2022 GMC Sierra 1500 vs 2021 Ford F-350 Super Duty

The 2021 Ford F-350 Super Duty Limited, with its Iconic Silver paint, chrome grille, and polished wheels, exuded a luxurious yet functional aura. The plush leather seats and high-end audio system added to its upscale feel, making it suitable for both rugged tasks and refined outings. The power-deploying running boards facilitated easy access to the spacious and well-organized cabin, which featured large seats and ample storage. The F-350 came in various trims, from the basic XL to the luxurious Limited, and offered different cab styles and bed lengths. Our test model, a crew cab with a single-rear-wheel axle and standard cargo bed, included a turbodiesel V8 engine and 4WD, bringing the MSRP to $87,655.

The 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 introduced the Denali Ultimate and AT4X variants, expanding its premium and off-road capabilities. The Sierra's updated grille, front fascia, and split-C headlights gave it a wider, more aggressive appearance. The Denali's grille featured a "tri-linear" theme, while the Denali Ultimate had dark-colored "Vader bars" inserts. The Sierra offered eight trim levels and various cab and bed configurations, including a carbon fiber composite bed and a six-function MultiPro tailgate. The interior redesign made the cabin feel more spacious, with premium materials like full-grain leather and open-pore wood in the Denali Ultimate, and Vanta ash wood and microsuede in the AT4X.

The 2021 Ford F-350 Super Duty's 6.7-liter turbodiesel V8 delivered 475 horsepower and an impressive 1,050 lb-ft of torque. Despite its power, the truck averaged 15.4 mpg on a testing loop and 16.5 mpg during a week of highway driving. The diesel engine's big-rig clatter was present, but it didn't emit visible smoke. The F-350's 10-speed automatic transmission and adaptive steering made it capable of handling various terrains, including off-road conditions with the Tremor package. However, its size made parking and urban driving challenging, though features like the reversing camera and parking assist sensors helped.

The 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 offered four engine options, including a 2.7-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 310 hp and 430 lb-ft of torque, and a 3.0-liter Duramax turbo-diesel inline-six with 277 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque. The diesel engine's tow rating increased to 13,200 pounds for 2WD models. The Sierra's ride was smooth and quiet, especially in the Denali Ultimate trim, while the AT4X impressed with its off-road capabilities, including Multimatic DSSV dampers and front and rear e-locking differentials. The AT4X handled steep and sandy terrains with ease, though the off-road test didn't fully showcase its potential.

The 2021 Ford F-350 Super Duty's high ground clearance made accessing the cargo bed challenging without the integrated tailgate step or retractable bed step. The crew cab provided ample space for five people, with power-adjustable, heated, and ventilated front seats in the Limited trim. The cabin offered plenty of storage, including a large center console, dual glove compartments, and door panel bins. Rear-seat comfort was impressive, with heated outboard seats and under-seat storage.

The 2022 GMC Sierra 1500's interior was spacious and functional, with best-in-class cargo capacity even in the short bed. Front headroom was about 43 inches, and legroom was 44.5 inches. Rear-seat passengers in the crew cab enjoyed 43.4 inches of legroom. The cabin featured numerous storage compartments, though the gloveboxes were on the smaller side. The driver-oriented cockpit had a low centerline, making it less ergonomic. The AT4X's off-road controls were positioned in two different places, adding to the complexity. However, the massaging seats were a welcome feature, despite being difficult to operate.

The 2021 Ford F-350 Super Duty's 8-inch touchscreen ran the Sync 3 infotainment system, which included smartphone integration, wireless charging, navigation, and a B&O premium sound system. The small screen size was a drawback, especially when using the reversing camera and trailer assist features. The system occasionally hung or ignored inputs, but the separate stereo and climate controls helped limit interaction with the screen. The driver information display offered extensive menus for safety, towing, off-roading, and efficiency.

The 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 featured larger display screens, including a 12.3-inch digital cluster and a 13.4-inch touchscreen with Google built-in. The infotainment system was fast and responsive, with a clean display and large icons. However, the similarity between the in-car Google-based navigation and smartphone-projected maps could be confusing. The larger touchscreen allowed for personalization and dual modes, and wireless device charging was standard. Available options included a 15-inch head-up display and a 12-speaker Bose premium sound system.

The 2021 Ford F-350 Super Duty's safety depended on its weight and available driver-assistance systems. Weighing about 7,300 pounds, it likely offered good protection in collisions with smaller vehicles. Driver-assistance features included adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. The adaptive cruise control performed unevenly in traffic, and the lane-keep assist was subtle. The blind-spot monitoring system required proper mirror positioning to be effective.

The 2022 GMC Sierra 1500's standout safety feature was GM's Super Cruise, a Level 2 semi-autonomous driving system available on the Denali Ultimate. Super Cruise handled automatic lane changes and trailering, and the Sierra had up to 14 camera views for trailering assistance. GMC Pro Safety included forward collision alert, automatic emergency braking, front pedestrian braking, lane-keep assist, a following distance indicator, and IntelliBeam automatic headlights. The Sierra received mostly "Good" crash safety ratings from the IIHS but had a "Marginal" grade in the front-passenger small overlap test and a "Poor" grade for headlights. NHTSA rated 2WD models four out of five stars for crashworthiness.