Rank
What's New for 2025?
We project that the 2025 Sierra 1500 will carry over largely unchanged, so don't hesitate to jump on a nice '24 if you can find one.
FAST FACTS
"It always feels silly to rank one of GM's rebadged twins alongside the original, but the Sierra 1500 is technically a different model from the Chevy Silverado 1500, so here we are. Going with the GMC generally costs a bit more and gets you a few more features, but there's no doubting the massive capabilities of either truck."—Ranked #4 out of 6 Full-Size Trucks
MotorDonkey's proprietary vehicle data identifies every significant version of each model so that you can compare and decide. Ordered by price from low to high, here are the versions of the 2025 GMC Sierra 1500 that you need to be aware of, along with our expert analysis and recommendations.
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The regular-cab 2.7T is the entry level in the Sierra 1500 lineup, providing ample thrust and offering a three-across bench seat in the cabin. It also gives you the highest payload capacity of any Sierra 1500 at 2,240 pounds, though note that if you want to enjoy the full payload and towing capacities cited here, you'll need to select the 8-foot bed. The length value we provide is based on the standard 6.5-foot bed, which brings those capacities down incrementally.
Note that the long 8-foot bed comes standard if you want the 5.3-liter V8 in a regular cab Sierra 1500. You can only have the 6.5-foot bed if you're OK with the base 2.7-liter turbo four.
The Sierra 1500 generally weighs 30 pounds more than its Silverado equivalent, which explains why the Sierra 1500 2.7T RWD double cab's max payload rating is 30 pounds less than that of the Chevy.
Adding 4WD isn't cheap on these big trucks. Note that the standard 6.5-foot bed is what this entry's length number assumes you have; if you want the 8-foot bed, it's only $200 more and unlocks the full max towing figure (the 6.5-foot bed maxes out at 8,800 trailering pounds).
The 5.3-liter V8 and the double-cab body style team up with the optional NHT Max Trailering package to provide some serious towing and payload capacities for the money.
The Sierra 1500 gives you two options if you're looking for a rear-drive truck with the 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine and four doors. You can get the double cab, which comes with the 6.5-foot bed, or you can opt for the crew cab, which gains limo-like rear legroom but drops down to a 5.5-foot bed. If you want (and have room for) a crew cab with the 6.5-foot bed, you'll need to specify four-wheel drive.
The Sierra 1500 2.7T 4WD double cab is a capable workhorse — don't sleep on GM's 2.7-liter turbo four when it comes to towing and hauling.
The 5.3-liter V8 makes for a great pairing with 4WD, and the mandatory 8-foot long bed just adds to the functionality. If you just want an honest truck and not an SUV substitute, this is probably the most classic spec in the Sierra 1500 lineup.
The V8 crew cab doesn't cost much more than the double cab, so it's really about whether you want more space in the cabin (crew cab) or a longer bed (double cab).
The towing and payload numbers are impressive here, but keep in mind that we're quoting the maximum capacities for this configuration, which means adding the optional NHT package. The towing max goes down to 9,300 pounds without that package.
The Sierra 1500 4WD crew cab is a lot of truck, yet the overachieving 2.7T four-cylinder isn't out of its depth, as evidenced by the still-robust towing and hauling numbers. Notably, this version lets you swap out the default short bed (5.5 feet) for the regular bed (6.5 feet) if you want, an option that's not available on the rear-drive 2.7T crew cab.
The V8 crew cab 4x4 is one of the most capable all-around builds in the Sierra 1500 lineup. Just keep in mind that we are quoting best-case scenarios for towing and hauling — if you want that max towing number, add the NHT package, and if you want the max payload, technically the standard configuration without NHT lets you haul just a wee bit more.
The 3.0-liter turbodiesel inline-6 requires at least the SLE trim, which is why it easily has the highest starting price of any Sierra 1500 engine (you also can't get the diesel with the regular cab). But this is a serious truck in terms of capabilities, especially if you add the optional NHT Max Trailering package, which gives you that eye-popping tow rating of 13,200 pounds.
Diesel crew cab? That sounds like a heavy-duty truck, but you can get that combo in a Sierra 1500, too. The fuel economy with this 3.0-liter inline-6 turbodiesel is insane.
You're climbing the price ladder by adding 4WD to the Sierra 1500 double cab diesel, but you're also adding even more versatility. How many trucks in this world can tow 13,000 pounds (with the optional NHT package), take you off-road with ease, and deliver 24 mpg combined?
Why not add 4WD to the diesel crew cab? You only lose 100 pounds of max towing capacity, and especially if you get the NHT package, you've got 100 pounds to spare.
Just like its Chevy counterpart, the Sierra 1500 only offers the top-shelf 6.2-liter V8 in the 4x4 crew cab configuration. You can get it in a number of variants within that configuration, however, from the SLT we capture here, which is the cheapest way to get the 6.2, to the off-roady AT4/AT4X and the luxurious Denali/Denali Ultimate.
What are the different versions of the 2025 Sierra 1500, and how much do they cost? Select a version below or just hit the button to see our full 2025 Sierra 1500 specs and model data.
Publisher and Donkey-in-Chief
Josh has been reviewing cars professionally since joining Edmunds.com fresh out of grad school in 2008. Prior to founding MotorDonkey, he spent 15 years shaping Edmunds' expert automotive content in various capacities, starting as an associate editor and ultimately serving as a senior editor before wrapping up with a five-year term as the company's first-ever director of content strategy. Josh is a card-carrying member of the Motor Press Guild and a lifelong car nut who has driven, compared and critiqued thousands of cars in his career. Helping people find their perfect car never gets old—seriously!
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