Driving Impressions

The GMC Sonoma come with a choice of suspensions and they should be chosen carefully. A Sonoma 4x4 with the Z85 Heavy Duty suspension offers jouncy ride quality. It is at its best when hauling a heavy load or pulling a trailer, and rides better with a cord of wood in the back. The Z83 Smooth Ride suspension is more comfortable for everyday use, yet still works well for the light-duty work most compact pickups perform. The Vortec V6 engine delivers healthy throttle response across the power band, which makes everyday driving enjoyable. Passing maneuvers can be completed without drama. On 4WD models, the V6 is rated at 190 horsepower at 4400 rpm and 250 pounds-feet of torque at 2800 rpm. When fitted on 2WD models, the V6 produces 180 horsepower and 245 pounds-feet of torque at the same engine speeds. Both V6 variants use sequential port fuel injection and offer an excellent combination of horsepower and torque. Sonoma's Insta-Trac electronic transfer case is easy to operate. Simply push a button to shift between two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive. Low range is available for traversing steep or slippery ground. Driving off road is aided by the Sonoma 4x4's high ground clearance, optional locking differential, aggressive tires, gas-pressure shocks and heavy-duty multi-leaf rear springs. We particularly enjoyed the feel of the 4WD Sonoma's brakes. Brake pedal travel is relatively short, with good feedback. Four-wheel discs are standard on four-wheel-drive models. Two-wheel-drive Sonomas come with disc brakes in front and drum brakes in the rear. All Sonomas have four-wheel ABS.

Final Word

It's been around for a while and it may not attract a lot of attention, but the GMC Sonoma is a capable compact truck. With an almost bewildering array of models and options, the Sonoma offers plenty of choices to suit a wide range of drivers.