I've driven quite a few examples of GM's latest full-size truck, but I continually found myself amazed while behind the wheel of the Sierra Hybrid. If silently piloting a hybrid car in EV mode seems novel, the ability to do so in a gargantuan, 5882-pound truck is flummoxing. I'm even more impressed with the civility of GM's two-mode system. I spent a week jumping between some of the best hybrid sedans presently on the market, and none switched between gasoline and electric power as smoothly as the Sierra.
That said, I think their engineers could make a good thing even better by means of a few slight tweaks. The cylinder deactivation on GM's V-8s is a good idea, but it seems much too happy to jump into eight-cylinder mode upon just the slightest acceleration. The Sierra Hybrid is no different, which is disappointing, considering this truck's "green" image, and the electric motor's ability to work alongside the engine when needed.
Evan McCausland, Web Producer ...next page >>