Are you looking to purchase a new truck, and you want to know about the different models of GMC trucks that are available for you to choose from? You’ve come to the right place, for we have researched this question, and we have the answer for you.
GMC has a light-duty truck model, a medium-duty truck model, and a few heavy-duty truck models in its truck line-up. It even has an all-electric truck model that can produce surprisingly high amounts of torque.
Let’s discuss the different GMC truck models and their unique characteristics in the sections below.
Read on!
The Rise Of GMC
The original GMC began as Grabowsky Motor Company in 1874. Max and his brother Morris Grabowsky founded it in Detroit, then renamed it Rapid Motor Vehicle Company in 1902 when they moved their operations to Pontiac, Michigan.
William C Durant took over Rapid Motor Vehicle Company in 1909, making it a subsidiary of his own company, General Motors Company. General Motors established the General Motors Truck Company in 1911 and merged Rapid Motor Vehicle Company into it. The Rapid Motor Vehicle Company name was dropped the following year in favor of GMC.
All truck production operations were initially done at Rapid Motors Plant 1 in Pontiac, Michigan.
Platform Sharing
Platform sharing happens when different car brands use the same parts across different models. This is common in the chassis of the car or the frame of the body.
Car manufacturers can form agreements with other car manufacturers to share various designs to save them from the cost of researching and developing their own designs for that part. For companies that are divisions of a larger company, this is an expectation.
Chevrolet and GMC started to do platform sharing as early as 1920. Chevrolet is also a division of General Motors Company.
Thus, many Chevrolet and GMC trucks became two variants of the same platform. They share the same body except for grills and nameplates. However, the two variants always use different engines.
The similarities between the two would continue for decades.
Then, starting in 2020, GMC’s trucks became the premium counterpart of Chevrolet’s mainstream truck models.
GMC Truck Models
Here are the different truck models of GMC that are available in the market right now.
GMC Canyon
The GMC Canyon and its twin, the Chevrolet Colorado, were originally compact pickup trucks. They were the replacement models for GMC S-15 and Chevrolet S-10.
The first generation of the GMC Canyon came out in 2004. Isuzu was part of the design team for the original Canyon/Colorado. They started selling their version, the Isuzu i-series, in late 2005.
The second-generation Canyon came out in 2011, and the third generation in 2022.
GMC eventually moved the Canyon into the mid-size truck category.
Its most current trims include the base GMC Canyon with 7,700 pounds of towing capacity, the GMC Canyon AT4 with 7,550 pounds of towing capacity, and the GMC Canyon Denali with 7,550 pounds of towing capacity.
All trims use the same 3.6L V6 engine.
GMC Sierra
GMC Sierra truck model has a group of truck submodels that range from light-duty to heavy-duty trucks.
Its counterparts in Chevrolet are the C/K and the Silverado trucks.
GMC Sierra 1500
The Sierra 1500 is a light-duty truck that enhances the off-road experience.
Sierra 1500 Pro, Sierra 1500 SLE, and Sierra 1500 Elevation all use the same 2.7L Turbo High-Output engine that can deliver 310 horsepower and 430 pound-foot of torque. They get the option to install the larger 5.3L V8 Gas Engine and a 10-speed automatic transmission.
The Sierra 1500 SLE and Sierra 1500 Elevation also have the option to install an Enhanced 3.0L Duramax Turbo-Diesel Engine.
The Sierra 1500 SLT and the Sierra 1500 Denali come standard with the 5.3L V8 Gas Engine and a 10-speed automatic transmission. They have the option to install the larger 6.2L V8 Gas Engine or the Enhanced 3.0L Duramax Turbo-Diesel Engine.
The Sierra 1500 AT4, on the other hand, comes standard with the Enhanced 3.0L Duramax Turbo-Diesel Engine. You get the option to replace it with the 6.2L V8 Gas Engine with a 10-speed automatic transmission.
Lastly, the Sierra 1500 AT4X and the Sierra 1500 Denali Ultimate come with a standard 6.2L V8 Gas Engine. With the Sierra 1500 Denali Ultimate, however, you get the option to install the Enhanced 3.0L Duramax Turbo-Diesel Engine.
GMC Sierra HD (Heavy-Duty)
This is GMC Sierra’s heavy-duty variant of the Sierra truck. This model is built for towing heavy loads with a towing capacity of up to 36,000 pounds.
It has a larger rear axle and driveshaft to improve the strength and durability of the truck against the weight that it will tow. To make it even safer while towing heavy loads, GMC made improvements to the braking system and steering.
The software in Sierra HD includes options that make it easier to monitor the condition of the trailer.
Sierra HD has three different trims—Sierra HD Pro, Sierra HD SLE, and Sierra HD SLT.
The Sierra HD Pro comes with a standard 6.6L V8 Gas Engine. It doesn’t have the option to install a different engine.
The Sierra HD SLE and Sierra HD SLT come with a standard Duramax 6.6L Turbo-Diesel V8 Engine with Allison 10-speed automatic transmission.
The Sierra HD Pro has the option to upgrade to the MultiPro Tailgate, while Sierra HD SLE and Sierra HD SLT have the MultiPro Tailgate as a standard feature.
GMC Sierra 2500
The Sierra 2500 is a heavy-duty truck model from GMC. It has a trailer capacity rating of up to 18,500 pounds. Moreover, it has a gooseneck and fifth-wheel rating of up to 18,500 pounds.
It comes with a standard 6.6L V8 Gas Engine. The GMC Sierra 2500 has the option to install the 6.6L Duramax Turbo-Diesel V8 Engine that can produce up to 445 horsepower at 2,800 RPM and 910 pound-foot of torque at 1,600 RPM.
It has the option to pick the 2WD drivetrain or the 4WD variant.
Additionally, it can have a 6-foot, and 9 inches standard bed or optionally have an 8-foot bed. Its total length is 250.1 inches and 266.1 inches respectively, with the two types of bed configuration.
GMC Sierra 3500
The GMC Sierra 3500 is a more powerful cousin of the Sierra 2500. It has a trailer capacity of up to 20,000 pounds. Its gooseneck and fifth-wheel rating are up to 31,400 pounds—almost 60% higher than the Sierra 2500.
It also comes with the standard 6.6L V8 Gas Engine and also has the option to install the 6.6L Duramax Turbo-Diesel V8 Engine.
It has the option to have the 2WD or the 4WD drivetrain, just like the Sierra 2500.
The GMC Sierra 3500 has the same bed options as the Sierra 2500. The difference is that it has the option to install a single rear wheel or a dual rear wheel for the 8-foot bed configuration.
The length of the Sierra 3500 with the two types of beds is the same as the Sierra 2500. The difference is the height of the truck. The Sierra 2500 has a height range of 79.7 inches to 79.8 inches, while the Sierra 3500 has a height range of 80.7 inches to 80.9 inches.
GMC Hummer EV
GMC’s Hummer EV is a full-size battery-electric truck.
The original Hummer brand was discontinued in 2009 in an announcement by General Motors as part of its bankruptcy reveal. The Hummer had a comeback in 2022, not as a separate brand like before, but as an electric SUV and pickup truck model under the GMC brand.
The GMC Hummer EV uses underbody cameras to give the driver a view of the truck. This makes it easier to direct the wheels when driving off-road.
A single charge can take the GMC Hummer EV up to 350 miles. It uses three electric motors that can produce up to 11,500 pound-foot of torque.
Conclusion
Some of GMC’s truck lineup may share a profile with Chevrolet, but they still have unique offerings like the GMC Hummer EV.
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