Hybrid Pickups

Chevy and GMC hybrids are capable, but pricey

For 2009, General Motors has introduced the first hybrid pickups: the full-size 2009 Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid (*Est. $38,020 to $47,305) and its twin, the 2009 GMC Sierra Hybrid (*Est. $38,390 to $47,675). Overall, reviews say these are good, full hybrid trucks, although they do make a few compromises in the name of fuel economy.

The Chevy and GMC hybrid pickup trucks are only available in a single body style: a four-door crew cab with a short, 6-foot bed. These full-size hybrid trucks can haul a good payload for their size, reviewers say -- a bit more than the 1,800 pounds a comparable gas-powered Chevy Silverado can haul, actually -- but their towing capacity lags behind even some compact pickup trucks (5,900 pounds for the four-wheel-drive hybrids, and 6,100 pounds for the rear-wheel-drive versions). When the Chevy Silverado Hybrid and GMC Sierra Hybrid are loaded down, they accelerate a bit sluggishly in tests. General Motors has told PickupTrucks.com that it plans to improve towing capacity by 50 percent in its next-generation hybrid trucks, due in 2013.

Fuel economy is impressive for a truck this size, experts say -- 21 mpg in mixed city/highway driving for the rear-wheel-drive versions or 20 mpg with four-wheel drive, versus 16 mpg for a comparable gas-powered Silverado. Real-world tests at AutoblogGreen.com and The New York Times find those EPA estimates quite accurate, but Jason Kavanagh at Edmunds.com manages just 17 mpg in mixed driving with the four-wheel-drive hybrid. With a light touch on the accelerator, the hybrid trucks are capable of running under 30 mph on their electric motors alone, but Kavanagh found that in real-life driving he needed to accelerate more quickly, and so the gas engine kicked in fairly often.

Finally, there's price. Even after a $2,200 federal tax credit, General Motors' hybrid pickup trucks still cost about $2,000 more than a similar gas-powered Chevrolet Silverado, Kavanagh points out. Jeremy Korzeniewski at AutoblogGreen.com agrees. "Even assuming that gas increases to $3 a gallon and that almost all of your driving will be done in the city, it will still take several years before the hybrid truck's running costs equal those" of its gas counterparts, Korzeniewski says.

Still, if conserving fuel is a priority for you, experts say you will not be disappointed with GM's hybrid pickup trucks, Although the ride is not always smooth, testers find the hybrid trucks generally comfortable and capable, and their hybrid components carry a long eight-year, 100,000-mile warranty. "For those who want to use as little gas as possible but still need the capabilities of a full-size pickup truck, the hybrid twins from General Motors will fit the bill nicely," Korzeniewski says. See our What To Look For page for more on hybrid pickups.