GMC’s latest Sierra 2500 Denali pickup truly pushes the boundaries of its once bland but utilitarian image. Not so long ago, heavy-duty pickups were workhorses for the farm and the industrial workplace with all the amenities of a pioneer’s covered wagon. While the segment has continued to be larger and stronger that before, GMC’s 2015 Sierra 2500HD Denali surprised us with its refinement and comfort unheard of in this segment.
The 2015 GMC Sierra HD Denali amplifies the “industrial-chic” styling with additional touches inside and out, and you can’t miss its reflective, rear view-mirror- clogging grille. From behind the wheel, the view is commanding. The cabin envelops you and although the truck is huge it is easier to climb into. The HD’s most significant update is its vastly improved ride, a big achievement considering that the truck’s rear tires are filled to 75 psi. The new interior has supportive seats and smartly arranged controls. The top-tier Denali features brushed-aluminum accents and additional soft-touch materials, as well as a long list of standard equipment, including a 360-hp, 6.0-liter gasoline V-8, heated and cooled seats, and eight-inch displays in both the cluster and center stack.
The Sierra Denali 2500 handling is sharp and accurate steering. We found that the vehicle’s sound insulation—including carpeted wheel wells—made the interior as quiet as some of the some luxury vehicles we have tested.
Under the hood he Duramax V-8’s 397 horsepower helped propel our 7660-pound truck through city streets and on the highways of Nashville with ease. The huge engine along with the heavy duty suspension can tow 13,000 pounds and has a maximum payload of 3,441 pounds which are close to the best in its class.
The truck’s trailering technology includes a “Standard Integrated Trailer Brake Controller” which is located close to the steering wheel for easy adjustments and displays the level of brake force or “gain” in the Driver Information Center Trailer Sway Control Technology which keeps the trailer heading in the proper direction, automatically using sensors to detect the rocking of a swaying trailer, and then applying the brakes to help bring it back in line.
Sierra 2500 Denali HD’s advanced technologies pair intelligent engineering with driver-centric safety, using cameras or ultrasonic sensors to watch where the driver may not be looking. Sierra is the first pickup to offer this technology, which lets you know when you are approaching another vehicle too quickly or when you’ve left your driving lane. We found the feature extremely useful for such a large vehicle. Other available technologies include: Forward Collision Alert; Lane Departure Warning; and Safety Alert Seat.
Vehicle Type: front-engine, rear/4-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door pickup Price: $54,835 to $64,630 Engine Type: turbocharged and intercooled pushrod 32-valve diesel V-8, iron block and aluminum heads, direct fuel injection Power: 397 hp @ 3000 rpm Transmission: 6-speed automatic with manual shifting mode Wheelbase: 153.7 in Length: 239.5 in Width: 80.5 in.