Review: The 2015 GMC Sierra 2500 Denali HD 4WD (Video)
Classrooms don’t need chalkboards and desks in order to be learning environments. I recently spent time in one that had leather seats, a Bose audio system…and rolled on 20-inch forged polished aluminum wheels.
While blasting down a toll road to discover the tastes of Lockhart, Texas barbecue, I had an epiphany. The 2015 GMC Sierra 2500 Denali HD made it clear to me why a lot of guys love big trucks so much. My tester was handsome, packed with comfort and infotainment features, and capable of easily moving several people as well big loads.
I figured it out while I was cruising at 85 mph on State Highway 130. A near lack of wind noise, enabled by tight body gaps and inlaid doors inserted into the body, made it that much easier.
One of the reasons why dudes are into hoss trucks is they look bad-ass. From the front end to the profile to the rear bumper, my Denali had been restyled for 2015.
Ahead of me was an ultra-masculine power dome hood. Mostly square halogen headlamp casings with eye-catching LED daytime running lights flanked a redesigned grille. Below, there were pairs of fog lights and tow hooks surrounded by a generous amount of brightwork, which attractively contrasted with the Onyx Black paint on the rest of the body.
Designers made the flares to the fenders even bolder and more defined. In the process, they removed what little curvature was in the sheet metal of the 2014 model. That lack of arcs only made this Sierra look more rugged, and visually sturdy and solid.
At the rear, the color-keyed bumper was book-ended by CornerStep cutouts. While they did aid entry to the 6’6″ box, they required a bit of flexibility. More than eight inches of rear ground clearance is great for off-roading, but it has its drawbacks.
Despite that, I enjoyed this GMC’s vertigo-inducing elevation. Floating high above other drivers and unleashing the roar of a giant diesel motor made me feel tougher and just a little bit cooler.
Within that massive fortress of metal, any lingering feelings of physical vulnerability from buzzing around in my econobox daily driver were crushed into nothingness by a step on the right pedal.
The eight-inch touchscreen I was glancing at to follow the navigation system’s directions to Black’s BBQ was part of a suite of features that also helped me understand the appeal of vehicles like the Denali HD.
From my Dune-colored, heated and cooled power driver’s seat, I would have been able to run a business, such as a construction company. I had the ability to charge a multitude of devices using three different types of outlets, including USB. SiriusXM satellite radio allowed me to listen to relevant financial news.
Two large storage compartments between the front buckets, one with a lid and one without, let me store a variety useful things, such as my camera, camcorder and iPad. I was able to conceal my fully laden courier bag from prying eyes in the former section.
Shift-on-the-fly four-wheel drive was there to help me combat rough conditions if I needed to go to locations far from paved roads. Unfortunately, there were no rear HVAC controls in this five-seater to cool off anyone riding behind me.
Using the Bluetooth hands-free phone system, I could safely call colleagues to inform them about important developments. The Driver Alert Package’s Lane Departure Warning and Forward Collision Alert technologies increased my chances of getting to a lunch meeting in one piece.
Speaking of lunch, I eventually arrived in the old town of Lockhart, renowned for its restaurants that are able to convert pigs, cows and chickens into passionately emptied plates. A grin spread on my face as I dug into zesty jalapeno-and-cheddar sausage and rich, smoky brisket. (Sadly, my Arnold Palmer ratio was a little off.)
In such small Texas cities, pickups are common sights. Behind the leather-wrapped wheel of the Denali, I certainly fit in. My time with it made me aware of all the big rigs – and their drivers – around me. Although I didn’t see any other trucks that cost $64,575, I knew they were out there somewhere.
According to GMC, Sierra Denali HDs, offered only as crew cabs, account for more than one-third of sales of Sierra HDs with that body style. Perhaps the main draw to this hauler and others like it is what was under its hood and the staggering carrying and towing figures it had the potential to achieve.
The HD in which I was touring barbecue central packed the 6.6-liter Duramax turbo diesel V8 and a six-speed Allison automatic transmission. Although the motor’s 397 horsepower and 765 pound-feet of torque are outgunned by the 440/860 of Ford’s 6.7-liter Powerstroke unit and out-twisted by the 800 lb-ft of the Cummins I6 oil-burner in Ram’s 2500, it’s still a potent combination.
It adds up to a payload of 2,793 pounds. Ball hitch towing maxes out at 13,000 lbs. Fifth-wheel/gooseneck trailering is capped at 17,100. All of that grunt translated to around 16.5 combined mpg for me.
GMC states the engine and its 36-gallon tank are good for a highway range of up to 680 miles. The whole truck is protected by 3-year/36,000-mile Bumper-to-Bumper warranty; the powertrain is covered by a 5-year/100,000-mile policy.
After living in The Lone Star State my whole life, I finally get why some people prefer pickups over cars. It must be because many of them, such as the 2015 GMC Sierra 2500 Denali HD seen in the following galleries, provide a mixture of attractive styling, impressive conveniences and substantial capabilities.
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corporate shots [GMC 1, 2 and 3]
