Used 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 Hybrid Truck Review & Ratings

if you are looking for a truck and a hybrid and assuming you will just have to settle for one or the other, think again. The 2012 GMC Sierra 1500 fits the description of both! Imagine a pick-up that can offer you decent fuel efficiency, backed by a V8 engine for power and an electric motor that can serve as your back-up. This is clearly demonstrated in the Sierra 1500 Hybrid pick-up, which efficiently fuses the best of both worlds.

Though it seems that the 2012 GMC Sierra 1500 Hybrid Truck promises loads of benefits, it still nets mixed reviews. When it comes to fuel economy, this pick-up is rated excellent, as it returns 20 mpg in the city and 23 mpg on the highway. When compared to other hybrids in its class, this GMC pick-up rates well again. It comes with dual electric motors, which can push the vehicle to roughly 30 miles per hour and once it reaches this level, the V8 engine takes over. At the core of the technological advancement of the 2012 GMC 1500 Hybrid Truck is the use of the 2-mode hybrid powertrain. This system maintains the operations of the two electric motors, clutches and gear sets.

This technology also manages the 4-speed electrically variable transmission. There is a nickel-metal hydride battery pack that charges the electric motors of the pick-up. When the two motors are working at the same time, the power output is rated at 332 horsepower and 367 pound-feet of torque. The biggest selling-point of this hybrid is the 2-mode hybrid propulsion system. This system actually helps in the determination of the amount of power that is needed at a given time and selects the best mode of operation. The end result is a vehicle that receives excellent fuel efficiency, calculated to be 33 percent better than other non-hybrids. Still, although this power looks impressive on paper, it takes the Sierra 1500 Hybrid a slow 9.2 seconds to accelerate zero to 60 mph. Towing capacity is decent thought at 6,100 pounds.

When it comes to safety, this hybrid is certainly not winning any awards. Although it is equipped with all the safety features that GMC is so well-known for, the Sierra 1500 Hybrid only scores "Acceptable" in side-impact and "Marginal" in roof-strength crash tests. It does however rate a "Good" in frontal-offset. Braking from 60 mph takes 144 feet, which is significantly longer than other trucks in this class.