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 a number of 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 a number of stuff the Sierra EV Denali has going for it: Intelligent packaging, a class-leading vary, an almost worth acceptable inside and strong tech. However its driving expertise is downright disappointing, and a number of that has to do with how goddamn heavy it’s, amongst different issues. Plenty of engineering has to enter making a automobile 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 lodge so I might drive the 2025 Sierra EV Denali.
I wouldn’t often begin off a pickup evaluation 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 adequate for the $100,495 price ticket this truck instructions.Proper now, the one means 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 in keeping with GMC, which I believe will show to be right 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 best way 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 delicate, tires which might be too skinny and rear-wheel steer, it feels extremely unstable. The steering wheel is moderately numb, and also you get rapidly 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’t loosen up when accelerating onerous within the Sierra EV Denali, or you’ll rapidly grow to be acquainted with a guardrail and God. It’s the identical downside my colleague Daniel Golson encountered within the Sierra’s twin, the Chevrolet Silverado EV.
The issues grow to be a bit higher in Tour and Regular modes, the place every part 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 cross somebody on the freeway, you’ve actually bought to maintain each fingers 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 very welcome characteristic 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 totally loved utilizing.
Nevertheless, sluggish speeds are the place the adjustable air suspension, which could be raised or lowered two inches in both course, kind of falls aside. GMC one way or the other managed to make its “luxurious automobile feeling” suspension each too delicate when accelerating and crashy over bigger bumps. Even on a easy highway, you are feeling the Sierra EV undulating. I believe a number of this challenge could 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 lots to love in regards to 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 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 refill a 205-kWh battery. One upside of the battery, aside from the 460 miles of vary, is its potential to energy your house in an influence outage. You’ll want an entire bunch of GM’s proprietary gear, but it surely’s a neat celebration trick nonetheless.
One thing else the Sierra’s powertrain does nicely is regenerative braking. There are two depth settings along with with 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 typically depart the automobile 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 aspect of the steering wheel you should utilize to have interaction regen as you want. It’s progressive too, so the extra you squeeze it, the quicker you decelerate.
Being a high-end Normal Motors product, the Sierra EV Denali comes with GM’s finest piece of know-how: Tremendous Cruise. Like in each different utility, Tremendous Cruise offers you the very best Degree 2 hands-free driving available on the market. It really works wonders each in visitors and whereas cruising down the freeway. It’s even fairly aggressive about robotically turning into quicker lanes for you, which is nice when 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 to be like like a GMC truck with its upright grille that the model calls a defend, 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 available on the market, I’ve gotta say I believe that is the very best trying 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 aspect as a substitute of getting a spot for the mattress.
Inside, I’m comfortable to say the inside and tech is sort of adequate for the Sierra Denali EV’s price ticket. Just about every part you contact is actual steel, quality-feeling leatherette or actual open-pore wooden. The one hints of price 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 moderately nicely, too. Within the center you’ve bought a large 16.8-inch vertical display, which is actually probably the greatest techniques 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 entire 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 lots customizable and may present a full navigation map. In my driving place, the highest edges are minimize off by the steering wheel, however your outcomes might differ. Above that may be a 14-inch head-up show that may be very clear and offers you all types of related data. I simply want its housing wasn’t so nasty trying.
Like all enormous vans, inside area and storage is a high-point. By my depend, 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 earth, they usually 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 celebration 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 may 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 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 case you don’t want all the Midgate down, you may depart 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 means of, and whereas it received’t at all times be helpful, it’s a enjoyable celebration trick.
With regards to pricing, nicely, the Sierra EV Denali 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 coloration 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 — practically each large electrical truck prices this a lot if no more.
There’s quite a bit to love in regards to the 2025 GMC Sierra EV Denali. It appears to be like good, it’s bought plenty 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 might have been means higher if GMC minimize down on among 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 solution to change these details is to utterly re-engineer the truck, and that’s simply not taking place.
Due to that, we’re caught with a truck that’s practically 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 once they verge on harmful in on a regular basis situations, it’s one thing that must be talked about. I don’t actually understand how GM will treatment this case 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 needs to kill you a little bit bit, so that you higher maintain on tight.
