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Competitive Disadvantage: New GM Trucks Only American Full-Sizers Without Dual-Pane Moonroof

General Motors had a chance with its recent redesign of the full-size Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup trucks to add a dual-pane moonroof to the list of options, matching the trucks’ American-born rivals, the Ford F-150 and Ram 1500. Yet as of right now, no dual-pane moonroof option is available for either of GM’s light-duty full-sizers, leaving the trucks at least one feature short of the F-150 and half-ton Ram at a time when ever more affluent Americans are configuring their pickups like luxury-mobiles.

GM is cognizant of that trend, of course, which is why the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 has high-priced trim levels like LTZ and High Country that boast fine leather appointments, chrome accent pieces, big wheels, and all sorts of electronic features. Market research released by MaritzCX last year showed that the Ford F-150 was the most popular vehicle in the U.S. among those making $200k or more per year (per Ford Authority), and somewhere around a third of F-150 sales lie in the “luxury” price range – above $40k.

2019 GMC Sierra Denali 1500

At least one light-duty GM pickup – the 2019 GMC Sierra Denali 1500 (pictured above) – can even encroach upon $80k when loaded up with optional extras.

The point is: pickups are no longer seen exclusively – perhaps not even primarily – as basic, purely practical work vehicles, yet the new GM trucks have missed out on an opportunity to match Ford and Fiat Chrysler’s respective half-ton offerings in the category of moonroofs. We don’t know that too many customers will make having a dual-pane moonroof a priority when they’re weighing their options, but it could have an impact.

Granted, it’s worth comparing the new GM trucks to America’s two other major full-size pickup contenders, the Toyota Tundra and Nissan Titan, neither of which offer a dual-pane moonroof either. As a matter of fact, the Titan doesn’t offer a moonroof at all, so the all-new, 2019 Chevrolet Silverado and 2019 GMC Sierra each have 100% more moonroof than that model.

For the latest Chevrolet Silverado 1500 news and GMC Sierra 1500 news, keep it tuned right here to GM Authority.

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Aaron Brzozowski is a writer and motoring enthusiast from Detroit with an affinity for '80s German steel. He is not active on the Twitter these days, but you may send him a courier pigeon.

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Comments

  1. It is not a disadvantage. GM decided to go the cheap route along with engine technology, and interior materials. It supposedly lost 400 lbs but the fuel economy is almost identical. No 48 Volt option like all the Rams offer. The Silverado and Sierra will have a steep hill to climb. GM forgets that you have to leapfrog the competition in every which was as they do net rest on their laurels. It is not a disadvantage but just another missed opportunity by the GM Bean counters.

    Reply
  2. Must be depressing to be a car guy with ideas at GM, always getting overruled by stodgy number crunchers in windowless offices.

    I bet they receive raises for money they save the company. The person with the brilliant idea to only have a driver’s side self dimming mirror on these rigs probably saved GM millions of dollars over the course of this production run. Who cares about the customer or the need to hit one out of the park on their most important product? There is just so much profit to be made.

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  3. OMG!!! No dual-pane moonroof, passenger side self dimming mirror or ruberband fed 48 Volt torque simulator!

    I’ll never buy one of these trucks!

    Please!

    It doesn’t have dual spark plugs or a riveted together body either. And I so wanted 7 lug wheels also since there are so many options for them.

    It doesn’t have any of that, just like my current truck!

    Reply
  4. Hey GM vehicles what do you want to be when you grow up? I want to be the second or third best vehicle in my class. If I can’t be that I guess fourth best or even last in my class would be ok.

    Reply
  5. That’s small potatoes compared to other omissions, such as an optional larger gas tank. That’s an option that people who tow (especially the people towing campers) want. So if GM won’t even give us a larger fuel tank – which is a very popular option on all trim levels for Ford and Ram, I’m not at all surprised that they omitted a giant sunroof which is typically only available on top trims.

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  6. I don’t care about a moonroof. Don’t be a girly man. Just give me a 6.2 L in a work truck.

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  7. Personally, I really think that the people that GM hired to carried out that census with over 7000 brand loyal customers were pathetic at best. First of all, the census should have included customers from GM’s two main competitors.

    My point, is that when you have opinions from a more diverse population, the more likely you are to get useful information, in order to improve the product.

    Reply
    1. Amen to that.

      Reply
  8. VALIANCE you are exactly right Iam the biggest Silverado fan on the planet but the 2019 Silverado has been the biggest FLOP in PICKUP truck HISTORY it’s like they don’t care I don’t get it

    Reply
  9. Agree with others here – overall the GM trucks (current and new) are disappointing! There’s no way I can objectively choose the GM truck over the equivalent trim F-150 or RAM!
    GM did a good job with new exterior – but interior is well behind the competition!
    Hopefully they have improved the interior materials quality on LTZ and above, as my 14 LTZ leather is no better than the leatherette (man made material) in my daughters VW.

