Chances are, if you’re in the market for a pickup truck at this particular

A nice truck, through and through. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)

moment you genuinely need one. The gradual hike in the price of gasoline has meant that the market for half-ton haulers has softened up a lot - so much so that dealers are struggling to get them off their lots, even with discounts and incentives that include free gasoline. This is the case not just for General Motors, but for Ford, Dodge, Toyota and Nissan too.

That said, if you’re planning to drive home a new truck anytime soon there's never been a better time to buy. Over the past decade, the demand for half-ton trucks shot through the roof. Sure, there was that spike in the housing industry that saw tradesmen snap them up for work purposes, but a lot of pickups were bought by regular people who wanted something practical and capable - something with attitude. Trucks not only got bigger and sturdier (to tow bigger boats and haul bigger loads), but they become more civilized, luxurious and more comfort oriented. Look at a Sierra 1500 today against one from five years ago, and you’ll see the difference that the ordinary consumer, the buyer of SUVs and minivans, has had on such a vehicle.

You'll find the same dash and layout in a Yukon. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)

No one can deny that, for a pickup truck, the Sierra 1500 SLT is anything less than extremely nice. You’ve got to hoist yourself into it just like any other half-ton, but it’s unlike any GMC pickup before it. One benefit of basing the Sierra and its twin, the Chevrolet Silverado off the GMT900 series of SUVs is that they ended up sharing a lot of things in common, including interiors. The dashboard on this vehicle is the “Luxury” style, not the “Pure Pickup”, and so it has a wide, large armrest and a floor console like the Yukon. The power-adjusted buckets of this truck came trimmed in supple leather, and, the dash and doors were fitted with a high-sheen wood that seemed to glow and sparkle in the sunlight. With the sunroof open, and the Bose stereo cranked, you could, for a moment, forget that you’re driving something that can tow over 10,000 lbs, and could haul pallets of sheetrock and 2x4s. I could imagine foremen at construction sites all over North America having this as a dream vehicle, not a Mercedes-Benz or BMW. Okay, maybe not. That honour probably goes to the even more luxurious, chromed-loaded Sierra Denali, currently the world's most powerful pickup.

Chrome need not apply: these six-spoke 20-inchers look fantastic. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)

Boxy and chiseled, but ever so slightly rounded, the Sierra is a fine looking machine. Though I found its styling to be a bit on the conservative side given the shark-nose boldness of the new Ram, the hulking sumo wrestler that is the Tundra and the in-your-face Super Duty-esque styling of the upcoming F-150, but it's by no means boring. With its dark blue exterior paint, chrome-surrounded grille and bumper, plus tasteful 20-inch alloy wheels, this is actually one of the nicest looking combinations I’ve seen in ages. As usual, there's a massive selection when it comes to cab and bed lengths; there's a regular cab, extended cab (like this one) and crew cab (four proper doors), plus short and long beds.

But everything style-wise on the Sierra was done for a reason. The slightly rounded edges, smaller, pointed mirrors and even the tiny little ruler-like rear spoiler that sits atop the tailgate reduce drag, improving fuel economy.

In terms of engines, there are plenty to pick and choose from, ranging from a 4.3-litre V6 all the way up to a 6.0-litre V8 Vortec MAX, but the 5.3-litre

Aerodynamics help the Sierra to obtain good highway fuel economy figures. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)

with Active Fuel Management is, in my opinion, the way to go. Due to its size, the engine works up less of a sweat simply moving the truck around, and on the highway AFM allows it to run on just four cylinders. This is why the bigger, more powerful 5.3 gets better fuel economy than the smaller 4.8-litre V8, the Sierra's entry-level V8 engine. And, unless you’re using the Sierra specifically to tow extra extremely heavy loads, the 6.0-litre V8 is overkill. Though I didn’t drive the Sierra under any discernible loads, the 5.3 provided brisk acceleration and general refinement levels were high. If you truly love pickups, but can’t stomach the fuel bill, GMC will offer two new fuel efficient solutions next year - a Hybrid which features the same drivetrain as the Yukon Hybrid, and a clean light-duty diesel. Both should offer considerable (20-percent+) fuel consumption reductions compared to gasoline offerings without sacrificing capability.

Part of what makes the Sierra an enjoyable pickup truck to drive is due to its compliant suspension and extra-stiff chassis combination. A hydroformed front section offers up increased strength and crash protection, and when it comes to a full-size pickup, this is exactly what’s needed. This particular truck's combination of extended cab and regular bed has a payload of 787 kg (1,735 lbs) and a towing capacity of 3,765 kg (8,300 lbs). With the Vortex MAX and towing package in Extended Cab configuration it can tow a maximum of 4,763 kg (10,500 lbs).

