2012 GMC Sierra 1500 Hybrid Overview Change Vehicle

This 2012 GMC Sierra 1500 Hybrid review explains changes for the model year, provides a summary of the 2012 Sierra 1500 Hybrid, and includes GMC Sierra 1500 Hybrid safety, reliability, and fuel economy ratings.

Equipped with a V8 engine, dual electric motors powered by a giant battery pack, and other hybrid powertrain components, the 2012 GMC Sierra Hybrid is – excluding its corporate sibling, the Chevy Silverado Hybrid – a rare breed, a one-of-a-kind hauling and towing solution in the full-size pickup truck market.

GMC upgrades the Sierra Hybrid’s standard StabiliTrak stability and traction control system for 2012, adding Hill Start Assist and Trailer Sway Control features. A reversing camera is also new this year, included on the top trim level in conjunction with a new 30-gig hard disc drive navigation radio system with voice recognition technology, an in-dash touchscreen, a hybrid power flow display, a USB port, and more. GMC also provides a way to turn the Sierra Hybrid into a rolling wi-fi hot spot this year, and a new Remote Link mobile app is available through the standard OnStar telematics system. A new three-bar grille design debuts for 2012, along with fresh colors including Carbon Black, Steel Gray, Quicksilver, and Mocha Steel. Interiors are offered in new two-tone Cashmere or Titanium treatments, in addition to the popular Ebony selection.

Because the GMC Sierra Hybrid is a limited-production vehicle, choice is fairly limited. It comes only in a crew cab body style, equipped with rear- or four-wheel drive, and in 3HA and 3HB trim levels. There are few options offered on this model.

As you might expect given the Sierra Hybrid’s starting price, this truck is well equipped even in standard 3HA trim. It comes with dual-zone automatic climate control, premium cloth upholstery, power windows, power heated mirrors, power door locks, remote keyless entry, a leather-wrapped tilt steering wheel with stereo controls, cruise control, and a six-speaker sound system with a CD/MP3 player and satellite radio. OnStar telematics with six free months of safety and information service is also included, along with Bluetooth hands-free connectivity, a driver information center, illuminated visor vanity mirrors, dark tinted rear glass, and remote vehicle starting. Special hybrid gauges and displays are naturally included on this model, and the standard 40/20/40 front bench seat is equipped with manual lumbar support adjustment for the driver.

Nobody will mistake the Sierra Hybrid for an entry-level truck thanks to chrome bumpers, chrome grille trim, and chrome-clad 18-inch aluminum wheels. Cargo bed lights and a locking EZ-Lift tailgate are also standard, and the Sierra Hybrid includes a soft tonneau cover over the bed to improve aerodynamics and maximize fuel economy. The Sierra Hybrid comes to the party ready to rock, thanks to its heavy-duty locking rear differential, engine oil and transmission and engine oil coolers, trailering suspension, trailer brake controller, trailering provisions, and heavy-duty battery with 600 cold cranking amps.

Factory-installed options are limited to a six-way power driver’s seat. Dealers, however, can add a number of features to a Sierra Hybrid, including bed rail protectors, cargo management systems, utility racks, a toolbox, all weather floor mats, side assist steps, and a mobile wi-fi hot-spot connection.

Upgrade to the Sierra Hybrid 3HB, and this truck rolls off the assembly line fully loaded with leather, six-way power front seats divided by a center storage console, and a Bose premium sound system connected to a navigation radio system that includes a 30-gig hard drive for music file storage. Power adjustable pedals, a HomeLink universal remote, an auto-dimming interior mirror, and auto-dimming exterior mirrors with puddle lamps and integrated turn signal indicators are also included, along with a rear window defogger, a reversing camera, and rear park assist sensors. The exterior is dressed up a bit with standard fog lights, and the soft tonneau cover is replaced by a sturdier hard tonneau.

As with the standard Sierra Hybrid, most options are installed by the dealer. However, the 3HB model can be equipped with a power sunroof.

What makes the 2012 GMC Sierra Hybrid special is its unique two-mode hybrid powertrain, which is shared with other full-size trucks and SUVs in the General Motors family. The system pairs an Atkinson-cycle 6.0-liter V8 engine with an electrically variable transmission equipped with two electric motors that’s powered by a 300-volt nickel-metal hydride rechargeable battery pack.

Regenerative brakes capture kinetic energy that would otherwise be lost, and feed that energy to the battery pack to recharge it, while the V8 engine is equipped with Auto Stop and Active Fuel Management (AFM) features designed to conserve as much fuel as possible. Auto Stop automatically shuts the gasoline-burning V8 off when idling at intersections or in traffic, while AFM runs just four of the V8’s eight cylinders when cruising or coasting under light-load conditions.

The result is combined power output of 332 horsepower and 367 pound-feet of torque, and fuel economy ratings of 20 mpg in the city and 23 mpg on the highway for both 2WD and 4WD models. As a “full hybrid,” the Sierra Hybrid can accelerate up to 30 mph solely on electricity.

A five-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty is standard, and the Sierra’s hybrid components are covered for eight years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first.

With six airbags, StabiliTrak traction and stability control, four-wheel-disc antilock brakes, OnStar telematics with Automatic Crash Response, Hill Start Assist, and Trailer Sway Control all coming standard, the 2012 GMC Sierra Hybrid offers plenty of safety features. And if you get the top trim level, the truck also comes with a reversing camera and rear park assist sensors. Another factor that the Sierra Hybrid has going for it is its substantial curb weight, which comes in at more than 5,500 pounds.

We’d like to explain what Automatic Crash Response is. As a part of the free six-month standard subscription to OnStar, Automatic Crash Response engages if the Sierra Hybrid’s airbags deploy, putting a live operator in touch with the pickup truck’s occupants to see if anyone needs help. Even if nobody can respond, the operator can send emergency personnel to the truck’s exact location in an effort to speed rescue.

In crash tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the 2012 GMC Sierra receives a 4-Star rating in the frontal-impact test, a 5-Star rating in the side-impact test, and a 4-Star rollover resistance rating. The NHTSA says overall crashworthiness rates 4 Stars.

Results from tests conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) are also favorable, with a single exception. The IIHS gives the Sierra its best rating of Good for its performance in the offset frontal-impact test, an Acceptable rating for side-impact protection, and an Acceptable rating for the truck’s ability to prevent injury in a rear-impact accident. Unfortunately, the IIHS rates the Sierra’s roof crush strength as Marginal.

Recently, Consumer Reports updated its reliability forecast for the GMC Sierra, dropping the truck’s prediction to below average. The Sierra continues to get an average reliability prediction from J.D. Power and Associates, according to the market research firm’s most recent round of ratings.

When equipped with 4WD, the GMC Sierra Hybrid employs an automatic Autotrac system, that’s controlled using a rotary dial on the dashboard.

When buying a Sierra Hybrid, the trade-off for its impressive hybrid technology is a loss of maximum payload and towing capability. With 2WD, the Sierra Hybrid can tow up to 6,100 pounds and carry a payload of 1,527 pounds (4WD models have slightly lower capability). Those numbers are significantly lower than a regular Sierra, by 4,600 pounds and 400 pounds, respectively.

The 2012 GMC Sierra Hybrid is built in Silao, Mexico.

GMC sells few Sierra Hybrids, and it’s not hard to understand why serious truck buyers skip this fuel-efficient model for pickups that work harder – even if the penalty for the extra performance is lower fuel economy. That said, if you’re OK with the Sierra Hybrid’s reduced payload and towing capacities, and you don’t mind paying a steep premium for technology, you’ll probably like the Sierra Hybrid.

-- By Christian Wardlaw