The
world's best athletes are strong, flexible, bendy. And while bendiness isn't a
trait we often seek in an automobiles -- let alone reward with a trophy -- the
full-size trucks from General Motors equipped with the innovative new Quadrasteer
system are so nimble that you'd swear they had a hinge in the middle. And it is
that technology that has landed GM the Most Athletic Award for 2003. Quadrasteer
allows the rear wheels to turn in the opposite direction as the front wheels during
low-speed maneuvers, cutting the turning circle down to something closer to that
of a Honda Accord than a full-size, extended wheelbase, 6-passenger truck. At
highway speeds, the wheels turn slightly in the same direction as the fronts,
smoothing out lane change action and aiding high-speed stability. Quadrasteer's
benefits are most noticeable at low speeds, but anyone who pulls a trailer is
going to appreciate Quadrasteer in virtually every driving circumstance. Quadrasteer,
which can also be deactivated via a button on the dashboard, can also be ordered
on the new Chevrolet Silverado extended cab pickup, the Chevrolet Suburbans, Chevrolet
Tahoe, GMC Yukon and Yukon XL. It is standard on the GMC Sierra Denali and Yukon
Denali. The
Sierra's other laudable attributes include well laid-out, spacious interiors with
comfortable front seats and a rear bench seats that actually accommodate real
adults. Suicide-style rear doors make loading bulky securable cargo items into
the cab an easy-access affair. And no full-size pickup could pull it's weight-literally-in
this business without a strong engine. And the Sierra offers four torquey engine
options, including three V-8's that are among the best in the business.
It
has been said that although GM is a company of many talents, building trucks is
what it does best. And after one lap around a tight parking lot in a Quadrasteer-equipped
GMC Sierra,
you'll be a believer, too. | 
