While some people buy them for image and others for show, there are still drivers out there for whom a pickup is the only vehicle that serves their varied needs.

Sure, they aren't the greenest of vehicles but if you're a business owner with a family, or need that extra towing capacity, you're limited to what you can choose.

That's the line GMC is pushing on its slow-selling GMC Sierra Hybrid pickup.

Just in case you'd forgotten it exists, GMC is reminding us of its utility, courtesy of an owner who simply couldn't live without it.

Eric Stromer, host of HGTV's "Over Your Head", do-it-yourself expert on "GMC Trade Secrets", uses a GMC Sierra Hybrid - and explains why.

“The crew cab is good for my kids, I can tow cement mixers and other equipment, and with it being a hybrid, it offers that capability with a lower carbon footprint.”

If you're a DIY presenter, you're probably not going to get away with using a Prius. And though a combined rating of 21 MPG isn't much to write home about, it's still one of the more economical vehicles in the class. At around 20 MPG, every mile per gallon saved is a bonus.

There's still room for improvement though, and the 2025 CAFE standards should have trucks like the Sierra creeping towards the 30 MPG mark.

In the meantime, you can cut truck emissions further with vehicles like the Bob Lutz-backed Via Motors eREV pickup, based on Chevrolet platforms.

+++++++++++

Follow GreenCarReports on Facebook and Twitter.