2005 GMC Sierra 1500HD Review (continued)
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Walkaround

The front styling of the GMC Sierra ties it closely to the mid-size GMC Envoy, and to some of the great GMC pickups of the past. The chrome-framed grille consists of three black horizontal bars that prominently display a big red GMC emblem. Chromed front bumpers include two airflow cutouts. Up-level models have a body-colored lower front fascia; base models have a light-charcoal fascia. An optional grille/brush guard adds front-end protection. A single OnStar roof antenna combines the GPS and cell-phone functions.

Compared with the Chevrolet Silverado, GMC's styling is more conservative, more mature, with smoother, more sophisticated lines. Overall, it's a look that a lot of truck buyers like: more upscale than the Chevrolet pickup, more conservative than the Dodge or Ford pickups.

Like the Denali versions of the Yukon and Envoy, Sierra Denali features a distinctive front-end appearance. Its chromed mesh grille looks like something from a hot-rod shop. Projector-beam headlamps and unique front fascia and fog lamps add up-market distinction, along with body color on the door handles, side moldings, tailgate handle, outside mirrors, rear bumper and tonneau cover. Chrome running boards with integral mud guards further distinguish the Denali from other Sierras.

For 2005, nearly all Sierras come with 17-inch wheels: painted steel on work trucks, chromed steel on base and SLE, aluminum on SLT and polished aluminum on Denali. The only exceptions are the 1500HD and the Hybrid, which make do with 16-inch rims. Denali models are available with 20-inch wheels for a stronger styling statement.

The load height (the distance from the ground to the bed) for 2WD Sierra models is just 31.6 inches. For 4WD models, it's 33.7 inches. Those numbers start to look a lot more important when you have to lift something heavy into the pickup bed.

All GMC Sierras are built on the stiffest and lightest truck frame General Motors has ever produced. The frame rails are hydroformed, a process that uses high-pressure hydraulics to shape relatively large steel components. Tubular crossmembers and roll-formed mid-rails increase rigidity further. This stiff structure enhances handling and ride quality immensely, while improving crashworthiness.

Interior Features

The GMC Sierra cab remains among the roomiest in the industry, with large door openings to aid entry and exit. The seats are big and cushy. Whether you like them depends to some extent on how you're built and how you like your seats. I don't find them as comfortable as those in other pickups, which use firmer, more contoured, more supportive seats. Other pickup owners find the GM seats more to their liking. Also, the interior door handles are ropey and awkward.

The instrument cluster features highly legible gauges with white backlighting and orange pointers. The Denali's gauges are unique and feature blue backlighting and white pointers. A driver information center reports on as many as 27 vehicle functions with an easy-to-read, single-line LCD display. A compass is incorporated into the overhead console, along with three storage areas for sunglasses, garage door opener, and small items.

Audio and climate controls are sophisticated, yet easy to operate. XM Satellite Radio is available as an option ($325), great for traveling because the stations don't change as you drive across the country, allowing you to keep up on news and weather or listen to your favorite types of music. You still get ads, but XM Satellite seems less commercial than FM. The system comes with AM, FM1, FM2, XM1, and XM2 bands. Steering wheel-mounted audio controls (on SLT and Denali) make it easy to switch among station presets and modes. Set your stations carefully and you can quickly zip to favorite stations scattered among AM, FM, and XM Satellite without taking your hands off the wheel.

New Gen 6 OnStar is easier to use hands-free, thanks to more intuitive dialing and improved voice recognition. OnStar is the leading provider of in-vehicle safety, security and information services in the United States and Canada. Using the GPS satellite network and wireless technology, OnStar features core safety services and OnStar Personal Calling that allows drivers to make and receive hands-free, voice-activated phone calls. If you crash and set the airbags off, an OnStar operator will direct emergency crews to your truck, unless you respond. OnStar operators can direct you to the nearest ATM or the best Mexican restaurant in the area, and they can unlock the doors if you lock the keys inside.

Optional bucket seats come with an extended center console that flows into the instrument panel. It includes a storage compartment and a 12-volt power outlet at the rear. All Sierras come with two 12-volt power outlets at the bottom center of the dash. Vents and HVAC controls for rear-seat passengers are mounted on the rear of the center console on Crew Cabs and Extended Cabs.

Extended-cab models offer surprisingly good back seat accommodations. Climb through the reverse-opening rear door and find a seat that's reasonably comfortable. Rear-seat passengers get their own air-conditioning outlets and a set of drop-down cup holders. When cargo capacity is more important than hauling passengers, the entire rear seat assembly can be loosened from the floor with a wrench and removed through one of the side doors. Not exactly a quick release, but a useful feature.

The rear seats in the Crew Cab models are as roomy as the second-row of seats in a Suburban. Sierra Crew Cabs are capable of carrying six passengers and are very roomy with four. With optional leather, a Crew Cab feels truly luxurious. Rear seats are split 60/40 and fold down, providing a large protected cargo area inside the cab.

A Panasonic DVD system ($1,295) is available for Denali and Crew Cab models, turning them into real family vehicles. The system comes with a seven-inch flip-down screen for watching DVD movies and cartoons, a CD player, two sets of wireless headphones with independent volume control, a wireless remote control and three sets of auxiliary video and audio inputs.

Safety is enhanced with dual-stage airbags (1500 only), which deploy with less force in less-severe collisions. An automatic passenger-sensing system assesses whether the occupant in the seat is an adult or child, based on weight and seat belt tension, and deactivates the passenger-side air bag accordingly. An indicator light in the rearview mirror lets the driver know when the airbag is deactivated. Three-point seat belts are provided in all first and second-row seat positions.