If you are in the market for a work truck and are comparing models like the 2021 GMC Sierra 2500 vs 2021 Chevy Silverado 2500, it is essential that you keep in mind that you are buying a work truck. There is little doubt that you have seen commercials about work trucks, the way they are glamorized, and all of the neat features you can get with them. Once you start doing your research on them, work truck ads will begin popping up all over your news and entertainment feeds. These ads are made to entice you, pique your curiosity, and tempt you into buying a particular brand’s work truck.
The problem is they lure you in with romantic shots of the truck in all of its glory; they boast about how big the truck is or how many pounds it can tow. It is all relevant information for many to be sure, but don’t get sucked in by features and capabilities you don’t want or need. Shopping for a work truck isn’t anything like shopping for a recreational vehicle or a car for your daily commute; you must consider more than just the color of the truck and how many people it can comfortably seat. If you are trying to decide between two work trucks, a guide to choosing a work truck would be handy. So let’s walk through some of the choices you would make when choosing between the 2021 GMC Sierra 2500 vs 2021 Chevy Silverado 2500.
Cab Style
There was a time, many years ago, when truck cabs were small and cramped and could only squeeze two or three people in them. This was fine if you were the only one occupying the cab. But many people who utilize work trucks prefer a larger cab capable of seating more passengers. So it would be best if you determined which cab configuration is suitable for your application.
There are several considerations here because it is not as simple as just choosing a cab size. An extended cab will give you more seating, but you may lose bed space with this choice. There are extended cabs with longer beds, but this will stretch the length of the truck. In most cases, this isn’t going to be a problem, but an extended wheelbase could be a problem if you park in a parking lot on a regular basis. Tight parking spaces and big trucks don’t always mesh.
The GMC Sierra 2500 comes with several cab configurations. First, you have the Regular Cab, which seats three and comes with a long bed. Next, the Double Cab and Crew Cab seat six and are offered with either a short bed or a long bed. The difference between the two six-seat options is that the Double Cab has half-size rear doors and 35 inches of rear legroom instead of four full-size doors and 43 inches of rear legroom.
The Chevy Silverado 2500 offers the same cab and bed options, so if you were choosing between these two trucks, this isn’t a feature that would sway you towards one or the other. However, other trucks do have more limited cab and bed options. For instance, the Ram 2500 doesn’t offer a Double Cab, so you don’t have that middle-of-the-road option.
Two-Wheel or Four-Wheel Drive
When you are in the market for a work truck, you need to decide between two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive. Many of you will automatically opt for the four-wheel-drive option without doing your homework. However, a two-wheel-drive truck isn’t as bad as you might think, and it could be the better choice depending on how you plan on using your work truck.
If you will be doing a lot of traveling, logging a bunch of miles every day, then it might make sense to opt for the two-wheel-drive truck. A two-wheel-drive truck will garner better gas mileage, which could save you a lot of money over time, depending on how many miles you drive. There are other considerations as well. For example, two-wheel-drive trucks aren’t as complicated as four-wheel-drive trucks, which means you will likely end up paying less in maintenance costs as well.
People sometimes associate four-wheel-drive trucks with better towing capacities, but this is not usually the case as the added weight from the four-wheel drive system eats into towing and payload capacity. Regardless, you will want a truck that is capable of towing whatever you need to tow. For example, if you tow a trailer with your gear in it and weighs 15,000 pounds, there is no reason to choose the two-wheel drive truck with an 18,500-pound towing capacity if the four-wheel drive truck can tow your trailer.
Both the GMC Sierra 2500 and Chevy Silverado 2500 offer impressive towing capacities, especially with their optional diesel engines. Over 18,000 pounds is quite an impressive number; just keep in mind that you should still choose a truck based on how much towing capacity is suitable for your business application rather than chasing the highest possible number.
Customization is Important
As you might already know, pickup trucks are highly customizable, which is one of the reasons why they make great work vehicles. It is vital that you are offered plenty of features and options that allow you to customize your truck in a way that best serves your line of work. It is a good idea to sit down and make a list of the features and options you feel you will need on your work truck.
Let’s say that you will be taking your work truck off the beaten path much of the time. Since you will be driving on unpaved and rough roads, it would make sense to opt for off-road suspension and skid plates. You will also want to choose all-terrain tires if you can. Lucky for you, the GMC Sierra AT4 features an off-road suspension with Rancho shocks and skid plates.
Many of you out there will be using your truck as an office and as a workbench. Drive by any construction site, and you will see workers gathered at the back of a pickup truck with the tailgate down. The tailgate of a truck can also be used as a makeshift workbench, the perfect surface for cutting wood or spot welding. But what would be even better is a tailgate that has several functions. If you will be using your work truck as a workbench, then you will undoubtedly appreciate GMC’s MultiPro Tailgate, which is the world’s first six-function tailgate. Unfortunately, the Silverado doesn’t offer a versatile tailgate.
One last thought before you go out and buy a new work truck, many of you will spend a lot of time in your work truck, so it should be roomy and comfortable. In addition to driving you from job to job, your truck may also be your mobile office space, which means you will be checking emails, talking on the phone, and typing away on your laptop in the cab of your truck. As such, you might want to opt for a cab that is as luxurious as it is utilitarian. The Silverado is more basic, while the Sierra enjoys more luxury features. This does not mean the Sierra is less of a work truck than the Silverado; it just means there are more luxury features to choose from. If you will be spending several hours each day in your work truck, you may as well make the best of it.
Make Sure You Choose the Right Truck!
While engine performance, horsepower, and payload capacity are all important factors to consider when in the market for a work truck, there are also many other features and criteria you must think about. It makes perfect sense to sit down and make a list of everything you desire in your next work truck. It is also a good idea to think outside of the box, consider how the truck will be used, and figure out ahead of time which features will benefit you the most.
