2011 GMC Sierra 1500 Reviews, Pricing & Specs

The 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 offers a heavy dose of full-size substance to go along with its style, and it provides both with a...

The 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 offers a heavy dose of full-size substance to go along with its style, and it provides both with a something-for-everybody, mix-and-match approach. How’s this for a wide array of options? GMC has sliced three selections from its list of Sierra versions for 2011, and the vehicle still checks in with a whopping 31 trims.

The bottom line varies little from trim to trim: Sierras are rugged and good-looking, provide plenty of power - at least in V8 versions - for tooling around town from job site to job site and just as easily will comfortably cart a family, and its boat, on a long-distance road trip.

The 2011 GMC Sierra 1500, which shares its engineering and basic design with the Chevrolet Silverado, covers a lot of bases. The biggest issue for those checking it out might just be picking between all the options – choosing between a half-dozen engines, three bed lengths, and three cab styles for starters - in the Work Truck trim to the SL, SLE, and XFE versions, up to the decked-out SLT.

Choices begin under the hood. A 4.3-liter V6 comes standard in the Regular and Extended cab versions of the Work Truck, and a 4.8-liter V8 and 5.3-liter V8 are available. The 4.3-liter V6 produces 195 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque with EPA estimates of 15 mpg city/20 highway with rear-wheel drive (RWD) and 14/18 with four-wheel drive (4WD). The 4.8-liter V8 boosts power numbers to 302 hp and 305 lb-ft of torque, and the 5.3-liter V8 to 315 and 335. The 4.8-liter has mileage estimates of 14 city/19 highway with RWD and 14 city/18 highway with 4WD.

Engine choices top out with a 6.2-liter V8 that produces a brutish 403 horsepower and 417 lb-ft of torque with mileage estimates of 13 city/19 highway with RWD and 12 city/19 highway with 4WD. The 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 boasts a tow rating, when properly equipped, that peaks at 10,700 pounds. Payload numbers range from about 1,500 pounds to just over 1,900 pounds.

GMC, as expected, piles on the goodies as it climbs the 2011 Sierra trim ladder. The aptly named Work Truck trim features an interior designed for functionality and comes with air conditioning and an AM/FM stereo and little in the way of frills. Cruise control and power accessories get added in the SL trim, and by the time GMC gets up to the SLT, folks are riding in near luxury with dual-zone automatic air conditioning, leather seat trim, power-adjustable and heated front seats, and a Bose audio system with a 6-CD changer.

The 2011 GMC Sierra collects good reviews for the way it steers and drives, for its get-’er-done work qualities, and also for its quiet, smooth, and comfortable ride. Some find the V6 engine does not provide quite enough power, and others make note that a large turning radius makes the vehicle a bit of a beast in tight quarters. But the negatives seem far surpassed by the positives, according to reviewers and users.

The 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 comes with GM’s stability and traction control system, antilock brakes, daytime running lights, dual-stage driver airbags, and front passenger airbags and scores well in government crash tests.