The Sierra Hybrid: Most Powerful Hybrid on Miami Streets

Most guys do not believe that it is possible to make a hybrid that is powerful, with decent towing capacity, and enough “manliness” inside and out to justify buying it for work (i.e. construction, contracting, etc.) or pleasure (i.e. towing the boat or the jet-skis to the beach) use. Well now, guys of Miami, is the time to believe. The review below will help you understand


From Ron Amadon of MarketWatch.com:

GREEN SPRING, W.V. (MarketWatch) -- Out here in the rolling hills of the Potomac Valley, pickup trucks may outnumber the dogs. So it is a great place to test the latest truck from GMC.
Before you panic, you should know that GMC is one of the brands that GM will keep when it emerges from Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
Up and over, down and around the various hamlets that make up this very hilly area, the big truck was a delight to pilot. The switch from electric to gasoline mode was generally seamless. On an all-day drive, the GMC was perfectly comfortable and with four-wheel drive it made quick work out of steep, muddy roads and rocky hills during a couple of off-road excursions.

None of the roads showed up on the navigation system. It simply showed I was out in the middle of nowhere, and it was not lying.
Your humble road tester is still amazed at how a vehicle can easily handle some fairly difficult off-road chores, and then go back into two-wheel drive and head home on the interstate with all the comfort of a fine car.
One interesting moment was simply finding Green Spring. You wend your way through the unincorporated hamlet of Oldtown, Md., until you come to a toll bridge.
The wooden, one-lane, low-water bridge was just about wide enough for the Sierra. While I can't remember what the (cheap) toll was, the collector advised, "We haven't raised it in years," as she stuck her long handled wire cup out the window to collect my money.

Following several days of heavy rain, the river level was just below the bridge. Fortunately, the sun was out and the Sierra and I made it across the branch of the Potomac River to West Virginia. Fun stuff, all in all!

Gas and go
This being a hybrid you are probably wondering about gas mileage. Through the city streets of Washington to backed-up traffic on the beltway, to West Virginia's crazy switchback roads, I racked up an overall 18 miles per gallon. The truck is EPA rated at 20 mpg both in the city and on the highway. I thought for a truck packing a 6.0-liter V8 that wasn't bad, given that I never babied it in an effort to beat Uncle Sam's estimates.

While it takes unleaded regular, the convenience store operator in nearby Paw Paw could not be happier with my $50 fill up. Ouch!
For the technically inclined, the test truck packed 332 horsepower and 367 lb-ft of torque at 4,100 rpm. The truck came with GM's active fuel management that shuts down four of the eight cylinders out on the highway when the power is not needed. I defy you to detect when that occurs.

GMC says the truck will tow up to 5,900 pounds.
As for the hybrid system, which is available in two-wheel- and four-wheel-drive models, there is a 300-volt nickel metal hydride battery pack under the rear bench seat. This works in cahoots with a 2-mode, variable speed transmission, and two 60-kilowatt electric motors. Feathering the throttle, the electric mode can propel on its own to about 30 miles per hour. Tailwinds are optional.
The bottom line is improved gas mileage and a truck that passengers will never know is a hybrid, unless you bring up the proper screen on the navi system.
The verdict:

In summary, men, and women of the jury:
I loved the comfort and ease at which the Sierra went about its chores. The sunroof was a great addition on a warm day, and there was ample room in the back of the crew cab for three passengers. The warranty is outstanding at eight years or 100,000 miles for the energy-storage system, and five years or 100,000 miles for the powertrain.
Negatives included rather lackluster pickup, probably due to the transmission, and other steps taken to improve gas mileage -- Zero to 60 in about 9 seconds. GM could improve the quality of materials used inside, with too much hard plastic for the price.
In addition, there was the matter of price. My Florida adviser on all things truck lights up like Dick Cheney at an ACLU meeting when he sees $49,645 as the bottom line. You would have to save a ton on gas and keep the truck as long as the folks do here in Green Spring to make all that work financially.

Yet, I thoroughly enjoyed my week with the fine looking GMC, but if it were my signature on the check, I would opt for a less expensive model. Then donate some of the difference for new planks in the bridge.

See? It is possible to combine form, function, consciousness, and masculinity! For more information on this truck, and to get a personalized quick quote on this machine, go to www.brickellgmc.com