Used 2019 GMC Sierra 1500 Limited Double Cab

All-new from the ground up, the angular, chiseled 2019 GMC Sierra is longer, roomier and lighter than the previous truck, while staying highly capable. Its major changes keep it competitive in a quickly changing group that includes the recently updated Ford F-150 and new-for-2019 Ram 1500 and Chevrolet Silverado. The GMC Sierra is different from the Silverado with which it shares its underpinnings. The biggest differentiators are the GMC’s exterior styling, a more premium interior, and features that are only available on the GMC. The line ranges from basic work truck to the super-luxurious Denali. Maximum payload and towing capacities are very good, and the short bed, the most popular bed length for full-size trucks, is now the largest in the segment.

GMC also offered the Sierra Limited, a carryover of the 2018 Sierra 1500, at a lower price. This truck is more affordable, but the downside is that the Limited doesn’t benefit from the improvements the Sierra received for 2019. The Limited is only available as a double cab with a 6-1/2-foot bed, with a 5.3-liter V8. There are two trim levels to choose from: the Sierra and the SLE, and 4-wheel drive is optional.

Our first drive of the 2019 GMC Sierra was in the Sierra Denali Crew Cab. Our truck was fitted with the excellent 420-horsepower 6.2-liter V8, which is the top-of-the-line engine available in the new Sierra. This big V8 has a low, healthy growl, and power off the line is smooth and quick. The engine uses Dynamic Fuel Management to control cylinder operation, but we could never tell when it was working — it felt seamless. The new 10-speed automatic offers quick response when you accelerate, and power delivery is easy and rewarding. Shifts are smooth, not jumpy, and can be quickened when you choose the sport drive mode. Ride quality is excellent, and braking is nicely predictable and linear. When the previous Sierra was introduced, it boasted arguably the quietest interior in the segment. The new Sierra’s cabin is even quieter. Even though the interior doesn’t have the same pizzazz as that of the new Ram, controls are nicely placed and easy to use, and color choices are clean and tasteful. Another pleasant feature is that the GMC Sierra is spacious, and even the middle rear-seat passenger benefits from a flat floor.

Sharp and upscale, the GMC Sierra’s interior is classy and has a good amount of soft-touch surfaces, but doesn’t raise the bar in design. The cabin is wonderfully roomy and whisper quiet, and the head-up display is large and easy to read. Seats are comfortable, and if you get the 5-passenger Sierra, there is a good amount of storage in the center cargo area. There are also clever side-hinged storage areas in the front of the rear passenger seats. While the Sierra now has push-button start for the first time, you can’t get anything but a column shifter and manual tilt/telescoping wheel.

The biggest visual difference between the 2019 GMC Sierra and its Chevrolet Silverado kin is the styling, but that isn’t all. GMC has a higher-tech solution to truck bed access with the MultiPro tailgate, which lets you access gear six different ways. One position creates a tailgate step and uses a small bed handle to make it easier to climb up. If the new Sierra is equipped with power retractable steps, a button on the back angles the step closer to the bed. Also offered exclusively in the Sierra is a carbon-fiber bed. The off-road-designed AT4 trim rides higher and has dark exterior accents.

MULTIPRO TAILGATE
The 2019 GMC Sierra is the only place you can get this innovative tailgate, which can be reconfigured six different ways to make it easier to load, organize and remove gear. It also comes up with a power up/down feature controlled by the key fob.

PROGRADE TRAILERING SYSTEM
From cameras that show you a view of the hitch while connecting a trailer and an extra camera to show you the area behind the trailer when on the road, to trailer-tire-pressure monitoring and a vehicle-specific capability label on the door jamb, the new Sierra has an expansive list of trailer towing features.

The regular Sierra is powered by a 285-horsepower, 4.3-liter V6 with a 6-speed automatic transmission. Inside, there’s a 7-inch screen in the center of the dashboard. Bluetooth, one USB port and power door locks and windows are standard. Cruise control is an option, but every 2019 GMC Sierra comes with the Teen Driver safety suite. Every Sierra also comes with side corner steps in the rear bumper and 12 cargo tiedowns in the bed.

If you want the ultimate premium 2019 GMC Sierra, you should get the AT4, which includes a 2-inch suspension lift, skidplates and an off-road-ready wheel-and-tire setup — and you can also get it powered by the topline 420-horsepower 6.2-liter V8. Plenty of pleasantries are offered on the Sierra Denali. That mega-list includes: an 8-inch color touch screen, 10-way power driver seat, heated driver/front passenger seats, a rear-camera mirror that shows you what’s behind your truck even when the cab is full, surround view camera system, MultiPro tailgate, power retractable side steps, and wheels up to 20 inches in size. Available safety equipment includes front pedestrian braking, forward-collision alert, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist with lane-departure warning, automatic braking, and lane-change alert with blind-zone alert.

The 2019 GMC Sierra will be offered with a choice of six engine/transmission combinations, including two different versions of GM’s 5.3-liter V8. For 2019, there are two types of cylinder-management systems to improve fuel economy. Active Fuel Economy is the better-known cylinder shut-off system that has helped boost GM truck mpg. New for 2019 is Dynamic Fuel Management, which is designed to fine-tune the balance between efficiency and power demand. It lets the engine operate anywhere between two and eight cylinders, within 17 different patterns. The new Sierra is initially available with both 5.3-liter V8s, as well as the 6.2-liter. The 4.3-liter V6, 2.7-liter turbo-4, and an upcoming 3.0-liter turbodiesel inline-6 with a 10-speed automatic will follow.

4.3-liter V6 (6-speed automatic)
285 horsepower @ 5,300 rpm
305 lb-ft of torque @ 3,900 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 16/21 mpg (2WD), 15/20 mpg (4WD)

2.7-liter turbocharged inline-4  (8-speed automatic)
310 horsepower @ 5,600 rpm
348 lb-ft of torque @ 1,500-4,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 20/23 mpg (2WD), 19/22 mpg (4WD)

5.3-liter V8 (with Active Fuel Management and 6-speed automatic)
355 horsepower @ 5,600 rpm
383 lb-ft of torque @ 4,100 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 15/22 mpg (2WD), 15/21 mpg (4WD)

5.3-liter V8 (with Dynamic Fuel Management and 8-speed automatic — SLT, AT4, Denali)
355 horsepower @ 5,600 rpm
383 lb-ft of torque @ 4,100 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 17/23 mpg (2WD), 15/21 mpg (4WD), 15/20 mpg (AT4)

6.2-liter V8 (with Dynamic Fuel Management with 10-speed automatic — SLT, AT4, Denali)
420 horsepower @ 5,600 rpm
460 lb-ft of torque @ 4,100 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 15/20 mpg (4WD), 15/19 mpg (AT4 with 4WD)

3.0-liter turbodiesel inline-6
277 horsepower @ 3,750 rpm
460 lb-ft of torque @ 1,500-3,050 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 23/30 mpg (2WD), 22/26 mpg (4WD)