GMC Fights to Hold Its Top Spot in the Ring
General Motors is still on top in sales of full-size pickups when you add together its Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra sales for last year, TheFastLaneTruck.com reported last January after the data from 2021 sales was in. Another article by Forbes, however, notes that while brand loyalty has long been a hallmark of pickup truck owners cited evidence that this is about to change, with 78 percent of those surveyed saying they would consider another brand of truck from the one they owned for a future purpose.
Accordingly, the mid-cycle update of Chevrolet’s 2022 Silverado and GMC’s 2022 Sierra 1500 full-size pickups were timely, assuring they play on a level playing field with all the rivals in a fiercely competitive segment. We had the pleasure of test driving the 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 Limited Denali.
With plastic, outdated switchgear and small screens a thing of the past for contenders in the luxury pickup market, GMC answers back with a 12/3-inch digital gauge cluster, a 13.4-inch central touchscreen with 65/35 split diplay. Google built-in capability and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto are standard on all but the Pro work truck for new Sierras. Adding the 15-inch head-up display, there are 40 inches of total screen area in the 2022 Sierra. Bucket seat models replace column shifter with electronic shifters, with a trailer control switch located just below it.
One of the most talked-about advancements available only on the Sierra Denali models is the Super Cruise hands-free highway driving assist with automatic lane change–standard on the Denali Ultimate and optional on Denali Limited. Trailering is also supported while using Super Cruise—another engineering feat!
A revised version of the prior 2.7-liter I-4 turbocharged engine gets the same horsepower as the previous Sierra model at 310, but torque increases 20 percent to a substantial 420 lb-ft. It is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The other powertrain options have GM’s 10-speed transmission. These include the 3.0-liter turbodiesel I-6 engine, which was upgraded for 2022 with a 4,000 pound improvement in towing, which now stands at a whopping 13,200 pounds, while retaining its output of 277 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque. A 5.3-liter V-8 (355 hp, 383 lb-ft of torque) and a 6.2-liter V8 (420 hp, 460 lb-ft.) round out the choice of powertrains.
Our tester was the 1500 Limited Denali with a standard vehicle price of $59,600. The Denali Reserve package added $4,900 to its price for multiple camera views, a 15-inch head-up display, additional safety features, a power sunroof and power steps. 22-inch high-gloss black wheels were a $2,995 upgrade, and its 6.2L V8 added another $2,495. CarbonPro composite bed and badging was $1,085. Adding MultiPro audio and metallic paint to all of these, and options on our decked-out test truck totaled $11,930. With discounts and destination charges applied it had a $72,725 price tag.
With its updates, the 2022 1500 Sierra rises to the occasion to compete in one of the toughest segments in the automotive industry.
