GM’s trucks are having a good October. Autoblog today named the 2027 GMC Sierra 1500 its Best Premium Budget Truck and the 2027 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 its Best Off-Road Truck, with eight additional GM vehicles landing in the top three across their respective categories.
The Colorado ZR2 win rests on familiar hardware deployed unusually well for a factory offering. The 2.7-liter turbocharged four-cylinder makes 310 hp and 430 lb-ft of torque, but the mechanicals that matter most off-pavement are the Multimatic DSSV dampers, power-locking front and rear differentials, five selectable drive modes, and 33-inch MT tires on 17-inch wheels, all sitting atop a 3-inch factory lift. Autoblog Senior Editor Sebastian Cenizo framed the ZR2’s appeal precisely: the truck fills the middle ground between dedicated off-road rigs and comfortable daily drivers, and at a size that fits most garages. That is a narrower value proposition than it sounds, and Cenizo argues the ZR2 occupies it without compromise.
The Sierra 1500 award hinges on the 2027 model’s new engine options. The truck’s four available powertrains span a 2.7-liter TurboMax producing 350 hp and 455 lb-ft at the entry point to a 6.6-liter V8 making 481 hp and 501 lb-ft at the top. GM claims the 6.6-liter is the most powerful naturally aspirated V8 in its class, the largest-displacement V8 in its class, and the most powerful half-ton V8 GMC has ever offered. All configurations pair with a 10-speed automatic. Autoblog’s editors cited the Sierra’s upscale design and engine lineup breadth as the deciding factors over its segment competitors. Super Cruise is slated to be standard on the Sierra’s upper trims, adding another reason to consider the Sierra over a similarly-priced half-ton from a competitor.
The remaining eight GM vehicles earned top-three finishes across a wide spread of segments: the Cadillac Escalade in premium SUV, the Chevrolet Bolt in electric vehicles, the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 in full-size pickup, the Chevrolet Colorado in midsize pickup, the Chevrolet Tahoe in premium budget SUV, the Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Acadia sharing the roomiest midsize SUV ranking, the Chevrolet Corvette in sports car, and the Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD in towing. Autoblog evaluated hundreds of models using three category-specific criteria per vehicle, rated on a five-point scale, alongside safety scores, competitive comparisons, and ownership practicality.
The timing matters for GM. The company’s Q3 2026 U.S. sales fell 5.5 percent year over year as EV demand softened, but the truck and SUV lineup has consistently been where GM earns its credibility with buyers. Car and Driver named six GM vehicles to its 2026 10Best list, more than any other automaker. The Lansing Delta Township plant, which built over 291,000 vehicles in 2025, is now being retooled for hybrid-electric production, signaling where GM expects its next growth wave to come from. Awards for the current-generation ICE lineup give the brand a credibility platform to carry into that transition.
GM claims the most awarded automaker title with some regularity, and a haul this size from a single outlet does not hurt that argument. Whether the Sierra’s V8 supremacy in half-ton naturally aspirated output still registers with buyers shopping a segment that is increasingly turbocharged is the more interesting question. For now, Autoblog’s editors found the answer convincing.
Source: General Motors. Images courtesy of General Motors.
