the GMC Sierra models, steering is predictable, ride quality has improved substantially over previous generations, and GMC continues to separate itself from Chevrolet by leaning harder into upscale refinement. The Denali trims, especially, have crossed firmly into “luxury vehicle that accidentally owns a toolbox” territory.
The interior quality is genuinely impressive now. Soft-touch materials are everywhere, the tech is mostly intuitive, and the available Super Cruise hands-free driving system remains one of the few driver assistance systems that doesn’t make you want to drive directly into a lake out of frustration.
The V8 gasoline Sierra remains the most familiar of the bunch.
Under the hood, GMC continues offering the tried-and-true 5.3-liter V8 and the glorious 6.2-liter V8, depending on trim. The 6.2, especially, remains one of the best truck engines on the market. Not because it’s efficient or technologically groundbreaking, but because it behaves exactly how a full-size truck engine should. It rumbles and it shoves. That engine still gives the Sierra an effortless personality. The truck moves with confidence, towing is easy, and highway passing feels way too easy. The 10-speed automatic transmission for either V8 engine goes a long way in making this feeling come to fruition.
Fuel economy? Well, nobody buys a 6.2-liter V8 because they’re trying to save polar bears. Real-world numbers hover in the “acceptable for a big truck” category. Middle teens at best.
Then there’s the diesel. Ah yes, the 3.0-liter Duramax inline-six. The engine for people who use the phrase “torque curve” recreationally. This is arguably the sweet spot in the Sierra lineup. The baby Duramax continues to be absurdly good at truck things. It delivers excellent towing manners, calm highway cruising, and fuel economy numbers that feel borderline illegal for something this large. I routinely saw mileage in the high 20s and even around 30 mpg (7.8 l/100 km) on highway drives. That’s bananas for a full-size pickup. Again, thank that 10-speed automatic for all its work here. It’s also why the diesel-powered Sierra 1500 drives like a regular vehicle instead of a slow-on-the-uptake hauler.
The diesel Sierra feels relaxed all the time. The low-end torque delivery makes the truck feel smoother and less frantic than the gas V8s. You don’t need to hammer the throttle to get moving. The truck just leans into the work and gets on with life like a ranch foreman who drinks coffee black and silently judges your hitch setup.
For long-distance drivers, the diesel remains king. Road trips are easy, towing range is fantastic, and there’s still something deeply satisfying about covering 700-plus miles on a single tank. Classic rock tracks not required.
The downside, of course, is diesel ownership itself. Fuel prices fluctuate wildly, emissions equipment can become annoying over time, and maintenance costs tend to creep upward as mileage piles on. Modern diesels are brilliant when they’re happy and dramatically expensive when they’re not. Still, if I were buying a Sierra tomorrow with my own money and intended to actually use it like a truck, the diesel would probably be the one parked in my driveway.
Somehow, right next to that diesel on the sales lot is a Sierra powered by a turbocharged inline four-cylinder gasoline engine. Yes. A full-sized truck with a four banger under the hood. For those who don’t need impressive exhaust notes, five-digit towing figures, or bragging rights, the TurboMax offers a pretty decent daily drive through its eight-speed automatic. But if you think this one will save you gas money over its V8 brethren ... Well, don’t get too excited. Daily MPG returns will still be under 20 (11.8 l/100 km).
That’s where the GMC Sierra EV comes in. It’s electric so it's hilariously quick for something roughly the size and weight of a small bus. Depending on trim, power climbs from 765 lb-ft of torque up to 785 (1,037 to 1,064 Nm). With a 0-60 mph (97 km/h) sprint time that rivals a Corvette.
The Sierra EV launches with the kind of violence that makes passengers say words usually censored on network television. Yet somehow it remains composed. The battery placement gives the truck a low center of gravity, and GMC has done an admirable job hiding the sheer mass involved. More or less. Physics still exists. But in daily driving, it feels smooth, planted, and un-truck-like in refinement.
The silence is what really changes the experience. Traditional trucks always feel like machines. The Sierra EV feels more like a spaceship, but the kind from sci-fi that is functional and not just for looks. Less Star Trek and more Firefly.
GMC has aggressively expanded the Sierra EV trim lineup for 2026, adding Elevation and AT4 options while pushing maximum range estimates as high as 478 miles (769 km), depending on battery configuration. Even the more affordable trims can exceed 280 miles (451 km), while mid-level versions crack the 400-mile barrier. That’s assuming no towing or hauling is going on. Add those in and those range estimates drop pretty significantly. This is why the Sierra EV is more commuter than hauler.
That’s where the diesel still wins.
But the EV counters with tricks gasoline and diesel trucks just can’t match. Things like four-wheel steering, CrabWalk, massive front trunk storage, exportable power for tools or campsites, and instant torque delivery with ridiculous acceleration. Not to mention quiet operation. It feels futuristic in a way most EVs don’t because the capabilities can actually enhance some of the truck’s usefulness rather than merely replacing gasoline with batteries. That fold-down rear wall to add cargo space, for example, is genius.
The biggest issue with the Sierra EV isn’t the truck itself. It’s the price. Nicely equipped versions wander dangerously close to six figures. That’s enough money to make even luxury truck buyers pause and stare thoughtfully into the middle distance.
On the other hand, this gives everyone considering a full-sized truck something to look at. Gasoline, diesel, or electric, there’s a GMC on the lot to consider. That’s becoming the norm on pickup truck sales lots, no matter the make. And that’s a good thing. I’m all for having choices.
Product page: 2026 GMC Sierra 1500
