Starting at
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8 | Premium Colors | 2 |
Standard on SLE | MultiPro Tailgate | Available |
Standard on Denali | Automatic Emergency Braking | Available |
The 2023 GMC Sierra 2500 HD and 2023 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD represent the pinnacle of the three-quarter-ton pickup segment. But despite both trucks being a part of the General Motors family and having many of the same features, they actually display several differences across a wide range of areas. Even with their similarities, their differences stand out enough to warrant serious consideration from prospective buyers. This makes for a competitive shopping experience for those thinking about comparing the 2023 GMC Sierra 2500 HD vs 2023 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD when shopping for a heavy-duty pickup.
Coming off the 2022 updates, which featured wider availability of the Multi-Flex Tailgate for more of the Chevy Silverado 2500 HD trims and a brand new color scheme in the form of Forest Metallic for the GMC Sierra 2500 HD, the 2023 trucks continue to offer these updated features for the new year. There are no major diversions for the 2023 model year, but if you are trying to decide on one of these two trucks, which one would it be?
When it comes to trim selections and colors, you have five different trims available for the 2023 GMC Sierra 2500 HD. These include the base Pro, the SLE, the SLT, the off-road AT4, and the luxury-oriented Denali. The GMC Sierra is also available in nine colors: Summit White, Cardinal Red, Onyx Black, Pacific Blue Metallic, Quicksilver Metallic, Forest Metallic, Ebony Twilight Metallic, White Frost Tricoat, and Cayenne Red Tintcoat. For the Chevy Silverado 2500 HD, there are also five trims available in the form of the base WT, the Custom, the LT, the LTZ, and the High Country. The Silverado 2500 HD is also available in nine different colors: Summit White, Silver Ice Metallic, Red Hot, Northsky Blue Metallic, Mosaic Black Metallic, Iridescent Pearl Tricoat, Greenstone Metallic, Cherry Red Tintcoat, and Black.
The 2023 GMC Sierra 2500 HD and 2023 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD share the same powertrain configurations. That means you can get both vehicles in rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive, and both trucks come with multiple options for cabs, beds, and engines. Chevy and GMC offer a Regular Cab with one row of seats, a Double Cab with two rows of seats, and a Crew Cab with a roomier back row. A Long Bed and a Standard Bed are available, with the Long Bed option offering the most cargo volume in the segment. The Double Cab and Crew Cab can be paired with either bed length, while the Regular Cab comes standard with the Long Bed.
Both trucks offer a standard 6.6-liter gasoline V8 with 401 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque and a 6.6-liter Duramax turbo-diesel V8 that manages 445 hp and 910 lb-ft of torque. You get a maximum trailering capacity of 18,510 lbs with the diesel engine and a max payload rating of 3,979 lbs with the gasoline engine, no matter which truck you choose. The Duramax turbo-diesel is available with an integrated power take-off for its 10-speed Allison transmission for powering equipment and upfits. Where the two trucks differ, however, is in their design.
The Silverado 2500 HD only has two premium exterior colors available, in the form of Cherry Red Tintcoat or Iridescent Pearl Tricoat. With the GMC Sierra 2500 HD, you have eight premium colors, including White Frost Tricoat, Cayenne Red Tintcoat, Ebony Twilight Metallic, Forest Metallic, Quicksilver Metallic, Pacific Blue Metallic, Onyx Black, and Cardinal Red. This gives you more options for personalizing the GMC Sierra 2500 HD for those who want something more unique from their three-quarter-ton heavy-duty pickup truck.
The same applies to the wheel designs as well. You have a wide variety of different wheel options for both trucks, from 17-inch steel wheels up to 20-inch alloy wheels. However, the GMC Sierra 2500 HD has nine different 20-inch wheel options for an upscale feel. That includes three distinct high gloss black wheel options, three machined aluminum options, two chrome options, and one polished aluminum option. You basically get more luxurious personalization options for the 2023 GMC Sierra 2500 HD vs 2023 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD. If customization is something you care about with your pickup, the Sierra 2500 HD is the clear winner here.
Both the Chevy Silverado 2500 HD and GMC Sierra 2500 HD have great interior options, and both trucks come with an available 10-way power driver seat and front passenger seat. But only the Sierra 2500 HD offers the highest level of convenience and comfort that you can find from a three-quarter-ton truck. This all starts with the interior seating arrangements, where you have available Jet Black forged perforated leather seats or Dark Walnut/Dark Ash Grey forged perforated leather seats. The Silverado 2500 HD also has available perforated leather seats, but you don't get it with the same color scheme options as you do with the GMC Sierra 2500 HD.
Another significant departure is the Chevy Multi-Flex Tailgate vs the GMC MultiPro Tailgate. Both tailgates offer similar functionality. However, Chevy only offers this valuable feature as an added-cost option, whereas the MultiPro Tailgate is standard on every GMC Sierra 2500 HD trim except for the Pro. Even if you choose the Pro trim, you can still get the MultiPro Tailgate as an available add-on. If you want to make maximum use of the functionality and utility features of the rear bed of a three-quarter-ton pickup, the MultiPro or Multi-Flex Tailgate is a great option to have. Unfortunately, it can be a hassle to find a 2023 Silverado 2500 HD equipped with this valuable addition. GMC simply gives you more access to standard utility features when comparing the 2023 GMC Sierra 2500 HD vs 2023 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD.
Both trucks have a lot of great standard features available when it comes to safety, such as the StabiliTrak system for traction control and stability management. There is also the standard inclusion of airbags and rear vision cameras so you can get a clear view of the truck from all sides. What's more, several safety measures are in place for trailering and managing your load with both trucks. These include sway control, in-vehicle trailering apps, available trailering cameras for easy monitoring of your load, and numerous tie-downs for when you're hauling materials in the rear bed.
Where these two trucks begin to diverge is in some features made standard on the Sierra HD that have to be purchased in separate packages for the Silverado HD. For instance, Automatic Emergency Braking is a standard driver-assist feature for the 2023 Sierra 2500 HD Denali but must be acquired as a separate package for the 2023 Silverado 2500 HD High Country. Other features like the Following Distance Indicator and Forward Collision Alert are also only available as options with the Silverado HD. In contrast, the Sierra HD makes those features standard on its top trims, giving you more value for your money.
This also applies to other optional driver-assist features and active alert systems that are more available on the 2023 GMC Sierra 2500 HD than for the 2023 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD. For instance, the In-Vehicle Trailering App is an available option on all but the base trim of the Sierra 2500 HD. For the Silverado 2500 HD, this same feature is only available on the top three trims. Additionally, the Sierra HD Denali automatically comes with the Safety Alert Seat, which uses vibrations to alert the occupant to a potential crash. This particular feature is only available on select trims of the Silverado HD as an option, further giving the edge to the Sierra in the safety department when comparing the 2023 GMC Sierra 2500 HD vs 2023 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD.