2024 GMC Sierra 1500 Reviews, Pricing & Specs

The generation of GMC Sierra 1500 currently on sale dates back to the 2019 model year, but it’s been consistently updated since then. Changes for 2024 are minimal and don’t affect the lineup of trim levels, which still includes Pro, SLE, Elevation, SLT, AT4, AT4X, Denali, and Denali Ultimate models. The base Sierra 1500 Pro is aimed primarily at commercial fleets, while the high-end AT4 and AT4X and Denali and Denali Ultimate focus on off-road capability and luxury accommodations, respectively.

Every GMC Sierra 1500 variant follows the current styling trend in pickup trucks with bold, in-your-face styling. The tall, flat hood and broad grille distinguish the Sierra from its Chevrolet Silverado 1500 sibling, but they don’t do any favors when parking. We were very thankful for our GMC Sierra 1500 Denali Ultimate test truck’s front-view camera, part of a 360-degree camera system helps mitigate the visibility issues caused by the form-over-function exterior design.

While the fleet-oriented Sierra 1500 Pro gets black grille and painted 17-inch wheels, other trim levels are a bit less basic looking. Denali and Denali Ultimate models get the large chrome grille that’s been a signature of GMC’s Denali trim level since its launch, along with available 22-inch wheels and power running boards that make getting in and out of the cab a bit easier. The AT4 and AT4X off-road models don’t stand out as much visually, however.

The Sierra’s block interior design isn’t very original, and even in Denali Ultimate spec the materials are unremarkable. The wood trim on our test truck’s dashboard and doors looked like it came out of a 1980s Oldsmobile, not a modern pickup from an ostensibly premium brand. But GMC offers so many creature comforts that aesthetics don’t really matter. Our test truck had a heated steering wheel, heated, ventilated, and massaging front seats, plus heated rear seats and a power sunroof and dual-zone automatic climate control.

Like most other full-size pickups, the GMC Sierra 1500 is available with a number of different powertrains.

Base models get a 2.7-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine dubbed TurboMax that produces 310 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque. It’s coupled to an eight-speed automatic transmission, and is available with both rear-wheel drive (RWD) and four-wheel drive (4WD).

GMC also offers two V8 engine options. A 5.3-liter V8 produces 355 hp and 383 lb-ft of torque, while the available 6.2-liter V8 makes 420 hp and 460 lb-ft. Both V8s have Dynamic Fuel Management cylinder deactivation to improve fuel economy, and a 10-speed automatic transmission in place of the eight-speed gearbox. The 5.3-liter V8 is available with RWD or AWD, but the 6.2-liter engine is 4WD only.

Finally, the Sierra 1500 is available with the Duramax turbodiesel 3.0-liter inline-six. This engine produces less power than the gasoline V8s (305 hp) but more torque (495 lb-ft). It gets the same 10-speed automatic transmission as the V8 engines with RWD or 4WD available. For 2024, this engine is now standard on the AT4 and AT4X off-road models.

The diesel engine was one of the standout features of our Sierra 1500 Denali Ultimate test truck. Copious torque makes the Duramax engine well suited to a big truck designed for towing, but with there’s no penalty in everyday drivability. Diesel stereotypes aside, this engine is smooth and delivers its power in a linear manner. The 10-speed automatic is also well-mannered, shifting smoothly and quickly in most situations.

While the powertrain exceeds expectations for refinement, the chassis is about what you’d expect. This is still a body-on-frame pickup, so engineers could only do so much to smooth out the ride. The Denali Ultimate is fairly comfortable and quiet for a full-size truck, but it’s no replacement for a true luxury car or SUV.

Every self-respecting full-size pickup gets some off-road variants as well, and the Sierra is no different. The AT4 gets a 2-inch lift kit with Rancho monotube shocks, a locking rear differential, and skid plates. The AT4X adds a front locker and more sophisticated Multimatc DSSV dampers. Finally, the AT4X AEV Edition gets model-specific bodywork from aftermarket company American Expedition Vehicles, including stamped steel front and rear bumpers that make room for 33-inch Goodyear Wrangler Territory mud terrain tires. This makes for a solid off-road package, albeit one that’s a step below the Ford F-150 Raptor.

Like other truck makers, GMC offers multiple cab and bed-length configurations for the Sierra 1500. The basic two-door regular cab is available with either a 6.6-foot standard bed or 8.1-foot long bed. A double cab, with small rear doors, is also available with the standard bed, as is a crew cab that features full-size rear doors and a bit more room for rear-seat passengers. Alternatively, the crew cab can be paired with a 5.7-foot short bed to keep the overall length of the vehicle more manageable.

Exterior and interior dimensions match the Sierra 1500’s Chevy Silverado twin, with both GM trucks offering higher cargo-box volume than equivalent Ford F-150 and Ram 1500 configurations. You’re never going to feel cramped in the cab of a full-size pickup, but the GM twins also offer a bit more front headroom and legroom than their Detroit rivals, as well as the Texas-built Toyota Tundra. The second row of our crew cab test vehicle was also quite spacious, but not very comfortable. Hard cushions with an angle that leaves occupants’ knees in a higher-than-ideal position limit the rear seats’ appeal for road trips.

GMC’s reconfigurable Multi-Pro tailgate is available on SLE and higher models. It can be configured six ways, including as a bed step or with only the center section of the tailgate open to better secure longer items. Chevy offers its own version (dubbed Multi-Flex), while the Ford F-150 gets a new Pro Access Tailgate for 2024, with its own configuration possibilities. But GMC also offers its CarbonPro carbon fiber composite bed, albeit only on AT4, Denali, and Denali Ultimate models with the short bed.

Towing capacity ranges from a low of 9,200 pounds for 4WD turbo-four models to 13,200 pounds for diesel trucks equipped with RWD. Despite sharing powertrains and nearly all other mechanical elements, the Sierra’s Chevrolet Silverado 1500 has a slight advantage in towing. It maxes out at 13,300 pounds with either the diesel or the 6.2-liter V8 engine. The two GM trucks beat the 2024 Ram 1500 and Toyota Tundra in towing capacity, but the updated 2024 Ford F-150 is expected to have a maximum towing capacity of 13,500 pounds in some configurations.

The Sierra 1500’s maximum payload capacity of 2,240 pounds (achieved with either the four-cylinder or 5.3-liter V8 engines and RWD) is 200 pounds less than its Silverado sibling’s maximum, but the Chevy only achieves that rating with the four-cylinder engine. The GM trucks nearly match the Ram 1500 here, beat the Toyota Tundra, but fall short of the quoted 2,455-pound maximum payload capacity of the 2024 Ford F-150.

Base Pro models have a fairly basic infotainment system, including a 7-inch touchscreen with Bluetooth and wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity. SLE and higher models get a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 13.4-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as Google Built-In features.

The Google-based interface that comes with the larger touchscreen means defaulting to Google apps—such as Google Maps for navigation—but the full integration of Apple CarPlay means non-Android users can still get the experience they’re used to. For those going with Google, GMC’s integration of the tech giant’s apps is no better or worse than other brands, such as Polestar and Volvo.

The overall user experience won’t leave many complaints either. The optional 13.4-inch touchscreen is perfectly sized for the expansive cabin (although it’s still a big reach for the front-seat passenger) and its large icons are easy to find and tap at a glance. Most functions don’t require more than two touchscreen taps, and GMC retained a full complement of analog controls for vital functions like audio volume, climate control, and seat heaters.

The Sierra 1500 illustrates that having a bigger vehicle doesn’t necessarily mean greater crash protection.

In Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) testing, the 2024 Sierra 1500 Crew Cab received the highest “Good” score in the driver-side small overlap front crash test, but a “Marginal” score in the passenger-side version of that test. It also received “Good” scores in the IIHS’ original moderate overlap front and side crash tests, but an “Acceptable” score in the updated side crash test. Other full-size pickups also had uneven performance in IIHS crash testing, while several car and SUV models have achieved a perfect set of “Good” scores.

The Sierra performed better in National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) testing. Crew cab models received a five-star overall safety rating, as well as five stars for side-crash protection. The Sierra received four stars in rollover and frontal crash testing.

GMC also offers a reasonable amount of standard safety features, including automatic emergency braking (with pedestrian detection), forward collision warning, lane-keep assist, lane-departure warning, and a rear-seat reminder. Adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and park assist are optional, as is GM’s trademark Safety Alert driver’s seat, which vibrates when any of the various driver-assist sensors are triggered.

Denali and Denali Ultimate models can also be equipped with Super Cruise, GM’s hands-free driver-assistance system. While it does require a subscription for long-term use, Super Cruise remains one of the best systems of its kind. It had no trouble keeping our big Sierra test truck in line, providing smooth acceleration, prompt braking, and confidence-inspiring lane keeping. Note that Super Cruise is also available on the Sierra’s Chevy Silverado twin, but only on the top High Country model.

Our test vehicle also had the recently added Super Cruise active lane-change feature, which will automatically initiate overtakes if the system spots an opening. While we hate getting stuck behind slow drivers as much as the next car reviewer, we did find this feature was a little too eager in its default setting. Even a moment’s hesitation from the car ahead was enough to trigger a lane change—sometimes into a lane that wasn’t moving any faster than the one we were already in. This behavior can be adjusted via the touchscreen, however.

When it comes to full-size trucks, the 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 is a fuel-economy champ—if you choose the optional turbodiesel engine, that is. The Duramax diesel is EPA-rated at 25 mpg combined with RWD and 24 mpg combined with 4WD. We saw an indicated average of 22.3 mpg after a week of driving in our 4WD test vehicle, but also saw 30 mpg while driving on the highway with Super Cruise. Fuel economy drops into typical truck territory with the gasoline powertrains. The TurboMax four-cylinder engine will achieve 20 mpg combined in some configurations, with the two V8 engines a few mpg lower.

Warranty coverage includes a three-year, 36,000-mile, bumper-to-bumper warranty and a five-year, 100,000-mile, powertrain warranty. Note that the powertrain warranty has been extended to the TurboMax engine for 2024.

Pricing starts at $39,595 for a base Pro model with RWD and no frills (all prices include a mandatory $1,895 destination charge). This configuration is aimed more at commercial fleets than retail buyers, though. The next trim up, the SLE, starts at just over $50,000—and prices climb quickly from there.

Our Denali Ultimate test vehicle had an $84,395 base price. Options like Super Cruise, the diesel engine, and Downpour Metallic (blue) paint brought the as-tested price up to $85,540. That’s the going rate for a full-size pickup truck with all the bells and whistles. And if you can do without some of those bells and whistles, pricing roughly aligns with full-size trucks from other brands. And unless you’re doing a lot of towing and hauling, these prices make any big pickup a poor value.