MC Sierra Quick Facts
- Original starting price: $31,795 (excluding a $1,695 destination fee)
- Class: Full-Size Truck
- Competitors: Chevrolet Silverado, Ford F-150, Ram 1500
- KBB.com Fair Purchase Price
Introduction
The 2021 Sierra is a full-size pickup truck from GMC with a professional style and polished attitude. Extremely capable and highly recommendable with an enticing array of engine choices and luxurious configurations, it stands firm in a segment of powerhouses and legends, including the Ford F-150, Ram 1500, and its General Motors sibling, the Chevrolet Silverado.
Still bearing the hallmarks of a recent redesign, the half-ton pickup continues to evolve into a premium adventure vehicle with a decidedly decadent feel. New for 2021 is enhanced trailering technology, higher tow ratings across the lineup, a better-endowed base model, and more active safety features at the driver’s disposal.
GMC CPO Warranty Program Highlights
- Limited warranty: 12 months/12,000 miles, starting with expiration of new car warranty or used car purchase
- Powertrain warranty: 6 years/100,000 miles (whichever comes first) beginning at the first in-service date
- Roadside Assistance: 24/7, concurrent with powertrain warranty
- Buying a Certified Pre-Owned GMC
Key Competitors
KBB Review Highlights
With a broad selection of engines, cab configurations, bed lengths, and customizable trims, the GMC Sierra is an easy winner. Touting a more luxe outlook than the Chevrolet Silverado, which shares most of its underpinnings, the Sierra takes a fan favorite and makes it even better. The 2021 Sierra ranges from a bare and basic work truck to the opulent Denali to suit buyers hunting for a solidly made truck.
A hallmark of the Sierra is a smooth, quietly powerful drive, and the 2021 version is no exception. Fed by either gasoline or diesel with Dynamic Fuel Management, the 2021 GMC Sierra is available in a handful of engine and powertrain combinations. Similar to the Silverado, they include the base 4.3-liter V6, a peppy 2.7-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder, a powerful 5.3-liter V8, and an excellent 6.2-liter V8, which ties with the stellar 3.0-liter Duramax turbodiesel inline-6 as our favorite. The Sierra also comes with a 6-, 8- or 10-speed automatic transmission that pairs with the engine and trim of choice. Most gasoline buyers will most likely enjoy the 6.2-liter V8. It powers the top-of-the-line Sierra Denali and is quick and smooth with a healthy growl, 420 horsepower, and 383 lb-ft of torque. The new 2.7-liter 4-cylinder turbo is a solid option for this nimble pickup. The 2021 GMC Sierra’s tow capacity is in the middle of the pack, below the F-150 and the Ram 1500, with a max tow rating of 11,800 pounds.
The cabins are functional and well-designed, if utilitarian, in the lower trims. The base model work truck with a regular cab has hand-crank windows and manual door locks, while the top-tier Denali leads with decadence and could rival a luxury car for creature comforts with leather upholstery, gleaming accents, heated and cooled seats, discreet storage areas, and soft touchpoints.
You access digital information in the GMC Sierra through a 7-inch or 8-inch touchscreen display integrated with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. New for 2021, in the AT4 and Denali, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard. Seating configurations range from a 3-person bench to a 5-person setup, with available storage beneath and to the side of the passenger and rear seats. Comfort and convenience-related amenities vary wildly between trims. As you scale the trim lines, additional features arise. All Sierra models come with side corner steps in the rear bumper and 12 tie-downs in the bed. The Denali boasts a carbon fiber bed that claims to be the “toughest bed ever made” by GMC.
The MultiPro Tailgate is ingenious and super helpful. You can reconfigure it in 6 different ways for ease of use or even modified to serve as a seat for beast-mode tailgating.
Not to be outdone by the Silverado, the Sierra reigns as the customizable King of General Motors Trucklandia. Buyers can choose from various cab and bed configurations to meet their needs. You can start at the bare-bones base model and run up the trim line to the luxe Denali. We appreciate that the Safety Confidence Package, which adds forward-collision warning and automatic emergency braking, is available even on the base model. Other active safety and driver-assist options, including adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-keeping assist, and blind-spot monitoring, are available across trim lines. You can add additional features through packages and add-on supplements to customize your Sierra further.
See Kelley Blue Book’s Expert Review of the 2021 GMC Sierra
If you’re ready to shop, see certified pre-owned 2021 GMC models
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