He ain’t heavy; he’s my GMC. Or, more specifically, a heavy-duty, limited-edition, earth-roaming GMC. The Professional Grade brand is known for carrying a lineup of workaday trucks and SUVs that also clean up well for a nice night on the town.
But with a GMC All Terrain X vehicle, it’s more like outfitting a seasoned NFL lineman in a bespoke suit. Yes, he’s fashionably dressed but his brawn and biceps continue to bulge under all that high-end woven wool. There is no denying his capability.
Which brings us to the ever-shifting mountains of Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park in southwestern Utah, just across the Arizona state line. Is the All Terrain X series really as off-road ready as its name suggest? Well, I had a 3,370-acre sandbox and a 2018 GMC Sierra 2500HD Crew Cab SLT 4x4 with All Terrain everything to find out.
Sand, snow, so what?
Featuring mud terrain-rated 18-inch treads, the All Terrain X package also adds a bed-mounted, Sierra-emblazoned sport bar, which is compatible with GMC-brand LED off-road driving lamps.
(Beverly Braga)According to the Utah Department of Natural Resources, these red-hued dunes are estimated to be at least 10,000 years old but continue to shift as much as 50 feet per year. The 18-inch Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac tires of my sand crawler only further contributed to the ever-changing landscape.
Although the off-road course was a short one, the Duramax diesel-equipped Sierra 2500HD All Terrain X meandered along the hills and absorbed the bumps just fine. Even with mud terrain-rated tires, there was no lack of confidence in the big brute. I did, however, encounter a sketchy three-point turn that required a bit more finesse than was given, but that sinking predicament was attributed more to driver error than the vehicle itself.
Oh, and there were no jumps. My test vehicle’s nearly four tons of heft was quite a bit of metal to move compared to, say, a much lighter Ford Raptor Crew Cab, which requires one less ton for fun. While we weren’t allowed to go hooning around the hills on this particular day, someone out there probably will. And the All Terrain X felt poised enough to do so.
And when I wasn’t sand climbing, I was sand plowing. Yes, you heard me correctly. Interestingly, GMC engineers can test their Snow Plow Prep option package all year round because, depending on distribution and moisture, sand can behave similarly to snow. Science strikes again! Who knew?
So, we plowed. About 75 to 100 feet of flake-like sand at a time. The verdict? Sand, snow, whatever are no big deal for the Sierra. All terrain, indeed.
On-road, off course
Perhaps a little dated compared to some of the competition, the GMC Sierra 2500HD still offers a serviceable interior with a responsive touchscreen, comfortable seats, and enough technology to assist even the most diminutive of drivers.
(Beverly Braga)As media driving events go, reviewers are not always able to choose a specific vehicle trim, transmission, or even color, but luckily this time around I managed to get behind the wheels of both Sierra 2500HD All Terrain X models on site—one equipped with a gasoline engine and the other with a diesel.
After digging sand out of my pockets, I hit the highway for a couple of hours. And as well as the diesel handled my granular-filled exploits, the on-road prowess of the gasoline engine was quite different.
The Vortec 6.0-liter V8 gasoline engine generates 360 horsepower and 380 lb.-ft. of torque. By comparison, the Duramax 6.6-liter V8 turbo-diesel offers 445 horsepower and 910 lb.-ft. of torque. These vastly different numbers made for vastly different driving experiences—at least on asphalt.
Suffice to say, although only three years old, the Vortec V8 felt haggard. Perhaps the thin Utah air impaired its ability as we traversed between 3,000 and 6,000 feet in elevation. Either way, the get-up-and-go was slow with the petrol-powered pickup, and dynamics were literally shaky at best.
The swagger in presentation was simply not matched in performance. Unlike the silky, smooth moves of a Magnetic Ride Control suspension, which you can find on Denali models, this Sierra All Terrain X was all left feet. We also thought the brakes were on the mushy side, which is not something you want when your rig weighs more than 6,500 pounds before adding anything to the tow hitch, which has a maximum trailering rating of 13,000 pounds.
