Test Report - 2011 GMC Sierra Denali HD
It stood tall and proud beside the auto wash, it was menacing in a subtle sort of way. Walking up to it, I tried to hide a growing feeling of sheer anticipation, but any hope of that disappeared when I read the word "Denali" on the door. Then I noticed the hump sticking out of the huge black hood, and the significance of the number 6.6 hit me like a revelation. Anticipation became satisfaction, because for the next twenty-four hours, this magnificent monster was mine.
After climbing into the driver seat and settling behind the heated steering wheel, I was hit by the sheer irony of what I was experiencing. My mind said "This is a truck, and a great big heavy-duty one at that." Yet, looking round the crew cab, taking in all the details, my eyes were seeing something different. From the sumptuous black leather seats, to the large glass sunroof, from the multi-function display in the dash, to the instant connectivity of the Onstar system, it felt as though I was in a limousine.
Yes, the Sierra Denali brings style, sophistication and sheer luxury to the heavy-duty pickup class, imagine Rambo in a Tux and you'll get the idea. Not too many years ago this would have been unthinkable, but in this crazy time of cross-over this and hybrid that, the finer fittings of the board room finally meet the down-home ruggedness of the family farm, or the muddy masculinity of the oil-patch.
It's built upon the already-impressive Sierra range of trucks, re-designed from the ground up in 2010. The new Sierras already boast stronger front suspension, new asymmetrical rear leaf-springs, and a high-strength, full-length, fully boxed steel frame. The numbers tell the story of improvement, with a 500% increase in torsional rigidity, 125% stiffer front frame, 14% increase in Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, and best in class ball-hitch towing capacity of 17,000 lbs.
And then comes Denali. Our tester was about as fully-loaded as you can get, with a host of both factory-fitted and dealer-fitted options on board. The upgraded image begins out front, with that massive Denali-specific grille, continuing to deluxe bodyside mouldings, chrome door handles, 20" polished aluminum wheels and the 6" oval tubular assist steps.
Under the hood is the Duramax 6.6L V8, developing nearly 400 horses and 765 lbs of torque. It's capable of pulling a 21,700 lb fifth wheel, so you can imagine what it can do just on its own. The acceleration and sheer pull of this truck is phenomenal, the power comes on quickly, and hits like a thunderbolt when the turbo kicks in. Yet, for all that raw power, the engine does not sound like a diesel until the higher revs are encountered, and at Canadian highway speeds, you hardly notice the power plant at all.
In fact, you hardly feel like you're moving. I drove the truck from Carlyle to Wawota and thought I was doing about 60 km/h, in fact the cruise control was set to 100. But that's the beauty of the Denali; it surrounds you in luxury and high-tech, and has enough raw muscle to send lesser trucks into insignificance, yet would not be out of place parked at the country club.
So, what do I think about this beast? Certainly there is a lot to like about it. It has rugged good looks, power in abundance, and the cabin is a great place from which to watch the world go by. But there are negatives too, not the least of which is the hefty price tag.
Our tester had a sticker price of just over $84,000 before GM's currently-available rebates, that's a serious chunk of change. And then there's the matter of the fuel costs. According to the computer, after six thousand kilometres of real-world driving, the average fuel use was 17.1 L/100km. With fuel prices doing what they're doing, that's gotta' hurt!
OK, this is a massively-impressive piece of machinery, I'll agree with that. But, if all you need is a truck, are you really going to spend this kind of money only to get the gorgeous interior filthy with oil, mud, and the natural waste of your cattle? And if all you crave is luxury, it can certainly be had for a lot less money, with better fuel economy and a smoother ride.
In the end it comes down to personal opinion and feelings, as does the purchase of every vehicle. This is the ultimate "feel good" truck, it loudly proclaims success, and brings instant status to the person driving it. For those with the budget and the desire to own such a vehicle, this is a superb choice.
My thanks again to the guys at Carlyle Motor Products for trusting me with this high-end ride!
