Even though we’ve been taught not to use the words always and never, we’re going to venture out of the ordinary and say that there will always be supporters and detractors of GM’s dual-brand strategy with Chevrolet and GMC trucks, SUVs, and (more recently) crossovers. But that doesn’t change the fact that The General did put forth an effort to differentiate the 2014 Silverado from the 2014 Sierra by using distinct front and rear fascias, unique interior trim pieces, and varying the standard equipment on both trucks.
We recently got our hands on some GMC material that illustrates the difference in standard content of the 2014 Sierra compared to the Silverado, and in that regard, the new Sierra does feature more standard equipment than a comparable Silverado, while carrying a slightly higher base price (of roughly $500) — lending more credence to the notion that GM is attempting to position GMC further upmarket from Chevrolet.
| SIERRA VS. WORK TRUCK | SLE VS. LT | SLT VS. LTZ |
|---|---|---|
| PROJECTOR HEADLAMPS | 8" COLOR TOUCH RADIO WITH INTELLILINK | POWER ADJUSTABLE PEDALS |
| UPPER TIE-DOWN HOOKS | REAR VISION CAMERA | ALUMINUM TRIM |
| CHROME BUMPERS (CORNER STEPS ON REAR) | LOCKING DIFFERENTIAL (4WD ONLY) | CARGO BOX LIGHTING |
| WHEEL ARCH MODLINGS | SOFT IP AND TRIM | UPPER TIE-DOWN HOOKS |
| BODY COLOR BUMPER TOP CAP | ALUMINUM TRIM | CHROME BELT MOLDINGS |
| CLOTH SEATS | LED CARGO BOX LIGHTING | WHEEL ARCH MOLDINGS |
| CHROME GRILLE SURROUNDS | BODY-COLOR SIDE MOLDINGS | LED SIGNATURE HEADLAMPS |
| CHROME BELT MOLDINGS | ||
| BODY-COLOR DOOR HANDLES | ||
| WHEEL ARCH MOLDINGS | ||
| UPPER TIE-DOWN HOOKS | ||
| PROJECTOR HEADLAMPS |
Ironically, the rear power-sliding window is standard on the Silverado LTZ and optional on the Sierra SLT. Nevertheless, whether the vehicle, the brand, or the higher level of equipment in the Sierra actually result in real-world buyer preference is a whole other jug of engine oil.
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Comments
Just stupid and wasteful producing, marketing, and supporting sales of the same truck twice. Minor differences aside, the Sierra has no reason for being. Every feature listed as standard on the GMC is optional on the Silverado, and, as a matter of fact, is included on most trucks that will be produced and sold anyhow through packages such the Allstar equipment group. Professional Grade, my a**.
Don’t know what your problem is alsloan, but if had room for a freight train up my rear, I wouldn’t have a Silverado in it!! Sierra is a much better truck!!
bamp, you should take a factory tour and see them being built on the same line, by the same people, using the same components. Tell me how a GMC badge makes the truck any better?
Have you looked at the Chevy, a cheap copy of the Sierra, rather drive a Ford than a Bow Tie!!
This bamp character obviously has ZERO idea that the Silverado and Sierra are essentially identical besides some cosmetics and marketing.
“Just stupid and wasteful producing, marketing, and supporting sales of the same truck twice.”
It isn’t just GM doing this. The practice is industry wide and here to stay.
Its all across the board, its all about the money in this case. Whether it’s looking at Buick compared to Chevy or GMC to Chevy or parts of Lexus to Toyota. The automotive industry is going to make these up rated, even decadent versions of basic cars to make more money off of people, true they get more refinement but for a more premium price usually substantially more then the cost of the basic vehicle and more then the vehicle is worth. Surely if they were to give these modifications to a Chevy, people would buy it, take for example the Buick Regal to a Chevy Malibu, over on the other side of the drink its an Opel which has about the same interior quality of a Malibu and offers trim lines to give more to the owner of the car (except a VXR/OPC line) while the suspension is slightly firmer and the noise reduction is better from the Buick, give me a set of shocks and springs and I could make it handle and just as firm as the Buick, the suspension set up is the same, just with lower rated shocks and springs on the Bu. Its the same thing here, only on a more superficial and cosmetic level. The differences on the GMC could easily be applied to the Chevy, its just that they can charge more for the vehicle if it is on a more premium marque. Graw is absolutely right on the issue that it is not going away anytime soon because the automotive companies can make more money from it. So on that sense I agree with Bob and Alsloan and Graw, but unfortunately it won’t change, so we mine as well just bite the bullet and go for the Chevy if its all we need or the GMC if we want decadence.
The point you all miss is that GMC use to be the step up from the Chevy as the Lincoln is to the Ford and the Lexus is to the Toyota. GMC is better in several ways when you compare their top of the line trucks. The Denali has many options the LTZ doesnt. Yes they are essentially the same truck but people like choices. Candy bars are all chocolate and sugar but what you put in them makes them different. Its no different in this case. The GMC beats the chevy hands down even if they are brothers.
Not in the same way as Lexus to Toyota. Not even close. More like a trim level’s difference between a Chevy and GMC, at best!
