2011 GMC Sierra 1500 Hybrid
The exterior of the 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 Hybrid will be a lot similar to that of the conventional Sierra 1500.
One of the most disappointing things about the 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 Hybrid is its interior. The features on the base hybrid are more numerous than features on the base non-hybrid Sierra 1500.
Like many hybrids, the inner workings of the 2011 GMC 1500 Hybrid are complex and intriguing. The 2011 Sierra 1500 Hybrid's unique electrically variable transmission allows it to get up to 29 miles per hour on electric power alone. As brawny as the 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 Hybrid is, one would expect it to be a bit unwieldy. One of the biggest drawbacks of the Sierra 1500 Hybrid is its huge price tag. Finally, sluggish performance means that the 1500 Hybrid simply isn't a whole lot of fun to drive.
The Sierra Hybrid's impressive around-town fuel economy -- typically 6-7 mpg higher than competitive non-hybrids -- is arguably the best reason to buy. The two-mode hybrid powertrain on the 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 Hybrid is no small engineering triumph. A nickel-metal hydride battery pack (located underneath the rear bench seat) provides the charge for the electric motors, and a regenerative braking system recharges that battery pack during deceleration.
With the electric motors kicked in, the combined output is 379 horsepower. Even the miserly Sierra XFE is rated just 1 mpg less than the Hybrid's 23 mpg highway rating, while the standard 5.3-liter V8 Silverado still rates a respectable 21 highway mpg. The Hybrid's uneven power delivery and unremarkable towing capacity for its class further limit its appeal.
For most people, though, the 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 Hybrid will likely remain an overpriced curiosity.
The 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 Hybrid is a full-size crew-cab pickup available in a single trim level. Available in either two- or four-wheel-drive, the Sierra 1500 Hybrid is powered by a 6.0-liter V8. In Edmunds testing, a 4WD Sierra Hybrid took a leisurely 9.2 seconds to get from zero to 60 mph. EPA fuel economy estimates are 20 mpg city/23 mpg highway and 21 combined.
Safety
The 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 Hybrid comes standard with stability control, antilock disc brakes and full-length side curtain airbags. It got four stars for overall frontal crash protection and five stars for overall side crash protection. Inside, the 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 Hybrid is all work truck.
Driving Impressions
The 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 Hybrid doesn't feel as powerful as 6.0 liters and a claimed 379 hp would suggest.
The electric power steering is transparent enough not to highlight itself as in other hybrids.
The 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 Hybrid ranks 8 out of 8 Full Size Pickup Trucks. In general, the GMC Sierra 1500 Hybrid impresses reviewers with a winning combination of impressive around-town fuel economy and full size truck capabilities. Road and Track says the Sierra Hybrid "offers the fuel efficiency and lower emissions of a hybrid with zero compromise to the truck utility side of the equation."
Both the GMC Sierra 1500 Hybrid and its twin the Chevy Silverado 1500 Hybrid were introduced in 2009.
