2013 GMC Sierra 3500HD

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The most capable heavy-duty truck in GMC's line-up, the Sierra 3500HD, is available with dual rear wheels for serious towing and hauling capabilities. It is positioned above the slightly less rugged Sierra 2500HD and is also available in luxurious Denali form.

Five body / drivetrain styles exist: a Regular Cab 4WD, Extended Cab 2WD or 4WD, Crew Cab with 2WD or 4WD. All could be had with single rear wheels or double. All sport the Long, 97.8-inch box. All body styles are available with one of two engines: a gasoline-fueled Vortec 6.0-liter V8 that is rated at 360 horsepower at 5,400 rpm and 380 lb-ft of torque at 4,400 rpm. The diesel-fueled alternative is a 6.6-liter V8 labeled Duramax, which is built for GM by Isuzu. This oil-burner makes 397 horsepower and a stump-pulling 765 lb-ft of torque at just 1,600 rpm.

The gas engine comes only with a heavy duty six-speed automatic transmission, which includes a tow / haul mode. The Duramax is hitched exclusively to an Allison 1000 six-speed, which also has a tow / haul mode but throws in electronic engine grade braking. Both combinations get a 3.73-ratio rear axle, with a 4.10 axle available for the gasoline-powered 2500HDs only.

All models feature an auxiliary external transmission oil cooler, as well as an external engine oil cooler. Braking is accomplished with discs all around, with anti-lock control across the range.

Rear parking assist is a noteworthy standalone option, as is heated windshield washer fluid.

Making sure to keep this heavy duty truck fresh inside, GMC has added USB connectivity to the center console for music storage and device recharging capability. OnStar has also been updated to the latest standard, including long-range remote start and traffic probe functions.

The maximum payload capacity belongs to the Regular Cab 3500 with 2WD and single rear wheels at 4,632 lbs. Opt for the 4WD "skinny" model and the Extended Cab takes that distinction with a 4,420 lb bed capacity. The strongest dually, is the Regular Cab 4x2 with a bed capacity of 6,635 lbs.

As for towing, ball-hitch maximums are 17,000lbs when the diesel is doing the pulling, or 14,100 with a 4.10 axle on the Regular cab 2WD model with the Vortec V8 under the hood.

Equip the 3500 with a fifth-wheel hitch to tow a gooseneck trailer, (only with the 4.10 axle on gas models) and the numbers don't change for the gas-powered truck, but the diesels is capable of a maximum of 21,500 lbs when in crew cab, 2WD, dual rear wheel guise.

Along with an optional heated steering wheel, heated and cooled leather-appointed seating is available.

Occupant Safety
Standard safety features include dual front airbags in addition traction and stability control systems and a tire-pressure monitoring system. Notably, unlike nearly every other vehicle on the market, the truck does not features standard side and side-curtain airbags. These important safety items are extra-cost options.

Key Competitors
The Sierra 3500HD squares off against full-size heavy duty pickups such as the semi-like Ford F-350 Super Duty and the Ram 3500.

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