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The experienced vehicle experts at TheCarConnection.com have studied what a wide spectrum of sources had to say about the 2008 GMC Sierra 1500. TheCarConnection.com's editors have also driven the Sierra 1500 and bring some of their firsthand impressions to this comprehensive review.
Likes:
- Steers and handles better than other big pickups
- Powerful and efficient powertrains
- Lavish interior, with plenty of luxury features offered
Dislikes:
- Lacks small storage spaces
- No factory-installed bedliner
- Fewer gears than the competition
GMC's full-size Sierra pickup was completely redesigned for 2007, and it returns with only modest changes in standard features for the 2008 model year and a new All Terrain model. The 2008 GMC Sierra 1500 is mechanically similar and closely related to Chevrolet's Silverado pickups.
The 2008 GMC Sierra 1500 is available in base Work Truck (WT), SL, SLE1, and SLE2 models, and SLT trim, with either rear- or four-wheel drive. Three cab styles are offered--regular, extended, and crew cab--and three bed lengths (up to eight feet) are available. A Z71 off-road package is offered as well.
The standard engine in the 2008 GMC Sierra 1500 is a 4.3-liter V-6 rated at 195 horsepower. A 295-hp, 4.8-liter and 315-hp, 5.3-liter V-8 are the base engines in the rest of the lineup--both have quite impressive performance--while a 367-hp, 6.0-liter V-8 and a 400-hp, 6.2-liter V-8 are optional. The 6.2-liter V-8 is standard in top-of-the-line Denali models and unique to the GMC truck (not offered in its Chevy cousin). It's teamed exclusively with a new six-speed automatic transmission; the other engines come with four-speed automatics.
The 5.3- and 6.0-liter models are more efficient than competing engines of the same size, thanks to Active Fuel Management, which helps improve fuel efficiency by cutting fuel use while coasting or cruising. The 5.3-liter models of the 2008 GMC Sierra 1500 with rear-wheel drive are rated at 15 mpg city, 20 mpg highway, which is identical to the base V-6.