Alsloan, what a stupid comment. How about we had every single girl in the World look the same too? BORING! They are both style VERY differently, so to give GM the ability to reach a wider market. From simple things like the front grill, to others like blue interior lights for the Chevy and red interior lights for the GMC and more. Enough differences to make a distinction in the market. As you can see from others voting here on posts like “The GMC is better”, the split between GMC and Chevy is pretty even. What I don’t understand is why this even matter to you? Seriously? Do you really think your opinion matters on this?
Well Alsloan… stupid and wasteful is definitely not it. All your points aside it seems it would be purely a cosmetic standpoint for the reasoning of having two trucks. Not everyone may like the way the Silverado looks or the way the GMC looks hence the reason for two differently styled trucks. And if you think thats stupid go whine about it on some crappy Nissan/Infinity or Toyota/Lexus site and see what they say about having 2 of the same vehicles in the same segment.
Love those Bow Tie trucks with half bumpers. Typical Chevy,
Huh? A mind is a terrible thing to waste, son.
Let me guess, you are one of those bozos that thinks the Sierra has a different frame, bolts, and other stuff?
Moron.
naturally much like your site however, you have to take the punctuational upon several of your posts. Some of them are generally rife having punctuational concerns and i also to find it really difficult to share with the facts having said that I will undoubtedly give back all over again.
I would just like to know if both trucks have rear air vents? and if it gets hot on the rear passenger seat?
As I am on my 5th Chevrolet, a ’13 Silverado, I would say that the next truck would be the Sierra. Why? Wheel arch mouldings. I prefer the looks of the Silverado, but the wheel arch mouldings should slow the rust that always eventually starts here. At least hide it a bit longer.
Now, how about a STEPSIDE box. I’ll sign up for one of those.
I HIGHLY doubt the plastic molding around the wheel well arches will have any impact on rust. Best way to keep your truck from rusting is to keep it clean and rust proof if you live in an area up north with heavy road salting.
Stone chips are usually the start of the rust, if the plastic moulding lessens the stone chips, all the better. If nothing else, it will hide the rust on the metal, behind the plastic for a while.
I personally think the plastic molding in the wheel well arches look dumb. At least color match the molding, no, just black.
I am not a fan of body cladding(looks really cheap, Avalanche), the only thing I want is the bump strip on the doors to protect from door dings.
We have been a Chevy only family. Going from fuel to diesel over the years. Ready to move from a 2008 to a new model.
After doing the research and being on the consumer end i do feel like “General” has made a poor decision in demoting the Chevy Silverado and setting up the GMC Sierra as the upper crust choice. Being made to choose between a truck i would never buy to have less options and comfort? What are you doing to the name/brand people love?
You can get anything on a Silverado that you can on a Sierra, except those wheel moldings and LED strips above and below the headlights. I’m quite certain that there will be aftermarket folks that will have the wheel well moldings available for the Silverado.
You sound like a real man! How can I contact you, big boy!
This truck can not get you onto a fast highway road without getting crashed by other vehicles.
This truck is very uncomfortable on slightly bumpy roads (makes you feel like barfing while driving).
This truck seems to be made out of very thin ‘Sheet-metal’ and plastic rather than thick quality material. Why, I do not know why.
Have noticed metal parts on this v6 truck rusting already, even though it is only a 2013 truck and I purchased it in 2013.
I tried to step on the pedal to get across a very busy highway safely, and this new v6 truck stopped and almost stalled !!!! How safe is that??? It only had 1200 miles on it.
What new truck almost stalls when you need it the most, to get across a busy highway ??!!
Purchased a 2013 Basic, Silverado Truck, and it had rust on some metal parts already. — What is up with that ????!!!
If you need to get across a busy highway, where people drive very fast, and you need to step on the ‘gas-pedal’, …. and your ‘newly-bought’ 2013 basic truck, almost stalls and cannot go anywhere, what do you do or think???!!!!
Seems like the 2013 ‘Silverado Truck’ is made of thin metal and lots of plastic, with a wimpy v6 engine.
I prefer the Sierra look in the 2014 GM trucks and have proven it with a purchase. All you bicycle riding clowns living in your mommys basement should not even get a vote LOL.
Why does anyone care? Usually its a matter of which dealership is more convenient (GMC usually pairs with Buick, Chevrolet is usually stand-alone). Also, the GMC version will typically cost about $500 to $1000 more, but have slightly nicer trim or an extra gadget or two.
In the case of the Sierra and the Silverado, the Chevy doesn’t get the soft dashboard material until the higher-end LTZ model while the Sierra gets the nicer trim at the middle SLE level.
I never really liked GM as a company and always thought their vehicles were rather clunky and crude. Then I test drove the Sierra. I also test-drove the Silverado and of course the Ram and Ford. I ended up buying a Sierra SLE with All-Terrain package and chose it over the SIlverado because I preferred the exterior styling and the price difference was negligible.
Both are extremely nice trucks, and so are their Ram and Ford competitors. Pretty hard to find a bad truck these days.
I think it’s pretty smart to promote the same truck twice. Maybe someone wants Chevrolet quality but doesn’t like the look of a chevy, rather than losing a buyer now gm has better chances of getting a costumer with a second option in gmc