Trucks and good gas mileage just don’t go hand in hand. Especially not when the truck comes with 4WD. Yet GMC has managed to pull this off with the 2021 GMC Sierra. 

This was all made possible thanks to a superior engine, and learning from past mistakes. All is not well with the 2021 GMC Sierra 1500 4WD Crew Cab 157 AT4 model, however. There are a few issues that are hard to overlook, even despite all the great gas mileage.

Note: All references to the GMC Sierra 1500 in this article unless otherwise stated refer to the 2021 GMC Sierra 1500 4WD Crew Cab 157 AT4 model.

A heavy duty truck with decent gas mileage?

The 2021 GMC Sierra 1500 4WD Crew Cab has a lot going for it. It comes with a Duramax 3.0-liter turbo diesel engine that produces 277 hp. It can also tow up to 8,900 lbs. If that’s not enticing enough, it gets 24 mpg combined according to NADAGuides. 

In a world where some electric cars can go over 300 miles before they have to be recharged, that may not seem like that big of a deal. Not everyone is enticed by the idea of having to sit at a pump for over an hour, however, and like being able to fill up quickly and get back to their daily lives.

What sets the 2021 GMC Sierra 1500 4WD apart?

The tailgate is quickly becoming one of the most important parts of a truck, and GMC was one of the first automakers to catch on to this growing trend. It originally added the Multi-Pro tailgate to the Sierra, and it really helped boost sales. There haven’t been any major updates to the 2021 Sierra tailgate, but it’s still got enough tricks to keep consumers interested. 

That’s about all that it offers, however. NADAGuides reveals a very slim list of standard offerings when it comes to safety and entertainment. There is no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. The interior is so bare of gadgets that NADAguides reports there are floor mats and a power outlet. Available heated front seats are about as fancy as it gets.

It does come with a very nice trailering technology that is useful for anyone who needs to attach a trailer. It assists drivers by making lane changes more smooth, provides trailer back up guidelines, jack-knife alert, and even has a camera that offers rear side view and cargo bed feed.

There are some drawbacks

As great as the gas mileage is, there can be no denying the fact that there are some problems with this 2021 GMC Sierra 1500 model. It’s too small for tall drivers to sit in comfortably for a long period of time, and adults sitting in the back seat is out of the question. It might not be bad for short rides to the grocery store, but road trips would be miserable.

This 2021 Sierra 1500 also has a rather rough ride. It’s not so bad that you have to check and make sure you haven’t lost any fillings, but it’s definitely not enjoyable. The Denali trim comes with suspension control that helps alleviate many of these issues, but for the extra money spent on the Denali trim would be better served for buying an F-150 or Ram 1500.

Despite its faults, U.S. News ranked the 2021 GMC Sierra No. 3 in the full-size pickup truck division. The review site praised the Sierra for its predicted reliability scores but was less impressed with the lackluster interior. For anyone looking for a work truck, it’s hard to go wrong with the 2021 GMC Sierra 1500 4WD Crew Cab 157 AT4, but others might want to look for something else.