I don’t often 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 generally 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, but it surely’s simply inescapable on this huge 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 strong tech. However its driving expertise is downright disappointing, and numerous that has to do with how goddamn heavy it’s, amongst different issues. Numerous engineering has to enter making a car this heavy even vaguely OK to drive, however generally 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 may drive the 2025 Sierra EV Denali.
I wouldn’t often 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 manner you get a Sierra EV is in Denali spec with a large 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 based on GMC, which I think will show to be appropriate in the true 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 best way the truck dispatches that energy.
In Max Energy Mode, which is used for arduous acceleration on the push of a button on the display screen, the truck will rocket off the road, however its mixture of suspension that’s too gentle, tires which might be too skinny and rear-wheel steer, it feels extremely unstable. The steering wheel is relatively numb, and also you get shortly overwhelmed by it tugging backward and forward 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 arduous within the Sierra EV Denali, or you’ll shortly change into 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 change into a bit higher in Tour and Regular modes, the place the whole lot is turned down a notch and the steering will get very mild – lighter than Max Energy mode for certain – but it surely nonetheless stays pretty twitchy. Whether or not you’re going round a nook or accelerating to go somebody on the freeway, you’ve actually obtained to maintain each palms on the wheel or this truck will shift throughout your lane. Round city, issues are higher in terms of the steering. The rear-wheel steering system makes tight maneuverability a cinch, a very welcome characteristic in a 233.2-inch-long truck like this. It’s additionally obtained a Crab Stroll operate, which is a really cool little trick I totally loved utilizing.
Nonetheless, gradual speeds are the place the adjustable air suspension, which could be raised or lowered two inches in both course, kind of falls aside. GMC in some way managed to make its “luxurious automobile feeling” suspension each too gentle when accelerating and crashy over bigger bumps. Even on a clean highway, you’re feeling the Sierra EV undulating. I feel numerous this situation could be blamed on the wheel and tire setup. In any respect 4 corners you’ve obtained 24-inch rims that sit on 275/50 all-season tires. A chunkier, wider tire would in all probability alleviate a few of the crashiness and unsteadiness whereas accelerating. That wouldn’t actually repair the physique management points, but it surely’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 referred to as now), is fairly strong. Like I already mentioned, it’s obtained 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 in all probability takes a protracted goddamn whereas to refill a 205-kWh battery. One upside of the battery, aside from the 460 miles of vary, is its capacity to energy your private home in an influence outage. You’ll want a complete bunch of GM’s proprietary gear, but it surely’s a neat social gathering 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 might typically depart the automobile in its highest setting, however it’s a bit jerky while you first let off the accelerator. Even in fully-off mode, there’s a paddle on the left facet of the steering wheel you need to use to have interaction regen as you want. It’s progressive too, so the extra you squeeze it, the sooner you decelerate.
Being a high-end Basic Motors product, the Sierra EV Denali comes with GM’s greatest piece of expertise: Tremendous Cruise. Like in each different utility, Tremendous Cruise offers you the very best Stage 2 hands-free driving in the marketplace. It really works wonders each in site visitors and whereas cruising down the freeway. It’s even fairly aggressive about robotically turning into sooner lanes for you, which is nice in the event you’re somebody like me who hates being behind others.
One other factor the Sierra EV Denali has going for it are its beauty. The outside undoubtedly appears like a GMC truck with its upright grille that the model calls a protect, C-shaped operating lights and general huge presence. The 24-inch wheels, whereas compromising consolation, do admittedly look excellent. With regards to different EV vans in the marketplace, I’ve gotta say I feel that is the very best wanting one cash should purchase. It’s undoubtedly 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 vans, it’s one seamless physique panel alongside the facet as an alternative of getting a niche for the mattress.
Inside, I’m completely satisfied to say the inside and tech is sort of ok for the Sierra Denali EV’s price ticket. Just about the whole lot you contact is actual steel, quality-feeling leatherette or actual open-pore wooden. The one hints of value slicing could 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 relatively effectively, too. Within the center you’ve obtained a large 16.8-inch vertical display screen, which is truthfully top-of-the-line programs within the enterprise. It’s straightforward to make use of, there are arduous buttons for quantity and local weather management, and it’s customizable sufficient that your entire most-used options will fall simply at hand. It’s flanked on the driving force’s facet by a 11-inch digital gauge cluster show that’s additionally loads customizable and might present a full navigation map. In my driving place, the highest edges are lower off by the steering wheel, however your outcomes could range. Above that may be a 14-inch head-up show that may be very clear and provides you all kinds of related data. I simply want its housing wasn’t so nasty wanting.
Like all enormous vans, 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 number 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, they usually lack a therapeutic massage operate (which this truck ought to have), however they’re not going to kill your again on a protracted drive.
All of that goodness performs second fiddle to the truck’s social gathering piece: The Multi-Flex Midgate. Certain, it’s a little bit little bit of a gimmick, however who doesn’t love a kind 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 best way to the top of GMC’s Multi-Professional Tailgate. With the tailgate up, it’s nonetheless obtained 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 definately 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. When you don’t want your entire Midgate down, you possibly can depart 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 way of, and whereas it gained’t at all times be helpful, it’s a enjoyable social gathering trick.
With regards to pricing, effectively, the Sierra EV Denali shouldn’t be low-cost. I do know, that’s stunning 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 colour referred to 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 massive electrical truck prices this a lot if no more.
There’s so much to love concerning the 2025 GMC Sierra EV Denali. It appears good, it’s obtained a lot of energy, it has strong tech and its vary is nearly the very best within the biz. I simply can’t assist however suppose it may have been manner higher if GMC lower down on a few of the specs to make a lighter truck. The Sierra’s weight is kind 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 option to change these information is to fully re-engineer the truck, and that’s simply not occurring.
Due to that, we’re caught with a truck that’s almost excellent, but it surely’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 after they verge on harmful in on a regular basis situations, 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 effective truck, it simply desires to kill you a little bit bit, so that you higher maintain on tight.
