2000 GMC Sierra Pickup Reviews & Ratings

The GMC Sierra's interior is one of the most inviting and comfortable in the business.

The interior reflects traditional GMC pickup truck thinking. The door openings are now the largest in the industry and the cab is the roomiest. The instrument package comprises a large speedometer and tachometer flanked by four smaller gauges. All use pleasant graphics in white on black. The sound system control panel is located above the climate controls. The climate control system uses a rotary dial layout that works perfectly. There are three 12-volt outlets at the bottom center of the dashboard for radar detectors, cellular telephones, laptop computers, and other accessories. New for 2000 is a programmable door locking feature that can be armed to automatically lock and unlock doors.

Our test truck was an SLE Extended Cab four-door equipped with bucket seats, that provided good support in hard corners. The front seats were equipped with optional heaters. The SLE package comes with a lockable floor console that's large enough to hold a picnic lunch for a family of four; it comes with a reversible, removable cupholder tray and a storage nook in front of the lid. Air-conditioning outlets and a set of drop-down cup holders are built in for rear-seat passengers. A compass is incorporated into the SLE's overhead console, along with three storage areas for sunglasses, garage door opener, and small items. The door trim is a nice combination of vinyl panels and dotted velour that is soft and warm to the touch.

We were pleasantly surprised when we climbed through the new fourth door on the driver's side of the extended-cab Sierra, as the back seat has been redesigned and remounted for far greater room and comfort. With the fourth door, the rear compartment, and the compartment as a whole, seems cavernous, and at least 50 percent more convenient. When cargo capacity is more important than hauling passengers, the entire rear seat assembly can be removed through either of the side doors with a wrench. With the availability of the fourth door, GMC now offers a complete, competitive line of American pickup trucks leaving no advantage to Ford or Dodge.

The Sierra SLE is so quiet and well-behaved that it could be mistaken for a luxury car.

That is largely due to the new chassis, which offers a 23-percent increase in stiffness. New mounting and isolation hardware reduces noise and vibration. A cast magnesium beam behind the instrument panel and a lateral steel beam between the magnesium beam and the right side of the dash further reinforce the stiff body. This is a very strong truck, and its strength lets the suspension soak up and manage all the bumps and ruts and tar strips so well that its overall ride behavior is luxurious. Its 143.5-inch wheelbase improves the ride and enhances high-speed stability. A four-spoke steering wheel connects to a new rack-and-pinion steering system that has a fairly wide dead spot in the center when cruising, which GMC says is designed to minimize steering corrections on the highway. The steering feels a bit light, but we found it tracks beautifully and handles well on pavement, loose dirt, deep dirt and even off road.

The 4.8-liter small-block V8 is the most popular engine for this truck. Our Sierra LT came with the optional 5.3-liter (324 cubic-inch) engine, rated at 285 horsepower and 325 foot-pounds of torque for 2000. This engine has a fat torque curve, which makes it useful for light towing and hauling, but it's also a lot of fun for commuting and touring. The new engine is a much better small-block than before, and we recommend the 5.3-liter over the smaller 4.8-liter version.

Brakes have been improved substantially over the previous model and it's a welcome improvement. The four-wheel disc brakes are huge and powerful and come standard with ABS. Braking force comes into play only an inch into the pedal travel, a welcome improvement over the mushy pedal on the previous C/K pickup. A new feature called Dynamic Rear Proportioning improves stability under heavy braking whether the truck is loaded or empty. GMC promises huge improvements in fade resistance, pad life and heat dissipation, and after beating these brakes hard we believe them.

Like all big American-made pickups, the Sierra comes in two- and four-wheel-drive versions, in 1500 and 2500 weight ranges, in short- and long-bed bodies, with fendered and nonfendered beds, two-, three-, and new for 2000, four-door extended cabs in base, SL, SLE and SLT trim levels. There are four gasoline engines to choose from, a V6 and three V8s, and two transmissions, a 5-speed manual and a 4-speed automatic.