GMC and its Denali sub-brand has been instrumental in boosting the prices of premium utility vehicles. Now it’s moving the boundaries for full-size pickup trucks with its 2022 Sierra Denali Ultimate, which it described as its most luxurious pickup truck to ever hit the road.
The 2022 GMC Sierra line-up also will feature a premium truck designed for off-road travel, the AT4X, said Duncan Aldred, global GMC vice president for GMC and Buick. This brings the total number of trim levels offered by the brand to five.
Pricing isn’t final but the base price for each trim package will be available at reservation, including destination charge, is $80,395 for the Denali Ultimate and $74,995 for the AT4X, GMC officials said, adding both models are expected to help build Sierra sales.
“Sierra’s momentum continues to accelerate as the fastest growing model in the segment,” Aldred said. “With the 2022 Sierra, GMC is offering customers more advanced technologies, upscale appointments and increased capability across the Sierra lineup including the all-new Sierra Denali Ultimate and AT4X.”
The 2022 Sierra Denali Ultimate trim is the most advanced and luxuriously appointed Denali model ever and the most advanced and luxurious pickup in its class, Aldred noted, adding the first-ever Sierra AT4X — essentially a more off-road capable version of the AT4 — is the peak of premium off-road performance with both offering all the capability and refinement a customer could want.
New interiors for the 2022
On the inside, the 2022 Sierra Denali Ultimate features a new, “expressive” interior, with enhanced technology integration, including a large, 13.4-inch-diagonal touchscreen with Google compatibility. The interior design includes a cockpit-oriented instrument panel along with a new electronic precision shift on models with front bucket seats.
The diagonal color touchscreen in the Sierra Denali Ultimate’s center console is complemented by a new 12.3-inch-diagonal configurable digital instrument cluster and 15-inch-diagonal multicolor Head-Up Display to provide more than 40 diagonal inches of digital display, the most in its class, according to GMC.
GMC added the other luxury features include a leather-trimmed instrument panel, full-grain leather-wrapped door panels with etched stainless-steel speaker grilles, leather-wrapped console lid and full-grain leather front and rear seats with the Denali Ultimate badge on the front seatbacks as well as microsuede headliner.
“So this truck was a no compromise (vehicle). As we’ve said before, the GMC customer wants luxury and capability and this is a truck that delivers both — to a pinnacle,” said Tim Demetrio, engineering group manager.
“The interior in this truck, as we mentioned before, it’s one thing to go off road with a truly capable vehicle, it’s another thing to go off road and having massaging seats. It really takes everything to the next level.”
Exterior refresh retains big-grille look
The exterior of the 2022 Denali Ultimate features a new grille and revised headlamp design and special lighting when approaching, starting or walking away from the vehicle. Besides the unique grille in Vader chrome, it also features 22-inch wheels, finished in low gloss black, Vader chrome.
The pickup is also available in three new exterior colors for 2022: Titanium Rush Metallic, Dynamic blue Metallic and Desert Sand Metallic.
It also features the MultiPro tailgate, which is available on all trim levels, as well as the CarbonPro carbon fiber composite bed, which provides more short-bed cargo bed volume — 63.9 cubic feet — than any other competitor, according to the brand.
Super Cruise is standard
Super Cruise is standard on the Sierra Denali Ultimate with a three-year subscription, the truck also is equipped with the Denali Premium Suspension with segment-exclusive Adaptive Ride Control.
The 2022 Sierra also offers additional safety and driver-assistance features with trailering in mind. GMC Pro Safety5 is standard and includes Forward Collision Alert, Automatic Emergency Braking, Front Pedestrian Braking, Lane Change Alert with Side Blind Zone Alert, Following Distance Indicator, and intelligent automatic high beams.
The all-new Sierra AT4X, like the Denali Ultimate, comes standard with a 420 horsepower, 6.2-liter V-8 engine with 10-speed automatic transmission as well as unique set of springs in combination with the Multimatic dampers improve the performance of the front and rear suspension compared to the standard AT4 suspension.
The truck also comes with a two-speed transfer case with different modes for varied off-road conditions as well as a Terrain Mode for one-pedal rock crawling.
It also comes with front and rear e-locking differentials, a specific off-road chassis and suspension calibrations as well as larger steel shield for the transfer case and 18-inch black wheels with LT26570R18 Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac, Mud Terrain tires.
Lux 1500? Only woosies have 1500s. How about 3500s?