4WD system is electronically controlled. Note the trailer brake controller, mounted below and to the right. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)

If this particular truck were mine, I wouldn’t want to risk taking it into the wild, although generally speaking a properly equipped Sierra is extremely capable off-road. All SLT models come with a locking rear differential that kicks in as soon as the differential detects one wheel turning 100 rpm (or more) faster than the other. This is particularly handy any time severe wheel articulation is encountered, and will ensure that you won’t get left stuck. If straying off the beaten path is something that you do regularly, GMC has just the ticket; new for ’08 is the All Terrain package that includes skid plates, off-road tires, and Rancho Tenneco shock absorbers enabling it to go further into the wilderness than ever before. For those that tow, GMC has also added an integrated trailer brake bias for this year, which fits flush into the lower section of the dash, by the driver’s left knee.

Like most new pickup trucks, GMC has developed a cargo management

Go about your work in an unpretentious manner, but hold on to all the luxury toys. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)

system which uses a pair of rails mounted right under the upper edge of the bed, allowing you to attach cleats, hooks and even storage boxes right to the truck without going to an aftermarket provider. An extended tubular steel cradle is also offered for those who transport longer items, like dirt bikes. While this system is pretty impressive, it’s a bit disappointing to see that buyers of even the luxury high-end SLT model still need to shell out extra for a bedliner, a feature which really ought to come standard. I also find it a bit unusual that if a sliding rear window is selected, you lose the ability to defrost that rear window. GM’s engineers have gone all out to offer heated windshield wiper fluid, parking sensors and power adjustable pedals, so why not a sliding rear window that can also defrost?

If you like what you see, that's good news because we can expect this generation of Sierra to be around for quite some time longer. General Motors just announced that it will be holding off developing the next generation full-size trucks, and has slowed development on its V8 program. That shouldn’t pose too much of a problem for the Sierra, since it looks and feels like it’s built to last.

Specifications (Sierra Extended Cab 1500):

• Price Range (Sierra Extended Cab 1500): $27,990 - $53,815
• Price as tested: $49,725
• Body Type: 4-door pickup truck
• Layout: front engine, 4WD (std. RWD)
• Engine: 315 hp, 338 lb-ft of torque, 5.3L, 16-valve, OHV, V8 flex-fuel
• Transmission: 4-spd auto
• Brakes (front/rear): disc / drum, ABS (opt. disc/disc, ABS)
• Dimensions (L/W/H/WB): 5,844 / 2,029 / 1,872 / 3,645 mm (230.2 / 79.9 / 73.7 / 143.5 in)
• Curb Weight: 2,388 kg (5,265 lbs)
• Tires: 275/55R20 (std. 245/70R17)
• Fuel Economy (city/hwy): 14.9 / 10.5 L/100 km
• Warranty (mo/km): 36/60,000 comprehensive, 60/160,000 powertrain
• Direct Competitors: Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Dodge RAM 1500, Ford F-150, Nissan Titan, Toyota Tundra
• Web Site: www.gmc.gm.ca

Interior

Exterior

Mechanical

Safety

Dimensions

Misc

(J004) Standard Black Paint

(J005) Standard Gloss Paint

(GU6) Axle: 3.42

(GT4) Axle: 3.73

(G80) Differential Lock

(Z85) Suspension Package, Handling/Trailering

(K47) Air Cleaner: High Capacity

(K34) Electronic Cruise Control

(**B) Cloth Trim

(AJ1) Deep Tinted Glass

(DF2) Mirrors: Camper Type

(V76) Recovery Hooks

(SAF) Spare Tire Lock

(TRW) Lamp Provision for Cab Roof

(K05) Engine Block Heater

(B30) Floor Carpet

(C49) Defogger: Rear Window

(QXR) Tires: P245/70R-17 BSW All Terrain

(US8) Radio: AM/FM Stereo/CD/MP3

(PDD) Convenience Package

(U2K) XM Satellite Radio

(GU4) Axle: 3.08

(58U) Carbon Black Metallic

(PCX) SL Package

(PEB) Bluetooth for Phone

(MYC) Transmission: 6-Speed Heavy Duty Automatic

(LMG) Vortec 5.3L V8 SFI FlexFuel Engine with Active Fuel Management

(K5L) Heavy Duty Cooling Package

(Z82) Trailering Special Equipment: H.D.

(JL1) Trailer Brake Control

(L20) Vortec 4.8L V8 SFI FlexFuel Engine with Active Fuel Management