If your thinking about purchasing a 2014 Sierra/Silverado

surebuttercringe · July 10, 2014

And to compare the 5.3 with Ecoboost and Hemi is just ridiculous. Bring on the 6.2 vs those two and there is no competition.

Poorly done article IMO.

I could see your argument for the HEMI as the 6.2L GM engine is close to it in specs, but to put the GM 6.2L against the EcoBoost is not an equal comparison as Ford has their own 6.2L. They should have compared the 5.3L GM to the 5.0L Ford for a more balanced comparison since the EcoBoost still has it beat in HP and torque (going strictly by the numbers).

GMANsr · July 10, 2014

I could care less whether or not the 5.3 barely beat out a Ram 1500 V6 or that the Ecoboost F-150 is slightly faster. I love the fuel economy that I am getting, and I sat in the F-150, and for me the Sierra/Silverado has more room. Down here in Houston, there are just plain a lot of trucks here. All brands, and you see them all on the road in various ages. I just prefer my GMC Sierra.

Bowtiejunkie · July 10, 2014

was the 3.73 gear option 'no cost' in the early run of 2014's? Only way to get it now seems if via the Max Trailering option @ $1,325, plus I think the $200 tire option forced on as well. At least with the Sierra I purchased anyway. Frankly, as a consumer, I don't buy a truck worried too much about gas mileage. I view it the same as buying a boat. The fuel usage is my least concern.

5.3 w/3.73 gears gets moving nicely IMO.

I don't put much stock in what a magazine review states. It's largely one or several person's opinion anyway. I do agree about the lack of throttle response.

SLT for me · July 10, 2014

I was hoping to see an improvement in the '14s regarding the throttle response. I'm sure there has been complaints about this in prior years. Honestly my '12 6.2 NHT (3.73) was underwhelming to say the least in stock form. Took at least 3/4 pedal to get it to stop short shifting and actually accelerate quicker than a moped.

bling · July 11, 2014

That review makes me angry. doing a 1/4 mile with anything that has 3:08's in it is just plain stupid as that truck is built for mpg not drag racing. I love my truck as I actually knew how to pick out a truck when looking through options. But I do agree that GM should take a bit of a hit on mpg tune the vehicles a bit more aggressively dump the stupid tall gears and make 3:73's available as a choice not part of some stupid "max" package. MT can f off lol

Luster · July 11, 2014

That review makes me angry. doing a 1/4 mile with anything that has 3:08's in it is just plain stupid as that truck is built for mpg not drag racing. I love my truck as I actually knew how to pick out a truck when looking through options. But I do agree that GM should take a bit of a hit on mpg tune the vehicles a bit more aggressively dump the stupid tall gears and make 3:73's available as a choice not part of some stupid "max" package. MT can f off lol

Agree 100%. If I have my choice between GMC, Ford or Dodge, I'll take the GMC/Chevy every time. This is a great truck.

RVJ · July 11, 2014

I didn't buy a 4WD truck to race, so I really don't care if it gets to the next stop light first. I didn't buy it with the intention of smoking the tires so I really don't care if it spins the tires or not, I've never tried. The fact is that I had a 13 F150 with the 5.0 and a 14 Ram with the 5.7 already. I won't make those mistakes again. I hate the MPG a 4WD truck gets, but I live in the country, I'm on call 24/7, and I have to have 4WD to get to work when called in. I bought my 2014 Silverado for the 4WD, the looks, the dependability, the reputation and because of the rated mpg. The MPG is way better than I had hoped for, if I can always get more than 19 mpg ( hand calculated), I will always be happy. No rattles, no problems, no complaints. The most comfortable vehicle I have ever driven and the most enjoyable vehicle I have ever driven.

Archaic2021 · July 11, 2014

It's all subjective, I have 3.08 and the performance suits me fine.

This. With a stock tire the 3.08 isn't that bad. Espeically with the new power.

From previous experience anything over a 33" tall tire is gonna require re-gearing. My 13 had 3.42's and 35's...HATED IT! My 3.08 with stock tires is perfectly fine. Now if I ever do decide to go up with this truck. The gears will be done before anything..and also if I decide to start doing heavy mod's gears will be first choice anyways..but for stock...3.08 are fine.

