2009 GMC Sierra Hybrid has premium cost

Will gas savings be enough to offset the price?

Aug 22, 2009

Special to the Star

Mention "hybrid" and automatically most people think of small cars. But these systems can do just as well on big stuff, such as buses, tractor-trailers and locomotives, which means that pickup trucks are the obvious next step.

Toyota and Dodge have indicated they'll hybridize the Tundra and Ram, possibly by 2010. But for now, the only player is General Motors, which offers hybrid versions of the Chevrolet Silverado and its twin, my GMC Sierra tester.

GM first offered hybrid trucks for 2005, but these new models are far more sophisticated. The earlier trucks were "mild" hybrids, with an electric motor that only assisted the gasoline engine. The new trucks are full hybrids – GM calls them 2-Mode – capable of running on electric-only when conditions permit.

As with all hybrids, the gas engine also shuts off at idle, such as when you're at a red light, using no fuel and spewing no emissions. It's the same system used on hybrid versions of the Chevrolet Suburban, GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade.

Although regular GMC models also offer 4.8 and 5.3 L V8 engines, the hybrid uses only a 6.0 L V8. Like the 5.3, the 6.0 features Active Fuel Management, which shuts off half the cylinders under light load, such as highway cruising. Thanks to the electric motor's additional puff, the truck can stay in that fuel-friendlier mode for longer periods.

A conventional 6.0 L Sierra 4x4 rates 15.7 L/100 km (18 m.p.g.) in the city, while the hybrid gets 10.5 L/100 km (27 m.p.g.) – better than any gas-only Sierra, even with the available 4.8 L or 4.3 L V6 engine choices.

The drawback is that you'll save at the pumps, but spend in the showroom. The hybrid comes only as a four-door Crew Cab with short box, starting at $46,725 in 4x2 configuration, and $50,875 for 4x4 (pricing for the mechanically identical Chevy Silverado hybrid is the same). An upgrade to each including power bucket seats, navigation, hard tonneau cover, rear parking assist, rear defogger and garage door opener, adds $7,340.

The base equipment list puts the Sierra Hybrid about halfway between the Sierra SLE trim line, starting at $34,910 in two-wheel, and the SLT, at $43,065.

Even though Transport Canada estimates the annual cost of fuel for the 4x2 to be $680 less in favour of the hybrid, it'll be a while before you recoup the difference – although, given that truck owners tend to hold onto their vehicles much longer than car owners, it's a feasible scenario. The hybrid components are under warranty for eight years or 160,000 km.

Since high-miler urban tradesmen would probably see the cost benefits long before those who just want a truck as a big car, you'd think it would make more sense to offer the hybrid in basic "work truck" trim.

Instead, standard features include carpet, dual-zone automatic climate control, auto-dimming mirror, power-adjustable pedals, and Bluetooth. My GMC Sierra tester also had with power leather seats, sunroof and a rear-seat DVD entertainment system.

Conventional Sierra models can tow up to 4,800 kg (10,600 lbs.), but the hybrid can certainly manage enough: the 4x2 can tackle 2,766 kg (6,100 pounds), while the 4x4 can pull 2,676 kg (5,900 pounds).

As with all factory hybrids currently available, the Sierra doesn't get plugged in. Instead, it captures and converts braking energy to recharge its battery pack, located under the rear seat. That seat folds up, but the bulky battery eliminates the flat storage surface offered under it on a conventional Sierra.

The motive system automatically switches between gas and electric, depending on several factors, including temperature, battery charge and how heavy your foot is on the accelerator. There's an "Eco" gauge in the cluster to evaluate how you're doing, but it's not simple to figure out: there's just a plain green line, and nothing but the owner's manual to tell you that too far to one side means too hard on the throttle, while going the other way means you're not letting the regenerative brakes do the work. This really needs a picture or other indicator to make it easier.

The driver information centre can provide instant and average fuel economy numbers, and with the optional navigation screen, you can punch up a display that shows if the truck's in battery or engine mode.

When the idle-stop shuts off the gasoline engine, features such as lights, climate control and stereo continue to run, and since the electric motor starts the engine again, there's no conventional starter to wear out. When the light changes, and if your acceleration is gentle enough, the truck can run on its battery up to about 40 km/h.

This latest redesigned GM truck set the standard when it was introduced for 2007, and while Ford and Dodge have recently caught up, this is still a good, solid truck. It's comfortable, the ride is smooth, and build quality is excellent (my 2009 tester was made in Oshawa, but that plant has closed, and the 2010 version is now built in Mexico).

The hybrid system makes some whirring sounds, but other than that and the idle-stop, it doesn't feel much different from a conventional truck, moving seamlessly from gas to electric and back again.

The 2-Mode Hybrid is considerably more sophisticated than its earlier hybrid truck cousin but its popularity in the marketplace is going to be the big question.

The Hybrid pays back its extra cost fastest as a work truck, but it isn't outfitted like one. It's far more fuel-efficient than a conventional Sierra, but it's a hefty premium, especially if gas prices stay relatively stable. It's a damn good truck, but like all hybrids, it's all going to come down to what each individual driver needs a vehicle to do.

Toronto Star