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I didn't get to test GMC's four-wheel drive Sierra pickup in the snow, but
an unusually heavy Midwestern hail storm supplied all the lack-of-grip I needed.
With the 4WD system not yet engaged, I circled a lightpole in a parking lot.
Gradually accelerating, I waited for the truck to skid off on a tangent, which
it did at 20 mph. Then I poked the 4-High button and tried again. This time I
reached almost 30 before the truck broke into understeer.
OK, that doesn't make it a Porsche 911, but neither can a Porsche haul multiple
bales of hay. The gain in road-holding ability here meant the 4WD system was
doing something significant to increase the Sierra's traction, helping to rein
in its two tons of steel when all of physics was conspiring to propel the mass
outward. After the storm, I found an equally-rare Midwestern hill, where the
Sierra dispatched slick mud with ease. With 4WD, Goodyear Wrangler RT/S
all-terrain tires are standard.
Truckers love power. My test vehicle featured a mere 5.0 liter V8 (which hot
rodders like to call "the 305"). That engine seemed more than adequate around
town, but I then didn't haul any hay. When equipped with a 7.4 liter V8 ("the
451"), GM trucks easily top Ford's biggest gasoline V8 both in horsepower and
torque. Neither is a match for the V10 available in the Dodge Ram, however.
I drove the Club Coupe model, complete with rear seat and a new optional
passenger-side rear door. Rear doors are now the rage in pickups, just as fourth
doors have over overtaken minivans. The Sierra's new door is a good idea, but
its only handle is inaccessible from the rear quarters, and it can't be deployed
until the front passenger door is open. Rear seat leg room is less than that of
a Honda Civic. A vent duct delivers heat to the rear quarters, so passengers'
legs will be warm if acutely bent.
Jotting notes for this story was easy thanks to a clipboard built into the
center armrest/console/compartment. Seems like a small thing, but that board is
positioned perfectly for those who must write while they drive. Inside the
console is storage for CDs and cassettes--partytime! (It's unlike the Dodge Ram,
whose business-like armrest includes space for a laptop computer. Say
something?)
Stylewise, the Club Coupe model is rugged and handsome and seemingly
well-proportioned in spite of its added length. Not surprisingly, its interior
space is huge. Just for kicks I measured one linear dimension inside the cab,
from its left front corner to the right rear. About 81 inches. If the front seat
would fold a bit flatter, I could sleep inside. At 27 grand, I might have to.
1996 4x4 Sierra Club Coupe
Engines: 5.0 V8, 230 hp; 5.7 V8, 255 hp;
7.4 V8, 290 hp; 6.5 V8 turbo diesel, 180 hp;
6.5 V8 heavy-duty turbo diesel, 190 hp
Transmission: 5-sp manual, 4-sp auto
Drive System: RWD, 4WD
Wheelbase: 141.5 inches
Weight: 4,414 lbs.
Ground clearance: 9.6 inches
EPA economy: 14 MPG city, 18 highway
Price: $20,290 (Club Coupe, base)
$27,437 (as tested)
Copyright © 1996 Snow Country Magazine. All rights reserved.
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