KARNUT · July 11, 2014

I get paid to drive a truck, I get the gas paid for in my truck. Im also a performance junky, I always mod my trucks for performance if need to suit my taste. If I didn't need to have a truck I would just have an older one to use as needed. I would drive a performance car as a daily driver, and get much better fuel mileage. The point you ask, why would any one that didn't need a truck drive one then complain about gas mileage?

diannabill · July 11, 2014

It's all subjective, I have 3.08 and the performance suits me fine.

Same here - lots of power and absolutely no complaints.

fondupot · July 11, 2014

I stopped reading after the article said the tester they had was a 5.3 with 3.08, and that it had a towing capacity of 9600 lbs.....that's flat out wrong. That truck is only equipped to tow 6,500 lbs.

If they cant get specs right on the truck they are testing, I can't take much of the rest of the article seriously. Not to mention the gratuitous grammar errors throughout the article. It was like reading a train wreck.

I have nearly 10,000 miles on my Sierra. 5.3L 3.42 gears. And I love every minute.

sirbOOm · July 11, 2014

I drive like a grandma most of the time to save gas, regardless, but I have a LT Z71 with the 5.3L and 3.42. On a 50 mi. stretch my computer said I bested at 23.1 MPG (flat area) and averaged along the trip from Nashville to Atlanta (which includes some almost mountains) at 20.1. I have pulled my 1968 Lincoln Continental on a "not made of aluminum-heavy" trailer in both this and my 2011 5.3L LT Z71 with the same gearing and both of them handled it well and weren't dipping in the back much at all - the truck just leveled flat. The 2014 did uphills with a bit less drama - and it's so quiet inside. A 1968 Lincoln Continental is NOT light... at all.

I considered a RAM with the air suspension but was scared that it'd break down after the warranty. Plus there is only one or two "looks" of the RAM that make it look good and those are essentially the ultra expensive ones and only with huge rims with consequently ultra-expensive tires.

I haven't liked what a Ford pickup has looked like (except the Raptor) since the 90's... so I didn't even bother. Plus I take them apart all the time for car audio installations and, at least the last generation and the one prior to it, are assembled like shyte and don't wear well at all.

I considered the Toyota and almost got one that I really liked, but I started noticing a few of the switches on the otherwise nice dash looked like they came out of a parts bin from older model vehicles and the gas mileage was terrible - bigger engine, sure, but 18MPG TOPS on the highway? Well... I guess the truck will most likely last the longest given Toyota's longevity history but... 18 MPG? Man... that just pushed me away.

ChrisNJ · July 11, 2014

I was hoping to see an improvement in the '14s regarding the throttle response. I'm sure there has been complaints about this in prior years. Honestly my '12 6.2 NHT (3.73) was underwhelming to say the least in stock form. Took at least 3/4 pedal to get it to stop short shifting and actually accelerate quicker than a moped.

Night and day Jim. I had the older 6.2 too, 2 of them, and I hated the trans setpoints too, so much so that I usually used manual shift mode which was a PITA. I am very pleased with my '14 6.2/3.42's, it works great. Go drive one.

My theory on why they sucked so bad before is CAFE. And now with DI, they had more liberty to make the darn trans work right this time.

ChrisNJ · July 11, 2014

GM sends the 3.08's on purpose. They have to win the MPG war, even if it costs performance & towing. The goal is to win a winnable category & with 3.08's they got MPG in the bag.

Whoever sent the 3.08 should be fired. The magazine isn't going to tell a difference in 1mpg, but they certainly will state how it 'performs', and IMO, that article did damage to GM. Enough so that at least a GM buyer might actually go drive one of the others. Again, whoever sent that 3.08 should be fired.

ChrisNJ · July 11, 2014

I could see your argument for the HEMI as the 6.2L GM engine is close to it in specs, but to put the GM 6.2L against the EcoBoost is not an equal comparison as Ford has their own 6.2L. They should have compared the 5.3L GM to the 5.0L Ford for a more balanced comparison since the EcoBoost still has it beat in HP and torque (going strictly by the numbers).

I don't think you can get Ford's 6.2 in the F150, could be wrong though, but last time I looked you couldn't. So the test could/should be, "the best the three can build".

GM wins in performance, hands down, the new 6.2 is awesome, IMO.