These are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings from its New Car Assessment Program. Each vehicle is scored on frontal crash, side crash, and rollover resistance, which combine into the overall star rating. The ratings use the tougher test methodology NHTSA adopted for 2011 and later, so they are not comparable to older results and are separate from the IIHS awards you may also see. Here is how the GMC Sierra 1500 scored by model year.

GMC Sierra 1500 NHTSA ratings by model year

YearConfigurationOverallFrontalSideRollover
2026 2026 GMC SIERRA 1500 PU/EC N/A 4WD 5/5 5/5 5/5 4/5
2026 2026 GMC SIERRA 1500 PU/EC N/A RWD 5/5 5/5 5/5 4/5
2026 2026 GMC SIERRA 1500 PU/RC N/A 4WD 5/5 5/5 5/5 4/5
2026 2026 GMC SIERRA 1500 PU/RC N/A RWD 5/5 5/5 5/5 4/5
2025 2025 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/CC 4WD 5/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2025 2025 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/CC RWD 5/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2025 2025 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/EC 4WD 5/5 5/5 5/5 4/5
2025 2025 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/EC RWD 5/5 5/5 5/5 4/5
2025 2025 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/RC 4WD 5/5 5/5 5/5 4/5
2025 2025 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/RC RWD 5/5 5/5 5/5 4/5
2024 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/CC 4WD 5/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2024 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/CC RWD 5/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2024 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/EC 4WD 5/5 5/5 5/5 4/5
2024 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/EC RWD 5/5 5/5 5/5 4/5
2024 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/RC 4WD 5/5 5/5 5/5 4/5
2024 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/RC RWD 5/5 5/5 5/5 4/5
2023 2023 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/CC 4WD 5/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2023 2023 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/CC RWD 5/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2022 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 Limited PU/CC 2WD 4/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2022 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 Limited PU/CC 4WD 4/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2022 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 Limited PU/EC 2WD 5/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2022 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 Limited PU/EC 4WD 5/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2022 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 Limited PU/RC 2WD 5/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2022 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 Limited PU/RC 4WD 5/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2022 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/CC 2WD 5/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2022 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/CC 4WD 5/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2021 2021 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/CC 2WD 4/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2021 2021 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/CC 4WD 4/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2021 2021 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/EC 2WD 5/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2021 2021 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/EC 4WD 5/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2021 2021 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/RC 2WD 5/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2021 2021 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/RC 4WD 5/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2020 2020 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/CC 2WD 4/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2020 2020 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/CC 4WD 4/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2020 2020 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/EC 2WD 5/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2020 2020 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/EC 4WD 5/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2020 2020 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/RC 2WD 5/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2020 2020 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/RC 4WD 5/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2019 2019 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/CC 4WD 4/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2019 2019 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/CC RWD 4/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2019 2019 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/EC 4WD 4/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2019 2019 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/EC RWD 4/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2019 2019 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/RC 4WD 5/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2019 2019 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/RC RWD 5/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2018 2018 GMC Sierra 1500 Hybrid PU/CC RWD 5/5 5/5 5/5 4/5
2018 2018 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/CC 4WD 5/5 5/5 5/5 4/5
2018 2018 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/CC RWD 5/5 5/5 5/5 4/5
2018 2018 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/EC 4WD 5/5 5/5 5/5 4/5
2018 2018 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/EC RWD 5/5 5/5 5/5 4/5
2018 2018 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/RC 4WD 5/5 5/5 5/5 4/5
2018 2018 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/RC RWD 5/5 5/5 5/5 4/5
2017 2017 GMC Sierra 1500 Hybrid PU/CC RWD 5/5 5/5 5/5 4/5
2017 2017 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/CC 4WD 5/5 5/5 5/5 4/5
2017 2017 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/CC RWD 5/5 5/5 5/5 4/5
2017 2017 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/EC 4WD 5/5 5/5 5/5 4/5
2017 2017 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/EC RWD 5/5 5/5 5/5 4/5
2017 2017 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/RC 4WD 5/5 5/5 5/5 4/5
2017 2017 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/RC RWD 5/5 5/5 5/5 4/5
2016 2016 GMC Sierra 1500 Hybrid PU/CC RWD 5/5 5/5 5/5 4/5
2016 2016 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/CC 4WD 5/5 5/5 5/5 4/5
2016 2016 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/CC RWD 5/5 5/5 5/5 4/5
2016 2016 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/EC 4WD 5/5 5/5 5/5 4/5
2016 2016 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/EC RWD 5/5 5/5 5/5 4/5
2016 2016 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/RC 4WD 5/5 5/5 5/5 4/5
2016 2016 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/RC RWD 5/5 5/5 5/5 4/5
2015 2015 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/CC 4WD 5/5 5/5 5/5 4/5
2015 2015 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/CC RWD 5/5 5/5 5/5 4/5
2015 2015 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/EC 4WD 5/5 5/5 5/5 4/5
2015 2015 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/EC RWD 5/5 5/5 5/5 4/5
2015 2015 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/RC 4WD 5/5 5/5 5/5 4/5
2015 2015 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/RC RWD 5/5 5/5 5/5 4/5
2014 2014 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/CC 4WD 5/5 5/5 5/5 4/5
2014 2014 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/CC RWD 5/5 5/5 5/5 4/5
2014 2014 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/EC 4WD 5/5 5/5 5/5 4/5
2014 2014 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/EC RWD 5/5 5/5 5/5 4/5
2014 2014 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/RC 4WD 5/5 5/5 5/5 4/5
2014 2014 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/RC RWD 5/5 5/5 5/5 4/5
2013 2013 GMC Sierra 1500 Hybrid PU/CC 4WD 4/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2013 2013 GMC Sierra 1500 Hybrid PU/CC RWD 4/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2013 2013 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/CC 4WD 4/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2013 2013 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/CC RWD 4/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2013 2013 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/EC 4WD 4/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2013 2013 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/EC RWD 4/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2013 2013 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/RC 4WD 4/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2013 2013 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/RC RWD 4/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2012 2012 GMC Sierra 1500 Hybrid PU/CC 4WD 4/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2012 2012 GMC Sierra 1500 Hybrid PU/CC RWD 4/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2012 2012 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/CC 4WD 4/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2012 2012 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/CC RWD 4/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2012 2012 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/EC 4WD 4/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2012 2012 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/EC RWD 4/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2012 2012 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/RC 4WD 4/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2012 2012 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/RC RWD 4/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2011 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 Hybrid PU/CC 4WD 4/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2011 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 Hybrid PU/CC RWD 4/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2011 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/CC 4WD 4/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2011 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/CC RWD 4/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2011 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/EC 4WD 4/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2011 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/EC RWD 4/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2011 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/RC 4WD 4/5 4/5 5/5 4/5
2011 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 PU/RC RWD 4/5 4/5 5/5 4/5

