Skip to main content

Think trucks are basic? The 2020 GMC Sierra HD can see through a trailer

Pickup trucks aren’t bare-bones, no-frills machines anymore. Tech features commonly found in passenger cars (like adaptive cruise control) are slowly seeping into the pickup segment, and the companies that build them have started developing truck-specific equipment to make towing and off-road driving easier. The brand-new 2020 GMC Sierra HD illustrates this trend well.

Recommended Videos

Motorists who buy a Sierra 2500 HD or a Sierra 3500 HD often need to tow, so GMC offers up to 15 cameras that help drivers see what’s around them — and, crucially, around their trailer. The HD even lets the driver see right through a trailer by stitching together footage from a camera mounted on the tailgate and footage from an accessory camera that needs to be installed on the back of the trailer. The list of options also includes the clever Rear Camera Mirror technology inaugurated by Cadillac.

The myGMC mobile app lets users interact with the trailer remotely. If it’s a camper, they can use the app to turn on the A/C or the water heater, check the water level, and check the generator’s fuel level. With a second app called simply Trailering, they can also verify the trailer’s tire pressure, whether the lights work, and access a pre-departure checklist.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

While GMC proudly listed all of the Sierra HD’s tech features, it remained surprisingly quiet on the topic of technical specifications. All we know is that the truck will be available with a 6.6-liter turbodiesel engine that delivers 445 horsepower and a mighty 910 pound-feet of torque. It shifts through a 10-speed automatic transmission, and it allows the HD to tow “well over 30,000 pounds” when properly equipped. Buyers will also have the option of selecting a gasoline engine, but details about it haven’t been announced yet.

The Sierra HD stands out from the mechanically identical (but less high-tech) 2020 Chevrolet Silverado HD with a brand-specific design that brings an upright, chrome-festooned grille and the firm’s proprietary six-function tailgate previously seen on the smaller Sierra 1500. An off-road-focused model named AT4 will join the lineup as soon as production starts. It benefits from an off-road suspension with Rancho shocks, skid plates, a locking rear differential, and 18-inch alloy wheels wrapped by Michelin all-terrain tires. AT4 models also receive a specific head-up display with an inclinometer. At the other end of the spectrum, the luxed-out Denali HD model returns with leather upholstery, real wood trim, and pounds of chrome.

GMC will build the 2020 Sierra 2500 HD and the 2020 Sierra 3500 HD in Flint, Michigan, and it will begin delivering both trucks to customers later in 2019. Pricing information and full specifications will be available closer to both models’ on-sale date.

Ronan Glon
Ronan Glon is an American automotive and tech journalist based in southern France. As a long-time contributor to Digital…
Hyundai teases Ioniq 9 electric SUV’s interior ahead of expected launch
hyundai ioniq 9 teaser launch 63892 image1hyundaimotorpresentsfirstlookationiq9embarkingonaneweraofspaciousevdesign

The Ioniq 9, the much anticipated three-row, electric SUV from Hyundai, will be officially unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show next week.

Selected by Newsweek as one of America’s most anticipated new vehicles of 2025, the Ioniq 9 recently had its name changed from the Ioniq 7, which would have numerically followed the popular Ioniq 6, to signal the SUV as Hyundai’s new flagship EV model.

Read more
Kia EV5: everything we know so far
Kia EV9 front exterior

Kia is expanding its EV lineup in a big way. The company is currently in the middle of rolling out the EV3, which is now available in Europe and is likely to come to the U.S. next year. Not only that, but it's also prepping the EV4, which it will likely announce more widely in 2025. And it's not stopping there either -- the Kia EV5 is a slightly scaled-back version of the much-loved EV9 SUV, and not only is it a vehicle we're excited about, but it's one that has already launched in Australia.

If the EV5 is anything like the EV9 -- only cheaper -- it'll be an instant success. Curious about whether the EV5 could be your next car? Here's everything we know about the EV5.
Design
Despite the lower number, the Kia EV5 is actually larger than the EV6 crossover — but not quite as large as the EV9 SUV. Kia calls it a “compact SUV” that offersa boxy design that’s similar to the EV9, but with only two rows of seats instead of three.

Read more
Trump administration prepares to end Biden’s EV tax incentive, report says
president biden drives 2022 ford f 150 lightning electric pickup truck prototype visits rouge vehicle center

If you’re looking to buy or lease an electric vehicle (EV) and benefit from the Biden administration’s $7,500 tax incentive, you’d better act soon.

The transition team of the incoming Trump administration is already planning to end the credit, according to a report from Reuters citing sources with direct knowledge of the matter.

Read more