2012 GMC Sierra 1500 Extended Cab

Heated and Cooling seats
Standard on the Denali and available on SLT trims, these seats guarantee to keep the front occupants cozy in winter and summer.

Active Fuel Management
The Active Fuel Management system available on the 5.3-liter V8s cuts the operation of four cylinders when they are unneeded and thus enhances fuel economy.

The 2012 GMC Sierra 1500 truck offers two distinct interiors aimed at satisfying two distinctly different customers. On Work Truck, SL and SLE trims, GMC's "pure pickup" interior theme includes more use of vinyl on the floor coverings, as well as larger door handles and instrument-panel knobs that are easily operated when wearing work gloves. There's also a double glovebox design for maximizing the places to toss cell phones, note pads, spare tools or lunch. The 2012 GMC Sierra 1500 SLT and Denali trims borrow the same luxurious upscale interior found on the GMC Yukon, providing plenty of soft-touch surfaces, wood-grain trim on the dash and console and, on Denali models, a heated steering wheel. GMC mounts the Sierra's instrument panel low and far forward for an increased feeling of spaciousness. Cab space up front is generous, but Extended Cab models offer somewhat cramped rear seating. If you plan on carrying your crew in comfort, the Crew Cab's theatre-style elevated rear seats are the way to go. The Crew Cab's rear seat features a 60/40-split design and a folding center armrest, as well as the capability to fold up the seat bottom and thus create a large, uninterrupted load floor.

Although its frame and mechanical parts are basically the same as the Silverado's, the 2012 GMC Sierra 1500 truck displays a bolder grille design, more expressive front and rear fender flares and more stylish wheels. A new four-bar grille plays home to the massive GMC red lettered logo, while big chrome bumpers and available 20-inch polished chrome wheels give the Sierra the upscale look its "Professional Grade" design philosophy promotes. The 2012 GMC Sierra 1500 truck features a large box area with high walls to maximize cargo capacity, although this same design can make it difficult to reach the center of the bed, as is required when accessing a bed-mounted tool box. Another feature we like are the Extended Cab's rear access doors that swing out 170 degrees, making it easy to load people or items into the rear of the cab.

While we expect the 4.3-liter V6 and 4.8-liter V8 to be more than adequate in Work Truck applications, we recommend the 5.3-liter V8 engines, most with cast iron blocks and some with aluminum, but all with Active Fuel Management and variable valve timing. And for those who want more power or towing capacity, the 6.2-liter V8, available only on the Denali trim level, is tops in its class, offering significantly more power and torque with very little penalty in fuel economy. The 2012 Sierra Hybrid truck features a 6.0-liter Vortec V8 with an electric motor/generator built into the transmission. The two-mode system employs two 60-kilowatt electric motors, three planetary gearsets and four hydraulic wet clutches, providing continually-variable operation with four fixed gear ratios.

4.3-liter V6
195 horsepower @ 4,600 rpm
260 lb-ft of torque @ 2,800 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 15/20 (2WD), 14/18 (4WD)

4.8-liter V8
302 horsepower @ 5,600 rpm
305 lb-ft of torque @ 4,600 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 14/19 (2WD), 13/18 (4WD), 10/14 (E85, 2WD), 10/13 (E85, 4WD)


5.3-liter V8 Flex-Fuel
315 horsepower @ 5,200 rpm
326 horsepower @ 5,300 rpm (E85)
335 lb-ft of torque @ 4,400 rpm
348 lb-ft of torque @ 4,400 rpm (E85)
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 15/21 (gasoline), 11/16 (2WD, E85), 15/22 (XFE), 11/16 (XFE, E85), 15/21 (4WD), 11/16 (4WD, E85)

6.2-liter V8
403 horsepower @ 5,700 rpm
417 lb-ft of torque @ 4,300 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 13/18 (2WD), 12/18 (4WD), 9/13 (E85, 2WD), 9/13 (E85, 4WD)

6.0-liter V8 hybrid
332 horsepower @ 5,100 rpm
367 lb-ft of torque @ 4,100 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 20/23

The 2012 GMC Sierra 1500's starting Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of around $22,000 delivers a capable but plain Work Truck. The SLE trim level with substantial equipment starts closer to $28,000. The SLT Extended Cab model begins at an MSRP of about $36,500, and a fully-loaded all-wheel-drive Denali approaches the $55,000 mark. Be sure to check the Incentives tab to see what savings may be on the table. We advise that you check the kbb.com Fair Purchase Price to see what consumers are paying in your area. The Sierra offers good projected resale values for its segment, higher than those for the Ram 1500, on par with those of the Nissan Titan, but below those of the Ford F-150 and Toyota Tundra.

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