The alternate power option was last updated in 2017, which saw the diesel engine benefit from a 19-percent increase in torque. All that power and pull lived up to expectations as it offered better handling, stickier brakes, and acceleration worthy of a truck outfitted with all the bells and whistles.
What you see is what you get, and consumers agree as the diesel makes up 90 percent of GMC’s heavy-duty truck sales. Not to say all is lost with the gasoline engine, but even with an $11,000 savings compared to the diesel, it still remains a harder sell.
Built to explore
A rollbar with this trim panel visually identifies Sierra models equipped with the All Terrain X Package.
(Beverly Braga)To be clear, there is All Terrain and there is All Terrain X. The All Terrain package is more widely available and can be installed on all combinations of Sierra light- and heavy-duty models with either double- or crew-cab configurations and with short or standard box sizes. Four-wheel drive is standard along with an electronically-controlled transfer case.
For the Sierra 1500, All Terrain prerequisites also include SLT trim and either of the V8 gasoline engines (5.3L or 6.2L). The All Terrain X package is limited further to double cab trucks with a standard box or crew cabs with a short box.
For 2500HD and 3500HD models, the All Terrain and All Terrain X packages are available with either the gasoline or diesel engine, but only in combination with SLT trim and a crew cab with a standard box.
Pricing and features do differ between the duty types as the 1500 All Terrain package adds $2,670 while 2500HD All Terrain models pad the price by $3,180. There also is an All Terrain SLT Premium package for the Sierra 1500 for $2,095. No such amenity is currently available for heavy-duty versions. But because I only tested 2500HD models, I’ll focus on its offerings.
For the Sierra 2500HD, the All Terrain package adds world-exploring features such as a Z71 Off-Road Suspension package, LT265/70R18 all-terrain tires, hill descent control, front and rear park assist, underbody shields, Rancho Tenneco shocks, body-colored bumpers with rear corner steps, 4-inch round side steps, and a spray-on bed liner.
Comfort and cosmetic add-ons include leather front seats, a heated steering wheel, wireless smartphone charging, all-weather floormats, a Bose sound system, black-painted outside mirrors, body-colored side moldings and door handles, a unique front grille and sill plates, and All Terrain badging. Because even the rugged want to be comfortable.
X marks the spot
Our test vehicles featured black-on-black interiors but lighter shades of gray and dune (how fitting) also are available for All Terrain models.
(Beverly Braga)Request the All Terrain X ($1,910) and the standard 18-inch chrome wheels are replaced with black-painted ones wrapped in 275/65R18 aggressive-tread tires. Other black-finish, aggressively-inclined trimmings include a bed-mounted sport bar, power-adjustable and power-folding trailering mirrors, a B-pillar vinyl wrap, and a front bumper skid plate.
As tested, my Summit White Sierra 2500HD Crew Cab SLT 4x4 totaled $59,910. This vehicle featured the V8 gasoline engine, both All Terrain and All Terrain X packages, and other extras like a power sunroof. My dune voyaging Sierra was configured similarly but equipped with the Duramax diesel engine. Its final price tally was a whopping $69,765.
Where the Denali sub-brand adds luxury living to what remain go-to, everyday work vehicles, All Terrain X adds body armor to become a go-to, all-weather weekend warrior. And it’s not a heavy burden for the GMC brand to carry, fitting right in with what its buying base does at and away from work. Because, really, who wants to wear a slim-fit, dry clean-only outfit all the time, anyway? The All Terrain X is here to say, “No one ever.”
First Pictures: 2017 Sierra 2500HD All Terrain X Photos
Did you find this article helpful? If so, please share it using the "Join the Conversation" buttons below, and thank you for visiting Daily News Autos.
Read Again http://www.nydailynews.com/autos/latest-reviews/short-report-2018-gmc-sierra-all-terrain-x-review-article-1.3632037Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Short Report: The 2018 GMC Sierra 2500HD All Terrain X is heavy on duty and capability"
Post a Comment