GMC Is Trying To Sell Its Inventory Of 4-Cylinder Trucks And It’s Resulting In Some Extremely Cheap, Brand-New Sierra 1500s

While I don’t ever buy new cars, I can still appreciate a great deal. But truly great deals are hard to come by, so when I hear about them, I’m always a bit skeptical. Most of the time, it ends up being some sort of scam or trick. So when a friend sent me a link to the inventory for a Buick-GMC dealership in Alabama that appears to show a bunch of brand-new, 2026 Sierra 1500 pickup trucks discounted by over $10,000, resulting in asking prices of around $30,000, I figured it was some kind of clerical error.

As it turns out, those massive discounts are real. Howard Bentley Buick GMC, a dealer in Albertville, Alabama, is currently offering some massive discounts on its Sierra 1500 inventory, allowing buyers to own a full-on half-ton truck for nearly the price of a base Ford Maverick.

It’s not just this one dealership where you can snag an absolutely killer deal right now on a 1500. GMC is offering a pretty gigantic discount in an attempt to move trucks equipped with General Motors’ “Turbomax” turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine, to prepare for deliveries of 2027 model-year trucks.

What Exactly Is Going On Here?

If you go to Howard Bentley Buick GMC’s website right now, you’ll see over two dozen GMC Sierra 1500 Pros advertised for under $27,000, with each listing mentioning somewhere between $13,000 and $14,000 of savings. Click on a listing, and it gives you a breakdown of the discounts:

That “Trade Assistance” discount can be ignored right away, as it only applies if you also trade in a qualified vehicle. That means if you just walked into the dealership with no trade-in, you wouldn’t get that extra $3,500. Add that back in, and you’re looking at a real price of $30,115. That’s still $10,500 in discounts, though, or roughly a fourth of the car’s original MSRP.

Curious to know where this $7,000 “Howard Bentley Discount” was coming from, I called the dealer to find out more. A representative told me that it, along with the Purchase Allowance and Bonus Cash discounts, was being used to clear inventory in anticipation of 2027 model-year vehicles. Howard Bentley is the top dealer in Alabama by volume, which is probably why it has so many base 1500s on the lot in the first place.

But discounts like this aren’t limited to this one dealer. While that $7,000 discount is advertised as a dealer-level markdown, it’s actually a nationwide incentive being offered by the factory. Specifically, it’s a $7,000 purchase allowance for any Sierra 1500 with a Turbomax engine. Lorenzo Buick GMC, a dealership in Miami, is advertising similar discounts on its website for these trucks, as is Classic Buick GMC of Cleburne, Texas.

Mashed with the lower-level discounts dealers normally give out to move inventory, it’s unlocking the opportunity to get into a proper half-ton truck for cheaper than any smaller mid-size truck on the market today, including GMC’s own Canyon.

What Does A $30,000 GMC Sierra 1500 Look Like?

The modularity of GMC’s Sierra pickup means there are countless trim combinations to choose from, from short-wheelbase, regular-cab, two-wheel drive base models to fully loaded, Supercrew bodied, chromed-out, leather-heavy, Denali Ultimates powered by 6.2-liter V8s.

Obviously, you’re not going to be getting anywhere near a Denali for 30 grand. The trucks priced in this range are the base Pro models with the regular, single-row cab and the standard-sized 6.6-foot bed. As mentioned previously, they use the 2.7-liter four-cylinder making 310 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque, paired to an eight-speed automatic sending power to the rear wheels only.

Don’t expect many creature comforts inside, either. Pro models get the basics you’d expect from any new car—air conditioning, cruise control, a backup camera, USB ports for charging—but not much else. Expect lots of blank buttons and other unused real estate. There’s an infotainment screen, but it’s fairly tiny. It comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, though, which is nice.

There are a few charming elements of a base, brand-new GM truck I’d actually prefer here, even if I were opting for a higher trim level. The column-mounted gear selector is a must, as are the silver-painted steel wheels. And what regular cab truck would be complete without a true three-seater bench? The Pro model gets this seating setup standard, with a fold-down armrest.

With these discounts, something like a Ford Maverick is about the same price and delivers more convenience features, including two additional seats and much better fuel economy. But I’d still have the GMC, obviously, because it can far outperform the Maverick when it comes to real truck stuff. Even in this base, four-cylinder form, the Sierra 1500 can haul 2,230 pounds of payload and tow 9,000 pounds. The Maverick, meanwhile, can only tow 2,000 pounds. Even the most appropriately equipped GMC Canyon can only pull 7,700 pounds.

If you’re wary about whether a four-cylinder is capable enough to handle the demands of a half-ton pickup, don’t be. I’ve driven a couple of Silverados with this engine back when it was new, and I was actually pretty impressed with its pulling power. Honestly, price being equal, I’d probably take it over the 5.3-liter V8 because of the fuel economy benefits.

Howard Bentley’s site says the seven grand discount will only be available until the middle of March, but I bet GMC’s nationwide incentive will stick around until all the 2026 model year four-cylinder trucks are sold. If you’re in the market, I suggest trying to wait them out a bit longer to see just how much better the deals become. But even if you need a truck right now, there are lots of discounts to be found.

Top graphic image: GMC