How NHTSA's crash tests work

NHTSA scores three crash tests and combines them into the overall rating. The frontal test drives the vehicle into a fixed barrier at 35 mph to model a head-on collision. The side test hits the vehicle with a moving barrier and, separately, slams it sideways into a rigid pole, which is the type of crash that puts the most force on occupants. The rollover rating is part lab measurement of how top-heavy the vehicle is and part dynamic maneuver test. More stars is better in every case, with five the top mark.

What the ratings do not tell you

Two caveats are worth holding onto. Star ratings only compare vehicles of a similar size and weight, so a five-star small car and a five-star large SUV did not face the same physics, and the heavier vehicle generally protects its occupants better in a collision between the two. The ratings also come from standardized lab tests, which cannot capture every real-world crash. They are a strong, independent measure of crashworthiness, not a guarantee, and they are separate from both the IIHS awards and the recall record on this site. See the GMC Sierra 1500 recall history and its common owner problems for the rest of the safety picture.

Common questions about GMC Sierra 1500 safety

Is the GMC Sierra 1500 a safe car?
In NHTSA crash tests, the GMC Sierra 1500 averages 4.7 out of 5 stars overall across the 2011 to 2026 model years, a strong four to five-star result. 67 of the 101 tested configurations earned the full five stars.
What is the GMC Sierra 1500 crash test rating?
The most recently rated GMC Sierra 1500 (2026) earned 5 out of 5 stars overall from NHTSA, with 5 stars in the frontal test, 5 in the side test, and 4 for rollover resistance.
Are NHTSA stars the same as IIHS ratings?
No. The star ratings here come from NHTSA's federal crash-test program. The IIHS is a separate insurance-industry group with its own tests and "Top Safety Pick" awards. Both are worth checking, and they do not always agree.

Ratings come from NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings program (model year 2011 and later). See the methodology and data sources for detail. This page is a reference, not legal or safety advice.