Full-size pickups have long been the bouncy, loud, inefficient workhorse vehicles of the 20th century. They're now rolling connectivity hubs, as comfortable as living rooms with space for passengers and cargo, even before using the open-air bed.
Ford, Chevrolet and Ram have been duking it out for decades for the top spot but the GMC Sierra, the more luxurious version of Chevy's Silverado, has been happily sitting in fourth place behind those goliaths, however it is on the upswing.
The most luxe of the line was the Sierra Denali, until the midcycle refresh in 2022 when the automaker introduced the GMC Sierra Denali Ultimate as the top of the pyramid.
The Denali Ultimate is differentiated from the rest of the Sierra 1500 fleet with its unique grille, 22-inch wheels with black accents, a chrome GMC logo and front fender trim featuring Mount Denali. The company's six-way MultiPro tailgate with a step and cargo stop, adaptive suspension and power assist steps are standard.
To get the Denali Ultimate grade, buyers have to opt for the crew cab/short box combination.
The model comes standard with a turbocharged 3.0-liter engine that delivers 305 horsepower and 495 pound-feet of torque. That's plenty for daily duty and plenty for a bedload of tools, toolboxes and tables weighing a few hundred pounds.
Buyers can opt to equip their Sierra 1500 Denali Ultimate with a 6.2-liter gasoline engine for slightly more money.
The diesel is surprisingly quiet on startup and idle, but does seem to take long to heat up, even when sitting still. The engine does get a little intrusive when accelerating, where the ten-speed automatic transmission keeps the revolutions per minute (rpm) gauge pinned between 2,000 and 3,000. It was entertaining at first but the noise became monotonous by the end of the week, as did the smell of the oily fuel.
The 2024 Sierra Denali had to contend with the first real blizzard in Michigan, which brought about 10 inches of snow and freezing temperatures during its test drive week.
The truck's four-wheel drive system was kept in Automatic or Four-High most of the week, allowing it to easily drive on the unplowed, messy roads.
When stopping, the mass of the POUND truck can be felt. This vehicle took actual leg muscle to slow down.
As with all GMC Denalis, the interior is excellent, this one with beautiful-looking dark brown leather, which matched its brown wood trim elements. Topographical maps of Mount Denali were featured on the dashboard and seats, matching the topographical elements on the exterior.
There is a wide touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay. That smartphone system is inset in the screen with buttons on the outside to get back to the native function of the vehicle.
Below that is a panel of buttons, which looks a little confusing and busy, but it does have physical controls for all the climate features and a bunch of other features that you use all the time. There are also two glove boxes and tons of storage space between the front passengers.
As expected on a luxury vehicle, the front seats are heated and cooled, but the one-touch massage function is a bonus feature. It only works the seatback and not the seat bottom; it will still become a habit to push it every time you hop in the cabin.
The rear area is massive, even for three passengers. The rear seatbelt latches were a little hard for the kids to buckle themselves, which required a parent climbing back most of the time. Speaking of the kids, step boards are a must for smaller passengers with a floor height that is neck-level to a 5 year old.
Another excellent feature is the six-function Multi-Pro Tailgate. It flips down like a normal tailgate, but also has a deployable step making bed entry easier. That step can also flip up to act as a load stop, or a workspace.
Today's trucks are brawny things with tall shoulders and boxy haunches, intimidating to be sure, but also hard to place on the road and park without practice. Winters bring massive piles of snow to the northern states choking parking lots and narrowing lanes for maneuvering. Cameras help here and the Sierra 1500 Denali Ultimate isn't short of them.
Most new GMCs offer Super Cruise hands-off, eyes-on driver assistance technology, including this Sierra (for $2,000). The technology can navigate roadways, including when the truck is towing a trailer, as long as a set list of safety-conscious conditions are met.
Like less sophisticated systems that include technology like adaptive cruise control, after the truck (and roads) were covered with snow, ice and salt, Super Cruise wouldn't initialize. Cleaning the truck's numerous sensors and cameras could have helped, but without clearer roadways, the system would not have been able to perform its duties.
The 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 starts at a reasonable $43,000 for a rear-wheel drive version and about $46,000 for four-wheel drive. The Sierra Denali, adding many options, inside and out, has a base price of $69,390 before destination and handling. This Denali Ultimate goes further, with a starting price of $82,500.
That pricing is not as surprising as some might think. The 2024 Ford F-150 Platinum trim starts at $73,000 and luxury options that would make it similar to this Denali would make it similar in price.
All pickup trucks are quieter, more comfortable, more efficient and more capable than ever before. Buyers have to choose what they want to pay for. The Sierra Denali Ultimate probably has the most luxurious feeling cabin of any pickup. The Ford line probably has better engine choices. And the Ram 1500's interior is also excellent, and its ride comfort beats both of its crosstown rivals.
If new truck buyers want luxury, the GMC Sierra 1500 Denali Ultimate is the perfect place to start shopping.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Jake Lingeman is the Managing Editor for the Autos team at Newsweek. He has previously worked for Autoweek, The Detroit ... Read more
