What Is The Difference Between The GMC SLE and SLT Sierra?

The GMC Sierra is a truck that combines ruggedness and luxury. It might not be the most powerful in its class, but it certainly is versatile and comfortable. Plus, GMC provides various trim levels, engines, and features. But, sometimes, it’s not that easy to tell them apart. So, let’s find out what are the key differences between all the GMC Sierras.

GMC SLE vs SLT

The GMC Sierra SLE is a step above the entry-level model, and it comes with the smallest engine plus a basic but comfortable interior. The SLT is a more luxurious version. It includes a standard V8 and a ten-speed automatic transmission, plus available packages and bigger wheels. In ascending order of features and price, GMC separates the Sierra into the following: Base, SLE, Elevation, SLT, AT4, and Denali.

As its name states, the entry-level Sierra Base is a no-frills working truck. Some of the features in this trim carry over to the next, and so forth. In some cases, the more expensive model comes with better options.

The most luxurious GMC Sierra available is the Denali. Interestingly, it doesn’t come with 4WD as standard, ideal for urban drivers. On the other hand, the ideal Sierra for off-road fanatics is the AT4, which comes only with four-wheel-drive and improved suspension.

Thanks to GMC’s multitude of engines, many of these trim levels come with the option to choose everything from inline-four to V8 powerplants. But you cannot opt for the diesel engine on the Base model.

A common trend in most manufacturers, not only GMC, offers plenty of available packages for even the most basic level. In the case of the Sierra, it’s no different. Packages include the Snow Plow, X31 Off-Road, and Trailering Package, available for the SLE. But the SLT comes with its own optional packages.

We’ll go through some of the main features each trim provides in the following section.

What features do the GMC Sierra SLE and SLT come with?

With so many options and trim levels, it’s hard to keep track of what each truck brings to the table. So, we decided to summarize our findings for you. This table shows some, not all, of the features each of the GMC Sierra’s trim levels comes with.

GMC Base vs SLT vs SLE vs Elevation vs AT4 vs Denali Chart

Features	Sierra (Base)	SLE	Elevation	SLT	AT4	Denali
Standard engine	4.3L V6	2.7L I4	2.7L I4	5.3L V8	5.3L V8	5.3L V8
Transmission (automatic)	Six-speed	Eight-speed	Eight-speed	Eight-speed (2WD) and Ten-Speed (4WD)	Ten-Speed	Ten-Speed
Engine options	2.7L I4 and 5.3L V8	3.0L Diesel I6	3.0L Diesel I6	All from SLE and Base	None	6.2L V8
Transmission options	Eight-speed	Ten-speed	Ten-speed	None	None	None
Wheels	17 inches	17 inches with six spokes	20 inches with Black Glass paint	18-in machined aluminum	18-in machined aluminum and off road wheels	20-in multi-dimensional aluminum wheels
Audio System	Six speaker	Sirius XM	Sirius XM	Premium HD Radio	Premium HD Radio	Bose Premium
Rear vision Camera	Yes	Yes	Yes	HD	HD	Available HD Surround vision
Snow Plow Prep Package	Optional	No	No	No	No	No
X31 Off-Road Package	Optional	Optional	Optional	Optional	Optional	Optional
Trailering Package	Optional	Optional	Optional	Standard	Standard	Standard
GMC Protection Package	Optional	Optional	Optional	Optional	Optional	Optional
Other accents	Cargo bay lightning	Leather steering wheel, heated front seats, remote start	Similar to SLE, with clothed rear seat. Elevation features Gloss Black Package available	Available Texas and Texas Plus package.	Available Off-Road Performance. Comes with Skid Plates and lift kit	Available with Denali Ultimate Edition

As you can see, the GMC Sierra SLT and SLE features are luxurious, but they’re still within the middle of the price range. There’s little mechanical difference between the SLE and the Elevation. But, the latter provides more aesthetic upgrades.

An interesting aspect is that the AT4, the off-road version, comes with skid plates, a 2-in. lift, and exclusive off-road tires.

