There is no compromise in the (deep breath) 2014 GMC Sierra Denali 1500 Crew Cab 4WD. It’s big, long, wide, powerful, torquey and thirsty. It’s perfect for those drivers who need a true maximum haul pickup truck.
The 2014 GMC Sierra Denali 1500 Crew Cab 4WD (…And that’s the last time I’m typing that end to end, so we’ll tighten it up to Sierra Denali henceforth…) made a test drive appearance recently as part of a larger GMC event in Denver. It’s unapologetically beefy, riding high above the seas of bland family cars and lame hybrids. You look down on the road from the cab of a Sierra Denali, and such a perspective lends a sense of invulnerability to the car that’s only enhanced by the 355 horsepower, 5.3 liter V8, direct fuel injected engine.
That power plant serves up 383 lb.-ft. of torque and a towing capacity of Des Moines. It bears up under a maximum payload a tick under 1 ton with a steel frame, a two speed autotrac transfer case and an auto locking differential. Those last two features kick in during four wheel drive demand, hunkering the truck down for heavier work.
With all of that power and size, the Sierra Denali’s city MPG is a wide-maw’d 16 mpg, but highway will get you around 23. Those aren’t anywhere near great numbers for your average consumer vehicle — but they’re very presentable for something the size of this Sierra. You don’t buy a truck this big if you’re looking for fuel efficient. You invest in one for its payload capacity, towing ability, stability and power.
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I admit I did not have the vehicle long enough to test the Sierra Denali’s towing ability. I wanted to hook up Sports Authority Stadium t Mile High to the hitch and see if I could drag DeMarcus Ware to Green Bay, but GMC frowned on that idea.
For consumer review purposes, a towing test was really unnecessary because the driving experience reveals the power and torque capability of the Sierra Denali. This is a mass market pickup truck with startling power — with a quick burst of first gear speed that reveals how much engine capability belongs to the low gears.
On the streets and freeway, when the Sierra Denali isn’t scaring smaller vehicles away, it can power past them with complete stability at speed.
If there are any weaknesses to be found with this pickup, they would come in the styling department. The truck is a little understated, maybe a tiny bit old-fashioned compared to some of its rivals. But, that’s a minor complaint. This is a truck to be worked, not gawked at for its beauty.
With a starting price tag of $45,800, the Sierra Denali runs to the higher end of the pickup range, but it’s as specifically targeted for burden as a supercar is for speed.
