The 2014 GMC Sierra. |
Have you read my review of the 2014 Nissan Frontier PRO-4X? If not, you can click that link or maybe scroll down a post, if the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief is posting these in sequence (I am.-Ed.).
For those not so inclined, the short version: The PRO-4X is a ten-year-old design, refreshed five years ago. A midsize whose roots in the past give it a powertrain that can only manage 15 miles per gallon in the city and 21 on the highway, with an as-tested price of $36,050.
In contrast, look what is happening in full-size trucks:
This is the newly-redesigned GMC Sierra 1500. It and its corporate cousin, the Chevrolet Silverado, are full-size pickups that embody the state of the art of trucks today, engaged in an ongoing game of oneupsmanship with RAM and Ford. Until the new F-150 arrives in a few months, this is as good as it gets.
2014 GMC Sierra. |
In mid-level SLE trim, the base price for a double-cab four-wheel drive is $37,065. That is a mere $1,015 more than the PRO-4X. And it comes with OnStar, power windows and locks, air conditioning, a color driver information display, a leather-wrapped steering column, essentially everything the Nissan does, plus more room, more comfort and....
Better fuel economy.
Than a smaller Nissan.
The Sierra, thanks to a 4.3-liter Ecotec3 engine and a six-speed automatic transmission, is EPA rated at 17 city/22 highway. That is better than the smaller truck on both counts.
This is the flip side of the coin. The Sierra is a textbook example of competition improving the breed, with all three American manufacturers of full-size trucks in a pitched battle to deliver the cutting edge in utility, comfort and efficiency.
2014 GMC Sierra interior |
Yes, that is $5,000 more than the Nissan, but look at what you get. And what would the monthly payment difference be over a five-year loan? Is it any wonder people who really do not need a full-size truck are buying them anyway?
It's been said that what American automakers build best are pickup trucks. And this is the best yet.