When you see a Sierra 1500 at your GMC dealer, you might wonder what makes it stand out among other trucks in its class. There are plenty of popular full-size, light-duty pickup trucks out there, from other American models like the Ram 1500 and Ford F-150 to imported options like the Toyota Tundra and Nissan Titan. With so many choices out there, it can be easy to get lost in the crowd. However, the 2025 GMC Sierra 1500 manages to stay competitive by being an all-around excellent truck.
Where some trucks put all of their eggs in one basket, the Sierra is well-rounded and ready for anything. That makes it a great choice for all kinds of drivers, from those who just need to tackle the occasional weekend project to those who do hard work in their pickup day in and day out, not to mention the thrill-seekers out there who want to take their truck beyond the confines of paved roads. So today, let’s take a look at the top four qualities that make the Sierra the great truck that it is.
#1 – Stout Towing & Hauling Capacities
For many drivers, towing and hauling capacities are the most important. It doesn’t matter what cool features and standard luxuries a truck might offer if it is simply incapable of handling the trailer or can’t carry a full load of cargo in its bed. GMC knows this and has given the Sierra stout maximum capacities that make it a contender for drivers who need a proper workhorse of a truck. The 2025 Sierra 1500 has a maximum towing capacity of 13,200 lbs and a maximum payload capacity of 2,240 lbs. The 2025 Toyota Tundra can’t match either of those figures, trailing in towing by over 1,000 lbs, while the 2025 Ram 1500 offers a slightly higher (2,370 lbs) max payload figure but doesn’t even crack 12,000 lbs of towing capacity. The Ford F-150 and Chevy Silverado can tow a bit more, but neither overshoots the Sierra’s figure by more than 300 lbs, which isn’t likely to be a deciding factor for most drivers.
#2 – Highly Configurable
Every truck driver has their own set of needs, priorities, and budgetary restrictions. There is no way to produce a one-size-fits-all product for this demographic. That’s why the GMC Sierra offers drivers plenty of choice. You can truly have this truck your way, configuring it into a vehicle that fits your needs like a well-worn glove.
The Sierra offers three different cab styles (single, double, and crew) and three different bed lengths (short, standard, and long) for you to mix and match based on how many passengers and how much cargo you need to carry, allowing you to get your needs covered without paying extra for space you won’t be using. While these options are fairly standard, not all trucks offer all of them these days. The 2025 Toyota Tundra and Ram 1500 don’t offer single cabs, for instance, and the Ram doesn’t have a long bed either.
You can also choose from four different powertrains: a gas-powered turbocharged I-4, two different gas-powered V8s, and a turbo-diesel I-6. Diesel engines are getting harder to come by in light-duty trucks these days, which is a shame for drivers who appreciate their benefits. Diesel packs more power into every gallon than gasoline, which means that diesel engines tend to be more fuel-efficient than their gas counterparts. However, where hybrid powertrains often provide fuel economy at the expense of towing capacity, diesel engines are naturally high in torque, making them a great choice for towing heavy loads. While the 2025 Ford F-150, Ram 1500, and Toyota Tundra don’t have diesel engines in their lineup, the Sierra 1500 gives you that option, alongside a great selection of gas engines that can hold their own against the competition.
#3 – MultiPro Tailgate
You may have noticed that several pickup trucks are boasting about tailgates that do more than just open and close traditionally. While this trend has been picked up by the likes of Ram and Ford, most agree that this recent wave of trick tailgates originated with the MultiPro Tailgate, which premiered on the 2019 GMC Sierra and has been impressing drivers ever since. While Ram’s Multifunction tailgate and Ford’s Pro Access tailgate are meant to compete with the MultiPro, both are essentially one-trick ponies with the same trick: they can split apart at the 60/40 mark and swing open like barn doors, in addition to opening and closing in the usual up/down direction, which can come in handy for accessing the bed with a trailer hitched up.
The MultiPro tailgate, on the other hand, has multiple useful functions that can come in handy on the road, at a worksite, or at a tailgate party. Inside the main tailgate, you’ll find a smaller inner gate that can open and close independently. Based on how you configure both gates, you can make this setup act as a load stop for extra-long cargo, a full-width bed step for easy access to cargo, a cutout in the main gate that lets you reach further into the bed without stepping up, a footrest for hanging out in the bed, or a work surface with an excellent height that doesn’t make you hunch over uncomfortably. And while the multi-use tailgates on some other trucks cost extra to add even to top-tier trims, the MultiPro tailgate comes standard on almost every trim of the 2025 GMC Sierra 1500: all but the entry-level Pro.
#4 – Useful Tech
The Sierra 1500 has a wide array of tech features on board. And while some are the standard fare you’ll find in just about any modern car, truck, or SUV on the road (wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, multiple display screens, a suite of driver assistance features like automatic emergency braking and automatic high-beam headlights, etc.) others are specifically geared toward the unique needs of truck drivers. This means high-tech features that are designed to improve your experience when you’re doing things like towing heavy trailers or heading off-road.
With Trailer Side Blind Zone Alert, you’ll be able to easily figure out when it’s safe to change lanes on the highway, even with a bulky trailer in tow. You can also use the in-vehicle trailering app to access a checklist of things to do before you head out, test your trailer’s turn signal and brake lights, get electrical diagnostics, keep track of your trailer’s mileage and tire pressure, and more. And while many trucks offer hands-free driver assistance as an available feature on top-tier trims, GM’s Super Cruise is unique in that it can be used while you’re towing.
There are up to 14 camera views available on the Sierra 1500, including a Transparent Trailer View to let you see what’s behind you, a Hitch View to help you line up with your trailer, a Rear Side View with Trailer Biasing, and a Rear Trailer View with Trailer Angle Indicator. There’s also a Surround View, which can come in handy when parking your truck or navigating tight spaces on OHV trails or at campsites. Front Camera View is also an asset for off-roading since it lets you see low-lying obstacles that might be in your way. The available Head-Up Display projects information onto your lower windshield and is semi-transparent, so you can use it without taking your eyes off the road or trail ahead of you.
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