Three GMC Trucks and Their Continued Values

Deciding to buy used instead of new will quite often result in a much better financial decision overall, especially if you purchase a vehicle that can retain its value. You’ll pay less upfront (compared to a new vehicle) and get more in return when it’s time for you to sell. This is true for all types of vehicles, including trucks. When you’re on the hunt for used trucks for sale, ideally you’d want something that’s known for its reliability, but also has a fine resale value.

For now, we’re going to look at some recent GMC truck models and see how they stack up for value as used vehicles. The values and prices will change depending on specific trims, the condition of the vehicle, and features it has, so keep that in mind as we go through some of these options.

The GMC Truck Lineup

Let’s take a look at what trucks are available from GMC, and then we’ll get into their valuations over the years. On the GMC website, you’ll find a current lineup that’s split into three categories: light duty, heavy duty, and mid-size. GMC’s light duty truck is the Sierra 1500, it’s heavy duty truck is the Sierra HD. As for the mid-size truck, GMC offers the Canyon.

We’re going to focus on the non-Denali trucks because the Denali line is basically your higher trim level of the same vehicle (your luxury version, if you will). The AT4 is also out because it’s just a new model line built off the existing Sierra. So, that leaves us with the Sierra 1500, Sierra HD, and Canyon.

Sierra 1500

The Sierra 1500 (along with its close cousin, the Chevy Silverado 1500) has long been one of America’s top-selling pickups. It’s a common sight around town, especially areas where trucks abound and is generally seen as a fine and durable option when it comes to pickups. Often, the Sierra 1500 is confused with the Silverado 1500 because of how similar they are. They’re both made by GM, so they’re mechanically similar. And, over the years, a lot of their other features have also been the same. However, in more recent years, the Sierra 1500 has emerged as the better option when it comes to both luxury and convenience features, while the Silverado 1500 has skewed more towards practicality and power.

A brand new (properly outfitted) 2020 Sierra 1500 can have up to 420 HP and tow up to 12,100 lbs. That’s not too shabby for a pickup in GMC’s “Light Duty Trucks” category.

Sierra HD

Enter the 1500’s big brother, the Sierra Heavy Duty. This one is also mechanically similar to its counterpart (the Silverado HD), and the same argument can be applied here with the Sierra focusing a bit more on luxury and convenience than the Silverado.

However, that doesn’t mean the Sierra HD won’t do its job. A brand new (properly outfitted) 2020 Sierra HD can tow up to 35,500 lbs and have a max payload of up to 7,442 lbs. Yes, that towing capacity is almost triple the amount of the Sierra 1500. I guess the Heavy Duty add-on to the name isn’t a joke.

Canyon

When you’re in the land of GMC trucks, clearly, the Sierra is king. Looking at the GMC website, it may appear like there are a lot of different trucks, but the majority of them are actually just some kind of version of a Sierra. That is until you get to the Canyon.

The Canyon is labeled as a “Mid-Size Truck” by GMC, which one might think would mean somewhere in between light and heavy-duty. Something like a medium-duty, if that’s a thing. With the Canyon, it’s kind of a thing, but not completely.

The GMC Canyon is actually the cheapest truck of the bunch, starting at $29,100 (2020). A 2020 Sierra 1500 starts at $37,800, and a 2020 Sierra HD starts at $40,000. Based on the prices alone, you would think the Canyon should be the light-duty version. And, looking at the maximum towing capacity (for a 2020 Canyon), which is 7,700 lbs (when properly outfitted), you would be correct.

Kelley Blue Book Values and Awards

Now that you’ve met the trucks let’s find out how well they last from a value standpoint. As always, Kelley Blue Book is a fine resource to do research on how much vehicles are worth, and this includes trucks.

First, the awards. Every year, KBB has a competition they call the “Best Resale Value Awards.” There are overall winners, top 10 winners, and category winners. From the 2014 model year to the 2019 model year, there has been one of these GMC trucks in the top 3 of their respective categories (either full-size or mid-size truck) every single year.

Here’s a quick rundown:

• 2014: GMC Sierra 1500 (3rd place finisher)
•  2015: GMC Sierra HD (2nd place finisher)
•  2015: GMC Canyon (3rd place finisher)
•  2016: GMC Sierra HD (3rd place finisher)
• 2016: GMC Canyon (2nd place finisher)
• 2017: GMC Sierra HD (2nd place finisher)
•  2018: GMC Sierra HD (2nd place finisher)
• 2019: GMC Sierra 1500 (2nd place finisher)

Again, these awards are for resale value. KBB takes into account the resale value at 36 months and 60 months, which means these GMC trucks are doing quite well for themselves across the board. If their value is staying that high after three and five years, the guys at GMC must be doing something right. It’s especially noteworthy that all three of these trucks were included in the awards. You should also note, though, that the Sierra 1500 and Sierra HD would be in the same category and, therefore, competing against each other.

Regardless, it’s an accomplishment that speaks to the longevity of GMC pickups and the sound mechanical craftsmanship involved in their manufacturing.

Just to see, let’s check out the KBB ratings and estimated Fair Purchase Prices (FPP) of a few of these award-winners. We’ll do one winning year for each of the three trucks.

For the 2014 GMC Sierra 1500, the expert rating was 3.9/5 while the Consumer Rating was 4.3/5. Kelley Blue Book lists the current fair purchase price at $19,306. In 2015, the GMC Sierra HD received a consumer rating of 4.6/5 and had a fair purchase price of $26,458. As for 2016, the GMC Canyon’s expert rating was 4.3/5, and the consumer rating was 4.6/5. They have the 2016 Canyon listed at a fair purchase price of $19,978. Considering the model years plus the assumed mileage, their estimated values are quite strong.

Rick Hendrick Buick GMC Duluth

At Rick Hendrick, we believe your next used truck should already have value, but also continue to have value down the road. That’s why we believe in the GMC brand and their lineup of trucks — because they’re proven to be reliable while still retaining their value, year after year. So, no matter what kind of used GMC truck you’re looking for, we’re here to help any way we can.

Please, feel free to peruse our online inventory and, whenever you’re ready, contact us or come on down to our lot in Duluth, GA, to chat with one of our friendly professionals. We look forward to hearing from you.