2020 GMC Sierra 2500HD vs 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD

The 2020 GMC Sierra 2500HD was a behemoth of a truck, prioritizing function over form. Its massive grille fed multiple radiators, ensuring the engine and other subsystems were always ready for serious work. The Denali trim stood out with its extensive use of chrome, including a large chrome grille and chrome wheels. The Denali was available in several premium exterior colors, with Onyx Black being particularly popular. Despite its flashy appearance, the Denali was still a workhorse at heart, with a full leather interior, wood-grain inserts, and a Bose premium sound system. However, the fit-and-finish of the cabin left something to be desired, especially when compared to competitors like the Ram 2500 Limited.

The 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD had a polarizing design, with a front end and grille that resembled a vintage furnace or a freight train. Despite its unconventional exterior, the cabin was more traditional and spacious, offering plenty of headroom and legroom. The Silverado 3500HD was available in several trims, including the W/T, LT, LTZ, and High Country. The High Country trim featured luxury touches like heated and ventilated front seats, chrome side steps, and a Bose premium sound system. The Silverado also offered practical features like bed steps integrated into the corners of the rear bumper and additional step-ups along the side of the bed.

The 2020 GMC Sierra 2500HD offered two V8 engine options: a 6.6-liter gas engine producing 401 horsepower and 464 pound-feet of torque, and a 6.6-liter Duramax diesel engine delivering 445 horsepower and a staggering 910 pound-feet of torque. The gas engine was paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission, while the diesel engine came with a 10-speed Allison transmission. The diesel engine provided impressive power, making the truck feel lively despite its size. The Sierra 2500HD could tow up to 18,510 pounds with a 5th wheel or gooseneck connection and had a payload capacity of up to 3,979 pounds. Fuel economy was not officially rated, but the trip computer showed an average of 16.5 miles per gallon during combined city and highway driving.

The 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD also offered two engine options: a 6.6-liter gas V8 with 401 horsepower and 464 pound-feet of torque, and a 6.6-liter Duramax turbodiesel V8 with 445 horsepower and 910 pound-feet of torque. The gas engine was mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, while the diesel engine used a 10-speed Allison automatic transmission. Both engines provided excellent power, making the Silverado 3500HD feel agile for its size. The Silverado 3500HD could tow up to 36,000 pounds with the right configuration and had a payload capacity of 7,442 pounds. The truck also featured an advanced trailering system with a pre-trailering checklist and critical status updates.

The 2020 GMC Sierra 2500HD was available in various bed and cab configurations, including regular cab with a long bed, double cab with standard or long bed, and crew cab with standard or long bed. The Denali trim was only available with the crew cab and a choice of standard or long bed. The truck featured bed corner steps and steps ahead of the rear wheel well, making it easier to access the bed. The EZ lift-and-lower tailgate and MultiPro tailgate added convenience, with the latter offering six different configurations, including a large step into the bed. Inside, the Sierra 2500HD had plenty of storage options, including a storage area below the rear seats in SLT-and-up trims.

The 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD was available in regular cab/long-bed, double cab/long-bed, crew cab/standard bed, and crew cab/long-bed configurations. The single cab had one row of seating, while the crew cabs offered two rows of spacious seating with ample headroom and legroom. The Silverado featured bed steps integrated into the corners of the rear bumper and additional step-ups along the side of the bed, making it easier to access the bed. The truck's interior was designed for practicality, with plenty of storage options and a spacious cabin.

The 2020 GMC Sierra 2500HD came standard with a 7-inch touchscreen running GMC Infotainment 3, which included Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The SLT and Denali trims featured an 8-inch infotainment screen, with the Denali also offering navigation and a large 8-inch color driver-information screen in the instrument panel. The infotainment system was user-friendly, with customizable icons and a straightforward interface.

The 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD also came standard with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, with upgraded trims featuring an 8-inch screen. The High Country trim added navigation to the infotainment system. The Silverado's infotainment setup was easy to use, with hard buttons and dials for added convenience. The truck also offered a range of trailering features, including backup camera guidelines and multiple camera angles for trailering, as well as a trailering app with a pre-trailering checklist and status updates.

The 2020 GMC Sierra 2500HD came with standard safety features like a reversing camera, front- and side-impact airbags, traction control, and a tire pressure monitoring system. The Driver Alert Package I added front and rear parking sensors, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. The Driver Alert Package II included forward-collision avoidance, lane-departure warning, and automatic high beams. The truck's size and turning radius posed some safety challenges, but the additional cameras and mirrors helped mitigate these issues.

The 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD came standard with a backup camera and front- and side-impact airbags. Additional safety features like forward collision avoidance, lane-departure warning, automatic emergency braking, automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert were available as options. The truck also offered front and rear parking sensors and a 360-degree parking camera system, which were particularly useful given its size.