Besides a great exterior, the SLT trims also come with interior tech like a power outlet and a premium GMC infotainment system for added convenience.

But it also comes with two exclusive premium packages. These are the Texas Edition packages, which offer luxury and themed interiors.

Now that we’ve discussed some of the features in the different Sierra trim levels, let’s talk about one of the most essential aspects: pricing.

How much do the GMC Sierra SLE and SLT cost?

The following table shows starting prices of the different Sierra trim levels. Keep in mind that these are only references, and they might change in your location.

Sierra 1500 (Base)	SLE	Elevation	SLT	AT4	Denali
$29,795	$39,995	$41,695	$48,595	$55,395	$56,990

Additional features can increase these values. For example, optional engines like the 3.0L Diesel will cost around $1,000. So, it’s best to use these prices as a starting point.

As we can see, the GMC Sierra offers plenty of options. So, let’s discuss how it stacks up against the competition.

How do the GMC Sierra SLE and SLT compare with the competition?

The GMC Sierra’s main competitors are the Chevrolet Silverado, Ford F-150, and Ram 1500. Other brands include Toyota with the Tundra and Nissan with the Titan XD.

The following table summarizes the different trim levels from the three main competitors and their prices. We cannot dive into the features of each, as it would exceed the purpose of this article. But, it’s worth highlighting that GMC and Chevrolet both belong to General Motors.

The Sierra and the Silverado are mechanically identical. But GMC aims to fit a more luxurious lifestyle, while Chevrolet is more for working.

As the options begin to increase in terms of luxury, the Sierra doesn’t become the most expensive. In fact, it’s substantially cheaper than Ford’s most luxurious option.

Both the SLT and SLE options from GMC offer competitive pricing for the features they come with. A fun detail is that Ram also offers an SLT that is within range with GMC’s option.

The US truck market is very competitive. With a small number of brands competing for buyers, it’s common to see that many of these will offer similar features. So, don’t expect any surprises.

Perhaps the only peculiarity in this table is that the Ford F-150 Limited edition is around $17500 more than its nearest competitor. It’s up to personal preference whether it’s worth the money.

This pattern can come through as an advantage. With so many options, buyers can choose from basic to luxurious trim levels while still being cheaper than the competition.

Closing thoughts

The GMC Sierra comes with plenty of trim options. Because of the variety, many are left wondering what’s the difference between the SLT and SLE. This article aims to answer this and also explain what the different GMC Sierra trim levels offer.

The SLE is a step above the most basic Sierra, known as the Sierra 1500. It comes with a standard 2.7L inline-four gasoline engine, which provides adequate power, good fuel mileage. But it doesn’t live up to par when it comes to towing.

The SLT is a more luxurious version, with better interior features and other available engines. You can choose the 3.0L Duramax TurboDiesel Inline-six, which is great for towing, thanks to its low-end torque.

But GMC also offers specialized and luxury trims. The AT4 is geared more towards rough terrain driving with exclusive tires, off-road suspension, and a 2-in lift. The Denali trim is the most luxurious, and you can even upgrade it with the Ultimate edition.

As far as the competition, though GMC is GM’s luxury option, it still sits in the middle of the pack when pricing. It offers a similar amount of trims to Ford and Chevrolet. But Ram provides an impressive twelve trim options.

Pricing is consistently competitive, and this makes perfect sense. With such a limited number of options in the US truck market, these manufacturers have to outdo the rest and stay within budget. So, though the entry-level Sierra isn’t the cheapest, the Denali isn’t the most expensive luxury trim out there. That honor goes to the Ford F-150 Limited.

If you want to know more about what each trim level comes with, be sure to visit the manufacturer’s website. There plenty of more exciting amenities the Sierra has to offer.

For the moment, we hope that this article gives you the necessary product information to understand what sets each GMC Sierra trim level apart. Can you picture yourself in the driver’s seat? Buy or lease one today!