Used 2020 GMC Sierra 1500

#4 in Best Pickup Trucks for 2020

Fresh off a complete redesign, the 2020 GMC Sierra is a highly capable choice among full-size trucks. Though it has similar underpinnings and powertrain choices as its Chevrolet Silverado sibling, the Sierra distinguishes itself with a bit more premium flair and design differences. And while its towing max of 12,200 pounds still falls short of the figures put up by the Ford F-150 and Ram 1500, the Sierra has a few tricks up its sleeve. Its ace card is an exclusive 6-way multifunction tailgate that’s pure genius. And if you regularly tow, the new transparent trailer rear camera must be seen to be believed. Throw in a choice of six engines that includes a new turbodiesel inline-6, and the 2020 Sierra is a strong, well-rounded pickup that deserves your attention.

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Our first drive of the new GMC Sierra was in the Sierra Denali Crew Cab. Our test model was fitted with the excellent 420-horsepower 6.2-liter V8, which is the Sierra’s top-of-the-line engine. This big V8 has a low, healthy growl, and power off the line is smooth and quick. The engine uses Dynamic Fuel Management to control cylinder operation, but we could never tell when it was working — that’s a compliment to its seamless nature. The new 10-speed automatic offers quick response when you accelerate, and power delivery is easy and rewarding. Shifts are smooth, not jumpy, and can be quickened when you engage the Sport drive mode.

On the other end of the spectrum is GM’s new 2.7-liter 4-cylinder turbo, which is also offered in the Chevy Silverado. If you don’t think a 4-cylinder engine can power a full-size truck, this one will make you reconsider. We found it peppy, quick and enabled the truck to feel light on its feet.

Also new this year is an impressive 3.0-liter Duramax diesel, a smooth turbocharged inline-6 that gives the Sierra excellent EPA highway fuel economy of up to 30 mpg along with a respectable max tow rating of 9,100 pounds. What’s more, this light-duty diesel, which mates to a 10-speed automatic transmission, is refined enough for everyday use.

No matter your engine choice, ride quality is very good, and braking is nicely predictable and linear. When the previous Sierra was introduced, it boasted arguably the quietest interior in the segment. The new Sierra’s cabin is even quieter. Even though the interior doesn’t have the same pizazz as that of the new Ram, controls are nicely placed and easy to use, and color choices are clean and tasteful.

The 2020 GMC Sierra’s cabin is sharp and upscale with a good amount of soft-touch surfaces, but it doesn’t quite raise the bar in design. The cabin is wonderfully roomy and quiet, and the optional head-up display is large and easy to read. Depending on trim and cab configuration, the 2020 Sierra can seat three passengers (regular cab), or five or six with crew and double-cab configurations.

The seats are comfortable, and if you get the 5-passenger Sierra, there is a big storage compartment in the center console. There are also clever side-hinged storage areas in the front of the rear-passenger seats. While the Sierra now has push-button start for the first time, you can’t get anything but a column shifter and manual tilt/telescoping wheel. Base models with a regular cab still make do with hand-crank windows and manual door locks, but all other models have power accessories.

Biggest visual difference between the GMC Sierra and its Chevrolet Silverado kin is the styling, but that isn’t all. As mentioned, the GMC offers a higher-tech solution to truck-bed access and a higher degree of utility with the MultiPro tailgate, which lets you access gear six different ways. One position creates a tailgate step and uses a small bed handle to make it easier to climb up.

If the new Sierra is equipped with power-retractable steps, a button on the back angles the step closer to the bed. The off-road-oriented AT4 trim has a 2-inch factory lift, dark exterior accents, beefy all-terrain tires and a pair of red tow hooks in front. Every Sierra comes with side corner steps in the rear bumper and 12 cargo tie-downs in the bed. Offered initially in Denali trims is a carbon-fiber bed, which GMC says is the toughest bed it has ever made.

PROGRADE TRAILERING
For 2020, the Sierra’s ProGrade Trailering System gets even better. Thanks to tech magic derived from the all-new Sierra heavy-duty series, the system features 15 camera angles, including a first-of-its-kind transparent trailer view. By combining cameras on the tailgate and a remote one at the back of the trailer, it creates an invisible outline of the trailer, enabling you to virtually “see through” it.

