I don’t normally give a shit about how a lot a automotive weighs. So long as it’s not some low-slung sports activities automotive it actually isn’t one thing I put a whole lot of thought into, however typically it’s simply inconceivable 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 large electrical pickup truck, to the Sierra’s detriment.
There’s a whole lot of stuff the Sierra EV Denali has going for it: Intelligent packaging, a class-leading vary, a virtually value acceptable inside and stable tech. However its driving expertise is downright disappointing, and a whole lot of that has to do with how goddamn heavy it’s, amongst different issues. A variety of engineering has to enter making a car 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 lodge so I may 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 have to 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 accordance with 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 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 comfortable, 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 back and forth as a result of it goes too gentle and torque steers because the again finish performs hopscotch down the highway. It’s downright scary. You can not loosen up when accelerating arduous 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 all the pieces is turned down a notch and the steering will get very gentle – 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 cross somebody on the freeway, you’ve actually bought to maintain each palms on the wheel or this truck will shift throughout your lane. Round city, issues are higher in the case of the steering. The rear-wheel steering system makes tight maneuverability a cinch, a extremely welcome characteristic in a 233.2-inch-long truck like this. It’s additionally bought a Crab Stroll operate, which is a really cool little trick I totally loved utilizing.
Nonetheless, sluggish speeds are the place the adjustable air suspension, which might be raised or lowered two inches in both path, form of falls aside. GMC one way or the other managed to make its “luxurious automotive feeling” suspension each too comfortable when accelerating and crashy over bigger bumps. Even on a clean highway, you are feeling the Sierra EV undulating. I believe a whole lot of this difficulty might 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 in all probability alleviate among 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 in regards to 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 stated, 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 in all probability takes an extended goddamn whereas to replenish a 205-kWh battery. One upside of the battery, aside from the 460 miles of vary, is its means to energy your private home in an influence outage. You’ll want a complete bunch of GM’s proprietary tools, but it surely’s a neat get together trick however.
One thing else the Sierra’s powertrain does effectively is regenerative braking. There are two depth settings along with having the ability to flip it utterly off, and each of them provide full one-pedal driving. One is simply stronger than the opposite. I might usually go away the automotive in its highest setting, however it’s a bit jerky whenever 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 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 greatest piece of expertise: Tremendous Cruise. Like in each different utility, Tremendous Cruise offers you the perfect 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 routinely turning into quicker lanes for you, which is nice in case you’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 defend, C-shaped operating lights and total large presence. The 24-inch wheels, whereas compromising consolation, do admittedly look superb. In the case of different EV vans in the marketplace, I’ve gotta say I believe that is the perfect wanting one cash can purchase. 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 vans, it’s one seamless physique panel alongside the facet as a substitute of getting a spot for the mattress.
Inside, I’m joyful to say the inside and tech is sort of ok for the Sierra Denali EV’s price ticket. Just about all the pieces you contact is actual steel, quality-feeling leatherette or actual open-pore wooden. The one hints of price chopping might 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 bought an enormous 16.8-inch vertical display screen, which is truthfully the most effective 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 all your most-used options will fall simply at hand. It’s flanked on the motive 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 minimize off by the steering wheel, however your outcomes could differ. Above that could 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 big vans, inside area 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 operate (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 get together piece: The Multi-Flex Midgate. Positive, it’s a bit of little bit of a gimmick, however who doesn’t love a kind of? Like on the Silverado EV, you’ll be able to take away the rear firewall and window to create as much as 10 ft 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 ft 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. You then press a button to launch the rear glass, which isn’t as unwieldy as you’d assume, and clamp it into place on the rear firewall. From there, simply push one other button and it comes down. Should you don’t want your complete Midgate down, you’ll be able to go away the rear window in place, too. The entire course of is simpler than taking the doorways and roof off of a Jeep Wrangler or Ford Bronco. GM actually thought it by way of, and whereas it received’t at all times be helpful, it’s a enjoyable get together trick.
In the case of pricing, effectively, the Sierra EV Denali just isn’t 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 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 — practically each large electrical truck prices this a lot if no more.
There’s loads to love in regards to the 2025 GMC Sierra EV Denali. It seems to be good, it’s bought plenty of energy, it has stable tech and its vary is nearly the perfect within the biz. I simply can not assist however assume it may have been method higher if GMC minimize 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 a giant battery, and it wants such a giant battery as a result of it’s so heavy. The one approach to change these information is to utterly re-engineer the truck, and that’s simply not occurring.
Due to that, we’re caught with a truck that’s practically superb, 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 circumstances, it’s one thing that must be talked about. I don’t actually know the way GM will treatment this case or if it even will strive. I’m pretty sure GMC will promote each single one they construct, and I perceive it. Total the Sierra EV is an efficient truck, it simply desires to kill you a bit of bit, so that you higher maintain on tight.
