Motion Potion: This baby means business
Wondering if you’ll really be able to fuel up with E85? Hey, with this GMC, you’ve got OnStar, so you’re only one phone call away from finding the best fueling zone. Sure, you may have thought OnStar was only for emergencies, but OnStar’s Generation 7 is alive and kicking with access to more than 8 million service listings for hotels, hospitals, ATMs and airports—and, you guessed it—E85 stations. We called for directions to one of the 420 (and expanding) stations in OnStar’s database (they update it six times a year). With the ever-growing availability of E85, fueling up with this alternative will be easier than ever. Best of all, in just seconds, OnStar downloaded directions directly to the navigation system to get us to the nearest station—only 4.5 miles away.
Yet with the smooth, firm well-handling ride of this truck, you’ll likely wish the station wasn’t so close—with tunes pounding out of the Bose 6-disc changer, traveling could easily be a highlight of your day.
The Enviro-meter: An easy alternative
Drive the flex-fuel GMC Sierra and you’ve got one of the easiest ways to tout alt fuel-ability. With the ability to run any percentage of E85 or gasoline, the GMC Sierra’s engine automatically adjusts for the correct fuel delivery ratio. Even though mileage efficiency dropped by about one and a-half miles per gallon driving on E85, the pocket pinch and the greenhouse gas emissions and smog-forming emissions are less. And that’s why drivers of big vehicles like the Sierra are applauding the flex-fuel-ability of GM’s larger vehicles. And yes, the exhaust does score well on Scott’s sniffer test. E85 doesn’t burn as cleanly as natural gas or propane, but it doesn’t have the harsh and pungent odor of pure gasoline exhaust. The nose doesn’t lie.
And GM’s flex-fuel vehicle flier states that E85 helps to improve vehicle performance since it has a higher octane rating than gasoline--and that allows for more horsepower and torque. While E85 is currently manufactured from corn and grain, research into the growing possibilities of using agricultural and forestry waste and other biomass opens the doors for plentiful fuel feedstock that has virtually no impact on the world’s food supply.
When it’s all said & done: Big on flavor, low on guilt
It was hard to see the week end and say goodbye to this one. We enjoyed driving this truck so much that we had to divvy up the time, just to be fair to each of us. It went to the grocery store (yes, those 170 degree opening rear doors are super for loading kids and groceries and other cargo into the extended cab), the lumber yard, and on a family bike trip—the perfect opportunity for using the nifty cargo management system for hauling four bikes on our way to a Sunday afternoon rail trail ride. Really, GM has thought of everything you could want in a truck—and it’s here.
Yes indeed, if you’ve got a load of work to do and you’re in favor of supporting the home-grown E85 revolution, here’s one way to super-size it and leave the guilt-trip in your dust.
- Pros:
- Flex-fuel-ability
- Exceptional power
- Plush comfort for all travelers
- Handsome styling
- Cylinder deactivation for better fuel economy
- Cons:
- A little pricey
- A tad fuel thirsty (even with cylinder deactivation)
- Big—even with parking assistance, you might want to scout out the largest parking spaces
Who should buy the GMC Sierra: Someone who needs haul-ability but also likes comfort, power and safety. Oh yeah, they have a bit of a green conscience too.
Who should not buy the GMC Sierra: It’s not for the thrifty—forget it if you don’t have a family and big hauling requirements. If you’re frugal and like to log many miles on a gallon of fuel, best not go there.
Details and Specs:
Technical Features: 4-speed automatic transmission, Z85 handling/trailering suspension, 145 amp alternator
Safety Features: 4-wheel ABS, dual stage front and side impact airbags, OnStar Generation 7, stabilitrak-stability control
Interior Features: auto dual AC zone, 6-disc CD/MP3 and multimedia navigation, driver info center, 6-gauge cluster and dual 2-volt aux power outlets, power sunroof
Exterior Features: GVW Rating – 7,000 lbs., cargo management system, 170 degree wide opening rear doors
Page One: Initial Impressions, Insider's View and Fuel-ability