2018 GMC Sierra Denali 1500 Drivers' Notes | Chrome cowboy

No matter how much automakers want to charge for trucks, it seems there will be a market. Ford, Ram and GM all have trucks that can push well over $60,000, something that would sound unbelievable even 10 years ago. That brings us to the 2018 GMC Sierra Denali, GM's top dog in the pseudo-lux truck segment. It's packed with tons of goodies and features, but it's starting to feel a little long in the tooth. Still, GM trucks are some of the best selling vehicles in America, so it seems customers don't mind the age.

Associate Editor Reese Counts: I've said it before, but I'm not a big truck guy. Give me a Colorado or Tacoma over any of the full-sized behemoths rolling off assembly lines today. Still, I do enjoy taking one home on occasion, especially one as comfortable and well appointed as this Sierra Denali. There's leather and wood and contrasted stitching throughout. The problem is that it's all a veneer over what's becoming an extremely dated truck, though a new one is on the horizon.

There's one big thing that truly bothers me about this truck: no keyless entry or ignition. Don't get me wrong, I have no problem doing things the old-fashioned way, but when literally every other competitor at this price has keyless as standard equipment, the fact that GMC (and Chevy for that matter) still require you to pull out a fob and stick a key into an ignition is really glaring. It has to have something to do with the platform, as GM makes plenty of vehicles that don't require a key.

One thing that doesn't feel dated is the ride and performance. This truck is equipped with GM's Magnetic Ride Control, and it works wonders for the Sierra's comfort. It would be even better if it wasn't wearing some gaudy 22-inch wheels, but it's still better than a lot of trucks out there. The powertrain, too, is a nice bright spot. The eight-speed automatic is smooth and never feels lost in the hunt for better fuel economy. The 6.2-liter V8 feels strong, and power comes on smooth and easy. Ford's EcoBoosts may win on fuel economy, but there's nothing like a big, burly V8.

Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder: Despite the massive amounts of guilt I feel every time I put my foot to the accelerator, big trucks — something of which I used to steer well clear — are beginning to warm up on me. That being said, others have made more of an impression on me than this Sierra. The Ram 2500, Ford F-150 and even the Nissan Titan all felt like they had more character than this offering from GMC. The things that made this truck stick out in my mind weren't necessarily positive, either. The odd leftward list to the steering wheel compared to the seating position (it looks and feels like the wheel is slightly tilted toward the driver's side door) drove me nuts. The deploying running boards felt rickety, which isn't ideal in snow-covered boots. A lot of the touch points felt cheap. There's not really anything that stood out visually to make me like this truck.

With my eyes on the road and my mind focused on the drive, though, it was much more enjoyable. It's a fairly quiet truck, with not a lot of noise making its way into the cabin. The ride was really smooth; it never felt stiff or bouncy, but it also didn't feel soft or squishy. The suspension just does its job and stays out of the way. And though I felt guilty doing it, putting my right foot to the floor kicked off a really interesting, pleasant, low growl from the V8 that inspired confidence without raising my blood pressure. I also found it relatively easy to place in my lane, and I had a good sense of the corners of the vehicle when mixing it up in thick highway traffic. The sense of calm and security the Sierra affords is a rare treat in this segment.

Related Video:

Let's block ads! (Why?)