The full-size truck business is big business and numbers carry a lot of weight. In days gone by, tow ratings and horsepower were king. Bragging rights were essential. But now it seems MPGs are outweighing GCVWRs in swaying consumers’ choices about what they buy.
To that end, General Motors has added some new tech to their engine lineup for 2014 and EPA estimates show GMC owners will be able to brag about their Sierra equipped with the 5.3-liter V-8 as they pass by a few more gas pumps.
The 5.3-liter is expected to achieve 16 mpg city/23 mpg highway in two-wheel-drive trucks and 16/22 mpg in four-wheel-drive models. That means a 4×2 GMC will surpass Ford’s 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 by one mpg highway. The twin-turbo V-6 EcoBoost is rated at 16/22 mpg in a two-wheel-drive configuration.
The fuel economy gap widens as the 5.3-liter is compared to Ford’s 5.0-liter V-8 and Ram’s 5.7-liter HEMI V-8, which are both rated at 15/21 mpg.
Power also increases as the small block 5.3-liter makes a SAE-certified 355 horsepower and 383 lb-ft. of torque. And if towing remains on the agenda, then bragging is still allowed, as the 5.3-liter is rated to tow a class-leading 11,500 pounds.
We’ve covered the engineering in detail, but the new EcoTec3 engine family gets three main updated features: variable valve timing, cylinder deactivation, and direct injection. Displacements stay the same with the 4.3-liter V-6, 5.3-liter V-8, and 6.2-liter V-8.
