Engineers at GM must truly use their trucks for work. One look at the standard carbon-fiber bed in the 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 Denali Ultimate reveals how astonishingly bad so many other truck beds can be. In the Denali, there’s three tie downs at every corner, the width pushed deep into the fender wells, bumper steps to make it easy getting in and out — a “Multipro” split tailgate that truly is beneficial to hauling, loading and working. Even before opening the driver’s door, I was impressed.
And while the bed is fantastic, the Sierra’s fresh look is too — especially the interior. Replacing the 1990s cabin from last year is a leather-rich, digitally controlled lounge worthy enough to carry the Denali badge. The forward view is quite good. The front seats might be less comfy than those in Ford’s top-line F-Series trucks, but the thick, lovely-smelling leather in the seats and door panels, along with fine etched woodwork and aluminum trim bits, create a space that just feels money. The lack of a panoramic sunroof and oddly-shaped ignition button are the only things that stand out as ill-considered.
A Google-capable 13.4-inch infotainment screen, massaging seats, 12-speaker Bose stereo (which only had mediocre sound) and 15-inch head-up display work with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and electronic shifter to elevate this Denali into the upper class of trucks.
The digital connections were not exactly seamless at all times, but for the most part this is a big step forward into the new world of modern trucks.
Compare the specs of full-size pickup trucks: Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, Ford F-150, Ram 1500
Undoubtedly, the Denali’s defining standard feature is its “Super Cruise,” the hands-free driving tech spawned from Cadillac. With cruise control engaged on the highway, I noticed a car on my right preparing to merge. Before I could signal and move left to allow the other driver to merge, the Denali signaled by itself and steered itself into the left lane. Once clear of the merged car, the truck actually signaled and gently maneuvered back into the right lane. It did the same lane change magic when coming up to a slower car. Amazing. It’s not super cruise, it’s super cool.
The system clearly communicates its intentions, and will work on pre-mapped highways, some 350,000 kms of which are in the GM cloud spread across North America. A bright green light on the steering wheel lets you know when the system is active, and the light is a bit too carnival for me, but it’s an obvious signal you can take your hands off the wheel. If your eyes do not stay focused on the road, the system will shut down, so drivers still have to be alert. But it also works when towing a trailer (although the auto lane-change feature is deactivated when towing.)
Regardless, Super Cruise is the kind of tech that sets the Denali apart. The same goes with the power running boards, dark chrome and 22-inch wheels (which really don’t need to be 22-inch, 20s would be fine with the right size tire). The Sierra 1500 Denali Ultimate only comes in the popular four-door crew-cab, short-bed; but the floor in the back is totally flat, and the seats are not super thick to free up space. Again, even though most Denalis spend more time as pavement princesses, they are super flexible and highly utilitarian inside and out because of a design that seems to have come from genuine truck users.
Under the sculpted hood is the familiar 6.2L V8 that makes 420 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque, mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission. Four wheel drive and auto 4WD is standard. As an option, buyers can choose a 3.0L inline-six-cylinder diesel with 277 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque. If diesel fuel wasn’t so expensive, I’d recommend it since the 6.2 feels like a commoner in a field of standouts, even if its performance is decent, with a zero to 100 km/h time of about 5.7 seconds. That’s pretty good, and the exhaust note is pleasing under full throttle while still being impressively quiet most of the time; it just doesn’t feel as special as the rest of the truck. The autostop is a bit aggressive too. At this price point, it also comes close to the much faster electric Ford F-150 Lightning.
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Starting at $92,648 before delivery, our 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 Denali Ultimate rang in at $96,193 with the $1,195 “white frost tricoat” option, block heater and destination fee. (The diesel option actually makes the truck about $2k cheaper.) Our truck also had a $50 credit (and later free installation) for the lack of front and rear park assist due to a lack of the semi-conductor chip shortage, proof that the chip shortage persists.
For such big money, the ride quality could also be a bit better. Despite standard magnetic dampers, which adjust to road conditions many times a second, the Denali still rides pretty much like a common pickup, something a different suspension set up might alleviate for a truck that probably won’t do much heavy lifting. When and if it ever does, however, the Ultimate Denali will be ready for work.
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