The GMC Sierra and Chevy Silverado are American classics born in the U.S.A., right? The truth might not be so simple. These pickup trucks are both made of components from all over the world. While some Sierra 1500s and Silverado 1500s are assembled in the US, others are assembled in Mexico.
Is the GMC Sierra Made in the USA?
Neither the GMC Sierra nor the Chevy Silverado is fully made in the USA. All double cab and some crew cab GM 1500s are assembled in Fort Wayne, Indiana. All regular cab and the remaining crew cab 1500s are assembled in Silao, Mexico–according to GM Authority. Every one of these pickup trucks is made up of mostly foreign parts.
Mexican woman upholstering a GM steering wheel | Robert Daemmrich Photography Inc/Corbis via Getty Images
The first thing to understand is that no modern pickup truck is fully made in the USA. The closest full-size truck might actually be the 2022 Toyota Tundra. The Tundra is built in San Antonio, Texas. With many of Toyota’s suppliers nearby, 65% of Tundra parts come from the US or Canada.
General Motors is a multinational company. To cut costs, the automaker opened a plant in Silao, Mexico back in 1996. Today, GM Silao assembles many Silverado 1500 and Sierra 1500 trucks. In addition, GM has upgraded this 600-acre facility to manufacture engines and transmissions too.
Is the GMC Sierra American-made?
All double cab GMC Sierras 1500 and some crew cab models are assembled in the US. But these trucks are sourced from all over the world. A “Made in the U.S.A.” vehicle must be 50% produced in either the US or Canada. The 2021 GMC Sierra and Silverado did not qualify, but the 2022 might.
Mexican factory workers assembling GM stereos | Robert Daemmrich Photography Inc/Corbis via Getty Images
The American Automobile Labelling Act (AALA) forces companies to declare the percent of components manufactured in the US or Canada. They must print this percentage on the window sticker of all new vehicles.
The 2021 GMC Sierra and Chevrolet Silverado could only claim 46% of their parts were made in the US or Canada. GM did not specify what percentage was from the US specifically. It did volunteer that 38% of the parts came from Mexico.
You could confidently say that a 2021 GMC Sierra is North American-made. But it would be a stretch to claim that most of the truck was manufactured in the U.S.A.
Where are GMC Sierra parts made?
A GMC Sierra 1500 may contain parts from the US, Mexico, Japan, Brazil, South Korea, France, Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, Egypt, Hungary, India, and Thailand. While your GMC Sierra is assembled in North America, it is a truly global vehicle.
So which parts of your GMC Sierra come from where? GM has not released the origins of each component. But according to JD Power, GM has the capacity to build heavy components of the Sierra 1500 and Chevy Silverado 1500 in Flint, Michigan. Flint also happens to be where GM assembles its heavy-duty Sierra and Silverado trucks.
GM mostly uses foreign-made components for electronics and interiors. The automaker has historically partnered with Mexican companies that build components such as stereos or that upholster interior pieces such as steering wheels. Finally, the GM Silao facility can manufacture both engines and transmissions: certain Sierra 1500 powertrain options could theoretically be manufactured in Mexico.
While only 46% of the 2021 GMC Sierra was made in the US or Canada, things may be changing for the 2022 model year. JD Power predicts that this number will rise to 62%.
While it’s unlikely that more than 50% of the truck will be built in the US alone, this 62% US/Canada number would still be high enough to advertise it as “Made in the U.S.A.” The ALAA has yet to approve and publish official GMC Sierra percentages, so we’ll just have to wait and find out.
Learn about the only full-size truck that made the Cars.com American-made list or check out NBC’s investigation of American-made vehicles below:
Keyword: Most Parts of Your GMC Sierra 1500 Pickup Truck Are Made Outside the US