MULTIPRO TAILGATE
The 2020 GMC Sierra is the only place you can get this innovative tailgate, which can be reconfigured six different ways to make it easier to load, organize and remove gear, or simply create a seat for optimum tailgating. It also comes up with a power up/down feature controlled by the key fob.

As with rival trucks in this segment, the GMC Sierra spans from a basic work truck on one end to a leather-laden, feature-rich luxo-cruiser on the other. At its most basic, regular-cab form, the 2020 GMC comes with a 4.3-liter V6, 4-way manual-adjust seat and 17-inch painted silver wheels.

While the interior is basic with crank windows and only a 2-speaker stereo, you do get a 7-inch touch screen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto integration, Bluetooth pairing and a USB port. We recommend stepping up to at least the SLE trim, which adds a leather-wrapped steering wheel, cruise control, keyless entry, automatic climate control, chrome bumpers, Wi-Fi hotspot, and 6-speaker audio system.

Plenty of creature comforts, technology and driver-assistance and safety aids can be had on the 2020 GMC Sierra by climbing trims or adding options. They range from leather interior and 8-inch touch-screen system with navigation and Bose premium audio to the aforementioned MultiPro Tailgate and a selection of wheels.

Active safety and driver-assist options include automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring and, new for 2020, adaptive cruise control.

Top-line GMC Sierra Denali models include heated and ventilated front seats, wireless phone charging, universal garage-door opener, remote start and dual-zone automatic climate control. Denali and AT4 trims are also offered as Carbon Pro Editions, which feature an exclusive, ultra-tough carbon-fiber pickup bed.

The 2020 GMC Sierra offers a choice of six engines, including two different versions of GM’s 5.3-liter V8. There are also two types of cylinder-management systems to improve fuel economy. Active Fuel Economy is the better-known cylinder shut-off system that has helped boost GM truck mpg. Dynamic Fuel Management, introduced last year, is designed to fine-tune the balance between efficiency and power demand. It lets the engine operate anywhere between two and eight cylinders, within 17 different patterns.

Base Sierras still use a 4.3-liter V6 that we found just barely gets the job done. Unless low cost is your greatest priority, we recommend stepping up to another powertrain. The 2.7-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder is surprisingly peppy and helps make the Sierra feel more nimble and athletic. We are still waiting to test the new diesel, but it sounds promising. Then there are the V8s. Tried-and-true, the 5.3 continues to impress, while the 6.2-liter V8 remains a real workhorse with loads of smooth power.

All 2020 GMC Sierras use an automatic transmission, either 6-, 8-, or 10-speed depending on engine and trim. Some of the engines also use a start/stop system that cuts engine power at idle to save fuel. The system can be deactivated with the press of a button.

4.3-liter V6
285 horsepower @ 5,300 rpm
305 lb-ft of torque @ 3,900 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 16/21 mpg (2WD), 15/20 mpg (4WD)

2.7-liter turbocharged inline-4
310 horsepower @ 5,600 rpm
348 lb-ft of torque @ 1,500-4,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 20/23 mpg (2WD), 19/22 mpg (4WD)

3.0-liter turbodiesel inline-6
277 horsepower @ 3,750 rpm
460 lb-ft of torque @ 1,500 rpm to 3,050 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 23/30 mpg (2WD), 22/26 mpg (4WD), 22/26 mpg (AT4)

5.3-liter V8
355 horsepower @ 5,600 rpm
383 lb-ft of torque @ 4,100 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 15/21 mpg (2WD, 6-speed automatic), 15/19 mpg (2WD, flex-fuel), 17/23 mpg (2WD, 8-speed automatic), 15/20 mpg (4WD, 6-speed automatic), 14/18 mpg (AT4, 6-speed automatic), 14/19 mpg (4WD, flex-fuel), 16/22 mpg (4WD, 8-speed automatic), 16/21 mpg (AT4, 8-speed automatic), 16/22 mpg (4WD, 10-speed automatic), 16/21 mpg (AT4, 10-speed automatic)

6.2-liter V8
420 horsepower @ 5,600 rpm
460 lb-ft of torque @ 4,100 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 15/20 mpg (4-wheel drive), 15/19 mpg (AT4)