We all want the best of both worlds; the ability to have it both ways. It’s like the old saying: we want to have our cake and eat it, too. Trying to choose a vehicle that can handle our daily job and then serve as a family car on the weekends can put us in this exact situation. We need a vehicle that provides the performance and dependability to get the job done, but we don’t want to compromise on the comfort and safety that gives us peace of mind when transporting our most precious cargo—our family members.
Balancing these competing priorities can be an almost impossible task if you rely on the capabilities of a heavy-duty truck for work. Some of the same features that make a heavy-duty truck perfect for the job site can be detrimental when you are looking to use it for your home life. For example, trucks with regular cabs—those with just one row of seats—may give you the most towing and hauling abilities, but do you really want to try squeezing everyone into those three seats on the weekend? This is why you need to consider a 2023 GMC Sierra 3500 HD. The folks at GMC put their heads together and came up with a heavy-duty truck that provides the comforts and safety you want for your home and family without compromising on the performance you need to get the job done every day.
Five Trims, Three Cabs, One Truck
When deciding how best to get the job done at work while also getting the features they want for the times they aren’t on the clock, the 2023 GMC Sierra 3500 HD has the options drivers need. This heavy-duty truck comes in 5 different trim levels. The most basic trim is the Pro, which is fairly utilitarian with cloth or easy-to-clean vinyl seats. If you want a bit more in the way of creature comforts, you can consider the SLE and SLT, both of which add a MultiPro Tailgate and cloth seats. The SLT also rides on larger 18-inch aluminum wheels.
The AT4 is a purpose-built off-road truck with skid plates, all-terrain tires, and standard 4X4 drivetrain. Finally, the Denali is the top trim of the GMC Sierra 3500 HD, with such luxury features as leather seats, interior wood accents, and chrome exterior trim. GMC offers all 2023 Sierra 3500 HD trims with either rear-wheel or four-wheel drive, except for the AT4, which is 4X4 standard. In addition, each trim comes with a standard automatic locking rear axle.
Of the five trims, the two that might be best suited for an optimum work/life balance are the SLE and SLT. The Sierra 3500 HD Pro is built for work, but it may lack some of the comfort features your family will enjoy when you are out on the town. At the other end of the spectrum, the Denali may be overly fancy for work, as you may be concerned about keeping the interior clean. Similarly, the AT4’s off-road performance design may cut into its ability to deliver the towing and hauling capabilities you need to get your job done.
In addition to the five trim levels, GMC offers three different cab options on the 2023 Sierra 3500 HD. The regular cab has one row of seats and is only available on the Pro and SLE trims. In many cases, you may need more room to fit your entire family. A better bet might be the Double Cab, available on the Pro, SLE, and SLT trims. The Double Cab has two rows of seats, with two full-size and two half-size doors. This will be fine for families with younger children, but the Crew Cab may be preferable if you need more legroom. Upgrading increases the rear row legroom from 35.24″ on the Double Cab to 43.4″. The Crew Cab is standard on the SLT and available on the SLE. Given all the features and options, the ideal 2023 GMC Sierra 3500 HD configuration for someone balancing business and pleasure is the SLE with Double or Crew Cab or the SLT with the standard Crew Cab.
Peak Performance for Work
The 2023 Sierra 3500 HD comes with a choice of two powerful engines that are designed to deliver peak performance when you are towing and hauling. The base engine is a 6.6-liter V8 gas engine, which comes paired with a Hydra-Matic 6L90 6-speed automatic transmission. This cast iron engine block features nodular iron main caps, cast aluminum cylinder heads, direct fuel injection, and utilizes variable valve timing for efficient performance. It can deliver up to 401 hp at 5200 RPM and 464 lb-ft of torque at 4000 RPM. You can even run this engine on E85 FlexFuel if available in your area.
There is also a diesel engine option: a 6.6-liter Duramax Turbo-Diesel V8 engine. It utilizes an Allison 10L1000 10-speed automatic transmission and has a dual overhead cam design, providing four valves per cylinder. The engine block is made of cast iron with cast aluminum cylinder heads and utilizes common-rail direct fuel injection to provide up to 445 hp at 2800 RPM and 910 lb-ft of torque at 1600 RPM.
If you use your Sierra 3500 HD primarily for towing, then the Turbo-Diesel engine is probably your best bet. This engine provides up to 20,000 lbs of conventional towing, which can be increased to 36,000 lbs with the addition of a fifth wheel and gooseneck hitch. The Sierra 3500 HD with the V8 gas engine has a maximum conventional towing rating of 16,800 lbs, which you can boost to 17,200 lbs with a fifth wheel and gooseneck hitch.
When it comes to carrying heavy loads, the 2023 GMC Sierra 3500 HD does not disappoint. The standard payload bed can fit up to 69.5 cu.ft. of cargo. This is available only on the Crew Cab. The long payload bed increases cargo space to 83.5 cu.ft. and is available on all three cab designs. The V8 gas engine has a slight edge when it comes to hauling, as it allows the Sierra 3500 HD to carry up to 7,442 lbs of payload, compared to a maximum of 6,523 lbs with the Turbo-Diesel.
Safety and Comfort for the Whole Family
When you are using your truck as a family vehicle, you need a comfortable and roomy interior to fit everyone. You also want to know that it has the driver-assistance features you need to get you safely where you are going. Finally, you want an infotainment system that will keep even your youngest child entertained while you are out on the road. The 2023 GMC Sierra 3500 HD checks all these boxes.
The Double Cab and Crew Cab configurations of the Sierra 3500 HD have plenty of room for up to 6 passengers so that everyone can stretch out on the long haul. In addition, everyone is sure to enjoy the standard GMC Infotainment system on this truck. It comes with a 7-inch color touchscreen on the SLE and SLT trims, with an available upgrade to the Premium GMC Infotainment System with Navigation with an 8-inch color touchscreen on the SLT. What’s more, the SLT features standard wireless connections for your convenience. Also available on the SLE trim, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility will allow you to access all of your favorite apps. Finally, you can make plenty of hands-free calls with Bluetooth connectivity to stay in touch wherever your truck takes you.
GMC has made sure to make the 2023 Sierra 3500 HD as safe as possible by making driver assistance technologies available on each truck. For example, you will get a standard Rear Vision Camera on all trims, with the SLT providing a high-definition view for greater picture clarity. What’s more, you can add other driver assistance features to your Sierra 3500 HD. The Following Distance Indicator will let you know if you are getting too close to the vehicle in front of you. If the system detects an imminent collision, it will engage the automatic emergency brakes so that you can either avoid a crash or minimize the impact. Finally, the available Lane Change Alert with Side Blind Zone Alert will let you know if the coast is clear to change lanes in your Sierra 3500 HD. This is especially helpful if you are towing a large trailer, either for work or for play. GMC is dedicated to passenger safety and ensuring that each trip you make in a Sierra 3500 HD is as safe as possible.
Get the Best of Both Worlds
Finding a heavy-duty truck that can help you get the job done and double as a family vehicle is now a reality with the 2023 GMC Sierra 3500 HD. Choosing an SLE or SLT trim with a Double Cab or Crew Cab will provide you with the space, comfort, and safety you need for your entire family—without compromising your ability to get the job done right every day of the week.
