The first of these new trucks we drove was a 2500 crew cab 4x4 mid-level Custom with the all-new 6.6-liter direct injection V-8 gas engine, rated at 401 horsepower and 464 pound-feet of torque. This engine replaces the aging 6.0-liter V-8 workhorse GM has kept around for almost two decades. The new mill is a vast improvement over its predecessor.
Although most of these HD models are likely to be ordered with the bigger and stronger Duramax turbodiesel (rated at 445 horsepower and 910 pound-feet of torque), every competitor in this segment has to offer a solid torque-biased gas V-8 for the old-school fleet and commercial buyers, as well as a small number of personal-use buyers that like the way a big gas V-8 sounds and responds OR deal with diesel costs and maintenance/repairs.
Driving the gas V-8 with the six-speed on the winding two-lane roads through the open countryside and gradual slopes of the Northwest's Cascade mountain range, throttle responsiveness and its willingness to scoot up a hill is impressive. All gas V-8s receive 3.73:1 axle gears, as the transmission seems pretty smart about knowing when and how quickly to drop a gear when needed. The 6L90 transmission is basically a carryover from the previous HD lineup, but we're guessing there's been a considerable amount of software integration work to prevent the harder gear shifts (especially during the 1/2 and 2/3 shifts) we've experienced with it in the past, especially under load.
With that said, we had quite a bit of fun during a few passing and merging situations where we hopped on the throttle and felt the 8,000-pound pickup move like sport truck. We also have to note that the lighter weight of the new engine (when compared to the Duramax engine) provides the front end with a nimbler feel when diving and carving through corners—not something we're used to feeling in a truck this large.
