How Does the 2023 GMC Sierra 1500 Compare to Its Competition?
Have you noticed that there are a lot of full-size trucks you could buy competing in the same market? Ford, Chevy, Ram, and of course, GMC all have an affordable option for aspiring truck owners. You may be wondering if there are so many options, which one is actually going to be the best for you. It’s an answer that will take us up, down, left, right, and in every other direction, but we believe there’s a method to the madness. At Ryan Buick GMC, we’re a GMC Dealer near Stanley who will make it our responsibility to give you accurate information so you can find the truck that will handle all of your needs. You may be surprised to know the 2023 GMC Sierra 1500 has a few tricks up its sleeve that put it ahead of some of the most recognizable trucks in the country.
Let’s begin with a simple one: price. The base trim of the 2023 Sierra 1500 is known as the Pro, and it starts at an MSRP of $37,200.[a] This price puts it relatively close to its competitors, like the Ford F-150, and comes in cheaper than the Ram 1500. Although Ford’s pickup truck is the cheapest of the bunch, you’ll soon find out why that is. Drivers in and around the city of Stanley need a pickup truck to help them complete daily tasks, and it doesn’t hurt to have a vehicle capable of towing along the likes of camping trailers to bring down to Stanley Camp. Trucks are popular in Stanley, with truck-oriented washes and repair shops in addition to the RS-Idaho SWD Hess for commercial truckers to get some rest and the Upland RV park where drivers of stronger trucks can bring campers, RVs, and the like.
Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger
Compared to the other three “entry-level” full-size pickup trucks on the market––the Chevy Silverado 1500, Ford F-150, and Ram 1500––the Sierra 1500 is one of the best performers. If you’re looking to save money and opt for a base-level trim with the standard powertrain, how does the 2023 Sierra 1500 compare to the likes of the Ram, Ford, and Chevy pickup trucks? Two of the trucks come with V6 engines, and the other two come with turbocharged I-4 engines. The two trucks with turbocharged I-4 engines, the GMC Sierra 1500 and Chevy Silverado 1500, have identical performance throughout, with a slight caveat.
Because both the Sierra 1500 and Silverado 1500 are from the same parent company, GM, it makes sense that they share the same base powertrain with the same performance metrics. Both the Sierra 1500 and Silverado 1500 output 310 hp and 430 lb-ft of torque with the 2.7L turbo engine, pair their engines to an eight-speed automatic transmission, and max out at the same 9,500 lbs of towing capacity. The Sierra tops out at 2,240 lbs of payload capacity as well. Given both trucks share cargo space and a host of other features as part of their DNA as General Motors trucks, the Sierra 1500 and Silverado 1500 are more siblings than anything else.
As for the other trucks on the market, the F-150’s base configuration is considerably less notable in its performance. The F-150 starts at an MSRP that sits around a few thousand dollars less than the base Sierra 1500, but this leaves a hefty impact on capability. One thing that the Ford F-150 does have going for it over the Sierra 1500 is a ten-speed automatic transmission is standard, whereas, on the Sierra, you need to opt for an engine that isn’t the base model for that. The 3.3L V6 engine inside the base F-150 generates 290 hp and 265 lb-ft of torque, which has a maximum towing capacity of 8,200 lbs and a max payload capacity of 1,955 lbs.
Regardless of its status as the best-selling truck, if performance is a primary concern of yours, wouldn’t it make more sense to spend some extra money on the truck that gives you 62% more torque, 14.7% more towing capacity, and a 14.6% greater payload capacity? The 2023 F-150 is also one of Ford’s vehicles to have its diesel powertrain eliminated in favor of a hybrid powertrain. To each their own, but there’s no denying that the turbo-diesel engine in the GMC Sierra 1500 outmatches the hybrid powertrain in towing and payload capacities, and in fuel economy ratings––all this despite the hybrid F-150 powertrain having significantly more horsepower and torque.
Next up, let’s talk about how the 2023 Sierra 1500 compares to its closest-priced contemporary: the Ram 1500. The Ram 1500 has many benefits going for it, including but not limited to more fuel-efficient powertrains and a slightly greater payload capacity of 2,300 lbs. However, despite this, the standard 3.6L V6 engine paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission creates a slightly lower 305 hp, but a much lower 273 lb-ft of torque, followed up by a significant reduction to towing capacity against the others, with the standard powertrain maxing out at a towing capacity of 7,730 lbs. This means the 2023 Ram 1500, which starts at a similar price to the Sierra 1500––has 57.5% less torque and 21.6% less towing capacity.
Yes, It Gets Better
Were you surprised to learn the Sierra 1500 outperforms trucks like the F-150? What may have been more surprising was the difference between it and the Ram 1500. What if we told you that the trend continues, and alongside the performance improvements you’d get with an entry-level Sierra 1500, you’ll also get more cargo space? The GMC Sierra offers three possible bed sizes, as do the Silverado and F-150; however, the Ram 1500 only has two, foregoing an eight-ft option. Even the GMC Sierra’s smallest bed size is larger than both the Ford and Ram options, though Chevy’s truck is, of course, the same. Like the engines we mentioned prior, the Sierra 1500 and Silverado 1500 are a match, so Chevy’s full-size truck won’t be part of this comparison.
The standard Sierra 1500 bed is 5.8 ft long, equating to 62.9 cu.ft. of space. You may be surprised to learn the F-150’s standard bed size is 5.5 ft long. The difference between 5.5 ft and 5.8 ft may not look like much, and on the surface, it isn’t until you realize that translates to 52.8 cu.ft. in the F-150 against the 62.9 cu.ft. in the Sierra 1500. The 2023 Ram 1500 also shares a similar fate with its standard bed size of 5.6 ft long, or 53.9 cu.ft., which is more similar to Ford’s truck than the GMC or Chevy options. Neither truck comes close to the GMC Sierra’s 8.2 ft bed with 89.1 cu.ft. of space available (the F-150 offers an 8 ft bed with 77.4 cu.ft. of volume).
A Truck Worth Driving and One Worth Buying
Full-size pickup trucks are abundant in the United States––we’re a country that appreciates large and versatile vehicles. If you are new to the truck world or just looking for an upgrade, then you are going to want to consider the GMC Sierra 1500. We’ve shown you how it compares to the competition in terms of capability, but we should also mention that this truck is far more focused on providing luxury, which is what really sets it apart from its sister truck, the Silverado 1500. If you are ready to try this truck out for yourself, contact us today or take a drive from Stanley to Minot to visit us. Ryan Buick GMC is here to be your new trusted location to find your 2023 GMC Sierra 1500.
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