- What's goin' on, guys?
I'm Fuller from Custom Offsets,
and this is the brand new 2020 GMC Sierra 1500 AT4,
but what really makes this one special
is it has the brand new three liter inline-six Duramax,
so today we're here to answer the question:
What's the hype with this baby Duramax?
(energetic rock music)
In 2019, GM let the world know
that they would be unveiling the all new diesel engine,
but information on this baby Duramax
remained scarce for quite a while.
Some hiccups in production delayed the official release,
but now we've got our hands
on a brand new 2020 GMC Sierra 1500 AT4
with, of course,
the all new aluminum alloy three liter diesel.
This spec is actually somewhat difficult to find,
so when we found one sitting on the lot
at Holiday Automotive,
we wasted absolutely no time heading down there
to get this video rolling.
So previously, GM has been somewhat restrictive
on what models get what engines,
but for the new three liter they're offering it in the LT,
the LTZ, the RST, the High Country,
and obviously, the AT4 trim trucks.
As someone who daily drives a small diesel,
I was really excited to see
what this new baby Duramax had to offer,
and let me tell you, this is no Volkswagen TDI,
nor is it anything like the diesels of yesteryear
that you might remember.
This engine is quiet, it's smooth,
and it actually makes some power.
Right off the dealership lot,
you're looking at 277 horsepower and 460 ft/lbs of torque,
but the real kicker here is that the max torque
kicks in at just 1500 RPM.
1500 RPM, that is absolutely insane!
- Bwah!
- What this translates to is a zero to 60 time
of seven seconds flat, which isn't fast by any means,
but for a truck that can still tow 9,300 pounds,
that's not bad.
Helping to get that torque to the ground
is GM's 10 speed transmission,
and that is the only transmission option for this engine.
Manufacturers keep adding more
and more gears of transmission,
which tends to scare me a little bit,
but after driving this one, it's surprisingly smooth.
It doesn't hunt for gears
and it shifts quick both up and down,
and I tend to be really hard on automatic transitions,
which is why I prefer a manual,
but that's just not an option in today's modern trucks.
As GM promised me, this engine and trans combo
handled absolutely everything I threw at it with ease.
Adding to the smoothness of this power plant
is the fact that it's an in-line six as compared
to a V6 diesel offered in half ton pick ups
by both Ford and Ram.
Not only is the AT4 packed with technology on the inside,
but the engine actually has some neat technical
and mechanical features too.
So I left this thing sitting in my driveway
in zero degree temps,
and I was still able to remote start it
just fine from my bedroom without ever plugging it in.
So a flow control valve
can stop the flow of water altogether,
meaning that when conditions are too cool,
engine temperature can be increased efficiently
and in a timely manner,
rather than letting the truck run for an hour.
Multiple valves allow for split cooling
to different parts of the engine,
allowing heat where it's most needed.
Basically what GM is getting at here
is that the engine can regulate temperature better
so it can run at peak performance
and efficiency more frequently.
And one of the biggest benefits to this truck
is that you can get way better fuel economy
than any other Silverado or Sierra in the entire GM lineup.
I averaged 24 miles per gallon combined,
and was able to almost touch a 40 miles per gallon average
while hypermiling this thing on the highway.
Some reviewers and fuel mileage freaks
have managed to get the two wheel drive of this truck
all the way up to 44 miles per gallon,
and this is a significant increase,
considering the 2.7 liter turbo charged 4 cylinder
gets like 16 or 18 miles per gallon.
Honestly, the few things that I don't like about this truck
were all super trivial.
The start button is in a weird spot by your knee
and you can't permanently disable the auto start stop,
but there is a button to shut it off at least.
And the tires that come on the AT4
were some very bland all-terrains,
but again not a huge deal for us
because you know that it was ours,
we'd be slapping on some different wheels and tires for sure
and more than likely a lift kit too.
What everyone wants to know though
is how much does this brand new diesel cost.
Well, I've got good news and I've got bad news.
This engine upgrade is only $2,500
over the standard 5.3 liter,
but the 6.2 liter gasser is also only a $2,500 upgrade.
An AT4 spec starts at just over 50 grand,
but the one we tested was absolutely loaded
with a 360 degree camera, rear view camera,
heads up display, summit white paint,
a really fancy trim leather, and a host of other amenities.
The MSRP was about $65,000,
but Holiday has it on their lot for $61,000.
If you wanna see the exact specs we tested,
we'll throw a link to it in the description,
but I do have one more point for you.
Here's the deal, we are lifted truck guys,
so I wanna quickly address that the AT4 platform,
is it really worth it if you're gonna buy a lift anyway?
Probably not, to be honest with you.
You can save your money, still get a diesel,
and have some cash left over to make it your own,
which is really what we're all about.
Now, if you want the best riding, two inch lift possible,
and you have no intentions of lifting it any higher,
then go for it.
So, does the baby Duramax live up to the hype?
Let us know in the comments below.
Peace.
(upbeat music)
Woo!