    Reply
  10. Sun roof / moon roof is nothing but a waste of $995.

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    1. While that may be true there are people out there who are willing to pay for it I myself would not want one. If they offered it chances are GM could pocket at least $500.00 of that $995.00.

      My thinking is there should be nothing the competition offer tat that you cant get on a GM vehicle. Leader of the pack is not a bad place to be and GM is not there yet.

      Reply
    2. Try like $1,500 for a panoramic one. GM is utterly crazy by not offering it as an option. The Bean-Counters need to leave the company ASAP!!!

      Reply
  11. I would never believe that because of a short moon roof that a buyer would leave the show room to walk over to Ram or Ford. Besides, glass is heavy and the roof may need more structure support thus adding weight. It seems that weight lost was top priority for the 2019 Silvetado.

    Reply
    1. You also loose headroom with the “let’s be cool and call it a” moon roof. The absolutely most forgotten, unused option that is an added cost, in the automotive marketplace outside of the city slicker 4X4!

      Reply
    2. My brother sold cars for about half of a year. You would be surprised on why customers walk away from certain vehicles. His manager off the record would tell him subpar interior materials would be tops on shoppers lists. Then options missing is second. A car is a huge purchase for people. Not everyone likes or needs the same things but manufacturers need to offer up for someone like myself lets say. My next car has to have the following creature comforts…Soft touch throughout interior, Panoramic Roof, Ventilated seats, Apple Car Play, 10 inch Display, Digital Cluster, and a RWD biassed AWD. Waiting on the new Cadillac 3 Series fighter to see if GM will cheapen out or not. Hope they do not. As far as engine, well one can only hope Cadillac does tghe right thing and drops the 3.0TT in thge car.
      My point is that everyone has a specific thing they want especially when dropping 55/60K on a purchase. It is inexcusable that GM cheapened out on their most important vehicles in the company. The Silverado and Sierra. I mean a Denali can get as much as 70K and I am stuck with a 1955 Column Shifter? No Thank you.
      GM missed the boat once again because they allow the Bean-Counters to run too much of their vehicle programs. This is why as much as I hate to say it, Toyota, and Honda came in our back yards and took it over almost. Now I am not old enough to remember the first wave of cars but in the 90’s Toyota and Honda were unfortunately superior vehicles. GM needs to lead again. Bean Counters must go. It is the only way. Take a page out of VW and Audi playbook. Offer more for less because you have economy of scale. Once you get recognized for offering more for less, the future will be bright. Isn’t this how Kia and Hyundai make it big here as well?
      GM had a chance with Johan to do so for one of their brands and we all saw how that turned out.

      Reply
      1. Exactly….I agree. And it’s bad enough that GM cheapened out with sub-par materials, lack of newer tech and lack of comparable options in their high end, high profit vehicles….but it’s even worse that some people are so attached that they cannot even offer objective criticism.

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      2. I’m fine with the column shifter, they last for 60+ years. But does the 70K Denali have a sink and a stove option (I’m a camper), I mean, for 70K, guess I need a toilet also. With economy of scale it should be an option.

        If not, I’m shopping Ford and Ram!

        Reply
      3. I could care a less about the column shifter. It’s all the other things they left half baked. No MPG increases. No power increases. A new 4 cylinder that falls well below expectations. And interior that is several notches below Ford and Ram. No panoramic roof. The list goes on and on. Barra is taking the profits above all else thing way to literal here. And I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Ram over take the Silverado from this point onward.

        Reply
  12. Regardless of space consideration, a panoramic moonroof should be an option. Both main competitors offer it and so should GM. What bean counter is responsible for signing off on the lackluster interior?
    Hire Audi, Mercedes Benz or Hyundai interior person and rectify this ASAP. Don’t see the point in a “full redesign” if the interior is so blah.
    GM better start offering considerable discounts already or these trucks are not going to move.

    Reply
  13. Gentlemen, I still like the GM twins the best of the full size trucks despite their flaws. Their exterior design still puts Ford and Ram in the shade somewhat, when you look at all the trucks really closely.

    GM should increase the size of the display screen and improve the material quality in order to provide a decent level of satisfaction to potential be customers. The engine output should be increase with dual injection and hybrid technology.

    Lastly, GM should also utilized the newest DOHC V-8s and a new turbocharged V-6 in order to take the lead from Ford in terms of standard and Performance

    Reply
  14. Maybe GM sees what a hassle it is for Ford owners to have those moonroofs and is opting to wait until Ford fixes it before they embark on the same adventure. Since you are all probably primarily GM oriented maybe you didn’t know the ton of problems the Fords were having with those. One of the reasons I’m in the market for a GM truck is exactly because I don’t want to risk having the issues those Ford moonroofs are causing

    Reply

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