I don’t normally give a shit about how a lot a automobile weighs. So long as it’s not some low-slung sports activities automobile it actually isn’t one thing I put numerous thought into, however typically it’s simply unattainable to disregard. That’s the place I’m with the 2025 GMC Sierra EV Denali. Usually, I wouldn’t care that its curb weight is 8,987 kilos, nevertheless it’s simply inescapable on this large electrical pickup truck, to the Sierra’s detriment.
There’s numerous stuff the Sierra EV Denali has going for it: Intelligent packaging, a class-leading vary, a virtually worth applicable inside and stable tech. However its driving expertise is downright disappointing, and numerous that has to do with how goddamn heavy it’s, amongst different issues. Quite a lot of engineering has to enter making a automobile this heavy even vaguely OK to drive, however typically the legal guidelines of physics are simply an excessive amount of to beat.
Full Disclosure: GMC flew me out to Northern California, fed me and put me up in a really good resort so I might drive the 2025 Sierra EV Denali.
I wouldn’t normally begin off a pickup evaluate by discussing the way it drives, however the 2025 Sierra EV Denali’s driving dynamics are tough sufficient that I must get to it proper off the bat. It’s simply merely not ok for the $100,495 price ticket this truck instructions.Proper now, the one method you get a Sierra EV is in Denali spec with an enormous 205-kWh battery pack. There’s a smaller battery coming later, however I didn’t drive that so it’s not my enterprise. The twin-motor setup pumps out 760 horsepower and 785 pound-feet of torque, and it has 460 miles of vary in response to GMC, which I believe will show to be appropriate in the actual world. It’s sufficient juice to get the 9,000-pound behemoth from 0-to-60 mph in 4.5 seconds, which is respectable, however what isn’t respectable is the way in which the truck dispatches that energy.
In Max Energy Mode, which is used for onerous acceleration on the push of a button on the display, the truck will rocket off the road, however its mixture of suspension that’s too smooth, tires which are too skinny and rear-wheel steer, it feels extremely unstable. The steering wheel is moderately numb, and also you get shortly overwhelmed by it tugging back and forth as a result of it goes too mild and torque steers because the again finish performs hopscotch down the highway. It’s downright scary. You can not chill out when accelerating onerous within the Sierra EV Denali, or you’ll shortly turn out to be acquainted with a guardrail and God. It’s the identical drawback my colleague Daniel Golson encountered within the Sierra’s twin, the Chevrolet Silverado EV.
The issues turn out to be a bit higher in Tour and Regular modes, the place every little thing is turned down a notch and the steering will get very mild – lighter than Max Energy mode for positive – nevertheless it nonetheless stays pretty twitchy. Whether or not you’re going round a nook or accelerating to go somebody on the freeway, you’ve actually bought to maintain each arms on the wheel or this truck will shift throughout your lane. Round city, issues are higher in relation to the steering. The rear-wheel steering system makes tight maneuverability a cinch, a extremely welcome function in a 233.2-inch-long truck like this. It’s additionally bought a Crab Stroll perform, which is a really cool little trick I completely loved utilizing.
Nonetheless, gradual speeds are the place the adjustable air suspension, which may be raised or lowered two inches in both route, form of falls aside. GMC one way or the other managed to make its “luxurious automobile feeling” suspension each too smooth when accelerating and crashy over bigger bumps. Even on a easy highway, you’re feeling the Sierra EV undulating. I believe numerous this situation may be blamed on the wheel and tire setup. In any respect 4 corners you’ve bought 24-inch rims that sit on 275/50 all-season tires. A chunkier, wider tire would most likely alleviate among the crashiness and unsteadiness whereas accelerating. That wouldn’t actually repair the physique management points, nevertheless it’s a begin.
Nonetheless, there’s loads to love concerning the Sierra EV Denali. Its powertrain, like most GM Ultium automobiles (or no matter they’re known as now), is fairly stable. Like I already mentioned, it’s bought heaps of energy and extra vary than you’ll ever really want. It helps 800-volt DC quick charging at as much as 350 kW, which GM says will add about 100 miles of vary in simply 10 minutes. Be warned, although, the corporate isn’t quoting a 10-to-80-percent battery cost time as a result of it most likely takes an extended goddamn whereas to replenish a 205-kWh battery. One upside of the battery, apart from the 460 miles of vary, is its skill to energy your house in an influence outage. You’ll want a complete bunch of GM’s proprietary tools, nevertheless it’s a neat occasion trick nonetheless.
One thing else the Sierra’s powertrain does effectively is regenerative braking. There are two depth settings along with with the ability to flip it fully off, and each of them supply full one-pedal driving. One is simply stronger than the opposite. I’d usually go away the automobile in its highest setting, however it’s a bit jerky once you first let off the accelerator. Even in fully-off mode, there’s a paddle on the left aspect of the steering wheel you need to use to interact regen as you want. It’s progressive too, so the extra you squeeze it, the quicker you decelerate.
