all terrain all good

AmSnow.com is now SnoWest.com

Let's face it, with today's soaring gas prices, full-size trucks have become about as popular as Edward Scissorhands in a balloon factory. But to snowmobilers, trucks are a necessity. To pull our hefty loads in winter, we need a solid truck, one that's reliable, strong and comfortable, or so we hope. GMC understands this and has been making trucks that fit the bill for nearly 100 years. And yes, the more recent models are a bit more comfortable than the ones built in the early 1900s.

So we tested GMC's Sierra All Terrain, with its macho four-bar chrome grille and sassy 18-in. chrome star-shaped wheels this past season to see if it could stand up to the cold and muck, plus pull our trailers without moaning and groaning like a publisher looking at gas receipts.

Result? Our Truck of the Year.

Solid performance
First, the Sierra is a solid pickup that's available in regular cab, extended cab or crew cab configurations. So, snowmobilers looking for value, a little extra space or room for five inside can take their pick.

Engine sizes vary too, so you can go for economy or grunt. Having tried more moderate size engines, we opted for grunt.

Our silver All Terrain, a special package for 2008, featured the popular Z71 off-road suspension package, heavy-duty trailering package and a spiffy two-tone leather interior with brushed metal accents, to name a few goodies. A 5.3-liter V-8 with 315 horses is standard in the All Terrain, but we opted for a torquey 6.0-liter, 367-horse V-8.

All that power is good for hauling all our winter gear, plus extra gas and parts in the truck's covered, lockable bed, while also towing our 2- or 4-place trailers into the northern realms of snow and ice. Acceleration is good with the 6.0-liter, with or without sleds in tow.

There's plenty of low-end grunt and the Stabilitrak system puts all the power to the proper wheels automatically if you leave the truck in its "auto" mode. Or, you can put it in 4-wheel-high for most snow conditions and 4-wheel-low for serious off-road hauling and mudslinging.

We also like how the truck's 4-speed automatic transmission shifts smoothly even accelerating hard with a load in tow. Like most trucks nowadays, a tow/haul button on the shifter allows you to change the shift patterns to maximize the pull when a trailer is attached instead of hauling in a lower gear.

Ride and handling also are primo in the All Terrain, which adds the off-road suspension package with Rancho shocks, plus a skid plate, automatic locking rear differential and high-capacity air cleaner. The trailering package adds an oil cooler and heavy-duty hitch.

We bang along some pretty iffy roads from time to time, and the All Terrain smoothes out bumps with a minimal amount of rock 'n' roll to the passengers. Handling is decent too, so taking corners at a good clip is no problem.

Inside scoop
This truck's interior is top shelf, matching its performance. The leather is soft and comfortable, and the All Terrain features a two-tone gray and black mix that gives it a sophisticated look. That's aided by brushed metal trim that replaces the standard wood-look trim found in most Sierras.

Seats are all power and include top and back cushion heaters, which is great in winter and if your tush or back are sore from a long day on the trail, or just a long time in the truck. Our longest haul of the year was about 13 hours, and we had little lower-back fatigue during that trip.

We like the crew cab because it gives us plenty of room in back for two or three additional adults. Or, we can toss gear back there and leave the covered pickup bed for serious snowmobiling equipment, such as tool boxes, gas cans, parts bins, oil, jacks, spare tires, belts and, well, you know, stuff.

We also like the crew cab's full-size rear doors, which makes for easier loading and unloading. However, shorter folks might want to install some running boards as the step-up here is pretty high.

Other pluses inside include a tilt steering wheel, HomeLink and OnStar. The later can be helpful if you get stuck somewhere and can't find gas, food or some other vital necessity after dark.

There's a trip computer with buttons on the dash just to the right of the steering wheel, which is easy to see and use. Plus, you get two large cup holders between the seats and a giant storage bin, great for maps, sled manuals and back issues of American Snowmobiler.

Another favorite feature for us is the XM satellite radio, which keeps you connected to the world with sports scores and weather, plus decent tunes, even when in remote areas. This thing works even when cell phones don't!

Gas mileage
We got between 16.2 and 17 mpg with four aboard in mostly highway driving, but that fell to 13 mpg whenever we had a trailer, either 2- or 4-place, in tow. The EPA says to expect 13 mpg city and 17 highway.

Face it, the All Terrain's spiffy interior and chrome-laden exterior may be a little more than most of us snowmobilers really NEED when it comes to a truck, but that bling makes you feel a little special when you walk out to your truck in sub-zero weather.

Need the performance, but less bling?

A base Sierra with 4WD is quite the value at $20,740. It comes with a 195-horse V-6. Move up to the SLE1 at $28,095, with a base 4.8-liter, 295-hp V-8 with a 5.3-liter, 315-horse optional.

2008 GMC Sierra 1500 4WD All Terrain Crew Cab SLT
Made in: Oshawa, Ont.
Engine: 6.0-liter, V-8, 367 horsepower
Transmission: 4-speed automatic
MPG: 13/17
Tow Capacity: 10,500 lbs.
Base Price: $37,850
Delivery: $925
Major Options: SLT preferred package (Remote start, universal home remote, stereo w/MP3/6-disc CD changer, power pedals, rear park assist, rain-sensing wipers) - $1,045. All-Terrain package (Z71 off-road package, heavy-duty trailering package, Rancho shocks, body-color door handles, carpeted floor mats with All Terrain logo, two-tone leather seats, chrome grille insert and body-side accents, 18-in. chrome wheels) - $2,195 Vortec 6.0-liter V-8 - $1,000
Test Vehicle: $43,015
Source: GMC