Being a high-end Basic Motors product, the Sierra EV Denali comes with GM’s finest piece of expertise: Tremendous Cruise. Like in each different utility, Tremendous Cruise offers you the very best Degree 2 hands-free driving in the marketplace. It really works wonders each in visitors and whereas cruising down the freeway. It’s even fairly aggressive about mechanically becoming quicker lanes for you, which is nice if you happen to’re somebody like me who hates being behind others.
One other factor the Sierra EV Denali has going for it are its attractiveness. The outside positively seems to be like a GMC truck with its upright grille that the model calls a protect, C-shaped working lights and total large presence. The 24-inch wheels, whereas compromising consolation, do admittedly look superb. Relating to different EV vehicles in the marketplace, I’ve gotta say I believe that is the very best trying one cash should buy. It’s positively a greater looker than the Chevy Silverado EV, and it’s miles prettier than the sales-leading Tesla Cybertruck. I additionally dig that, not like most ICE-powered vehicles, it’s one seamless physique panel alongside the aspect as a substitute of getting a niche for the mattress.
Inside, I’m completely happy to say the inside and tech is sort of ok for the Sierra Denali EV’s price ticket. Just about every little thing you contact is actual metallic, quality-feeling leatherette or actual open-pore wooden. The one hints of price chopping may be discovered on the decrease door panels, the highest of the dashboard by the heads-up show housing and seize handles. What are you able to do?
It’s all laid out moderately effectively, too. Within the center you’ve bought an enormous 16.8-inch vertical display, which is truthfully among the finest methods within the enterprise. It’s straightforward to make use of, there are onerous buttons for quantity and local weather management, and it’s customizable sufficient that your whole most-used options will fall simply handy. It’s flanked on the motive force’s aspect by a 11-inch digital gauge cluster show that’s additionally loads customizable and may present a full navigation map. In my driving place, the highest edges are lower off by the steering wheel, however your outcomes might differ. Above that could be a 14-inch head-up show that could be very clear and offers you all kinds of related info. I simply want its housing wasn’t so nasty trying.
Like all large vehicles, inside house and storage is a high-point. By my rely, there are 11,000 cupholders contained in the Sierra EV Denali, together with a couple of in its 11-cubic-foot power-operated frunk. Rear passengers even have oodles of room even with the entrance seats way back to they will go. Sadly, the heated and cooled entrance seats aren’t probably the most supportive issues on the planet, and so they lack a therapeutic massage perform (which this truck ought to have), however they’re not going to kill your again on an extended drive.
All of that goodness performs second fiddle to the truck’s occasion piece: The Multi-Flex Midgate. Positive, it’s a little bit little bit of a gimmick, however who doesn’t love a type of? Like on the Silverado EV, you possibly can take away the rear firewall and window to create as much as 10 toes and 10 inches of room from the again of the entrance seats all the way in which to the tip of GMC’s Multi-Professional Tailgate. With the tailgate up, it’s nonetheless bought 9 toes of storage. For reference, with the Midgate in place, the Sierra EV’s mattress is 5-foot-11.
It’s additionally not an excessive amount of of a ache within the ass to take down and put it again up. First, you flip the 60/40 split-folding rear seats down. Then you definitely press a button to launch the rear glass, which isn’t as unwieldy as you’d suppose, and clamp it into place on the rear firewall. From there, simply push one other button and it comes down. In the event you don’t want all the Midgate down, you possibly can go away the rear window in place, too. The entire course of is less complicated than taking the doorways and roof off of a Jeep Wrangler or Ford Bronco. GM actually thought it by means of, and whereas it received’t at all times be helpful, it’s a enjoyable occasion trick.
Relating to pricing, effectively, the Sierra EV Denali isn’t low cost. I do know, that’s surprising to you. The Max Vary truck begins $100,495 (together with $2,095 for vacation spot), and the one actual choices are paint colours that vary from $495 to $3,995 for a really fairly shade known as Moonlight Matte, in addition to a tonneau cowl and a mattress rack. There’s a cheaper Denali Prolonged Vary mannequin with 390 miles of vary coming later in 2025 that begins at $91,995. I do know these costs appear excessive, however go searching — almost each large electrical truck prices this a lot if no more.
There’s so much to love concerning the 2025 GMC Sierra EV Denali. It seems to be good, it’s bought a lot of energy, it has stable tech and its vary is nearly the very best within the biz. I simply can’t assist however suppose it might have been method higher if GMC lower down on among the specs to make a lighter truck. The Sierra’s weight is form of a self fulfilling prophecy — it’s so heavy as a result of it has an enormous battery, and it wants such an enormous battery as a result of it’s so heavy. The one technique to change these details is to fully re-engineer the truck, and that’s simply not taking place.
Due to that, we’re caught with a truck that’s almost superb, nevertheless it’s held again by its personal dynamic limitations. I do know, you don’t purchase a 9,000 pound truck for good driving dynamics, however once they verge on harmful in on a regular basis circumstances, it’s one thing that must be talked about. I don’t actually know the way GM will treatment this example or if it even will attempt. I’m pretty sure GMC will promote each single one they construct, and I perceive it. General the Sierra EV is an efficient truck, it simply needs to kill you a little bit bit, so that you higher maintain on tight.
