Used 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 Crew Cab

The 2022 GMC Sierra competes in the red-hot full-size pickup truck field, where rivals include the Ford F-150, Ram 1500, Toyota Tundra, and Nissan Titan, not to mention its own GM sibling the Chevy Silverado.

The 2022 model year sees a mid-cycle refresh for the GMC Sierra. In addition to a redesigned front grille and new headlights and taillights, GMC’s full-size pickup gets an expressive lighting animation when approaching, starting, and walking away from the truck.

Upgrades to the interior address the design and materials issues many felt put the outgoing Sierra at a disadvantage to more stylish entries in the field like the Ram 1500 and Ford F-150, especially at the upper trim levels. A new center console layout, restyled dash, and cockpit-oriented instrument panel will give critical buyers another reason to consider the Sierra.

To shore up the luxury truck level, GMC added a new top trim: Denali Ultimate. The new trim takes the design changes from the refresh and amps them up with even higher quality materials and trim, including real wood and metal trim pieces, a leather-wrapped dash, a synthetic suede headliner, and all of the technology in GMC’s toolbox – not to mention a standard 420-horsepower, 6.2-liter V8 with a 10-speed automatic transmission and standard 4-wheel drive.

The Denali Ultimate gets the latest, trailer-enabled version of the Super Cruise hands-free driving system with Automatic Lane Change (not while trailering). Super Cruise is also available on the “ordinary” Denali and could possibly spread to the rest of the Sierra lineup.

On a parallel track but off the road, GMC added another upper trim: AT4X. This trim slots in above the off-road-focused AT4 and adds more premium features to maximize both capability and comfort. It gets suspension upgrades with additional travel, a 2-speed transfer case, Terrain Mode (capable of one-pedal rock-crawling), front and rear e-locking differentials, a larger skid plate covering the transfer case, 18-inch black wheels, and the same 6.2-liter V8/10-speed combination as the Denali Ultimate. Of course, 4-wheel drive is standard, too. Inside, premium leather, wood, microsuede, and a host of technologies leave little doubt AT4X is a lux truck.

There are four available engines: A high-output turbocharged 2.7-liter 4-cylinder, a 5.3-liter V8, a 6.2-liter V8, and a 3.0-liter turbodiesel inline-6. The gasoline 4.3-liter V6 has been dropped for 2022.

For maximum towing capacity, the diesel and the 6.2-liter V8 vie for superiority. The diesel’s low-end grunt (460 lb-ft of torque @ 1,500 rpm) impresses in all situations.

KBB’s Andy Bornhop recently drove a new 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 Denali Ultimate and a Sierra AT4X in the San Diego area. Andy reports:

In short, I’m impressed. The new GMC Sierra Denali Ultimate is a big and heavy truck, but the refined 6.2-liter V8 boasts plenty of power, which reaches the wheels via a smooth-shifting 10-speed automatic transmission.

Perhaps more significant: The new Denali Ultimate, with standard adaptive ride control and power side steps, positively drips with luxury – in everything from the 16-way massaging front seats and 15-inch head-up display to the beautifully grained interior leather with open-pore wood trim that’s laser-etched with a topographical map of Alaska’s Mt. Denali, the tallest mountain in the U.S.

The symbolism isn’t lost on us; the Ultimate indeed is the peak Denali, and it shows in this pickup’s refined nature. In city streets or on the highway, road noise is basically nonexistent. And even though this pickup has an upright and massive nose, you don’t hear any wind noise. As a result, the Denali Ultimate is a supremely comfortable long-distance hauler, aided by a great-sounding 12-speaker Bose audio system.

On the highway, we used the standard Super Cruise, which allows hands-off driving on driving on approved highways. While Super Cruise works well at maintaining a consistent gap to the vehicle in front of you on the highway, it doesn’t steer quite as smoothly as a good driver on a curving highway. We also found that if you don’t put your hands back on the steering wheel as quickly as it wants you to (look for the flashing red light on the upper rim of the steering wheel), Super Cruise will shut down. To turn it back on, you’ll have to cycle the ignition off and then on (when parked, of course).

While we see Super Cruise as a handy driving aid on long interstate trips, we’re not totally comfortable with its use on crowded freeways in cities. On a positive note, you can use it if you want to, or forget that it’s there. Your choice.

As for the new 2022 GMC Sierra AT4X, it’s tuned to shine on the dirt with extra suspension travel (2 inches in front, 1 inch in back), plus locking front and rear differentials, Multimatic dampers, 32-inch all-terrain Goodyears on 18-inch wheels, and a 2-speed transfer case with a Terrain Mode that allows one-pedal rock crawling in low-range 4-wheel drive (4WD).

On the sandy washes and rocky roads of the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in California, the new AT4X – available with either a 6.2-liter V8 or a 3.0-liter turbodiesel inline-6 – proved its worth. The damping of the spool-valve shocks was excellent, able to provide a supple ride over sharp bumps and rocks while also soaking up deeper dips that required much more suspension travel.

On rocky climbs and steep descents alike, the AT4X also shined. We used the new Terrain Mode setting, which in low-range 4WD allows the driver to control this Sierra strictly via the gas pedal. Grip, for the record, was enhanced by dropping the tire pressures to 15 psi.

Back on the highway and returning to San Diego (with tires aired back up to normal pressures), we’re happy to report that the new AT4X, despite its offroad tuning, worked fine. The 6.2-liter V8 felt relaxed at highway speeds, and the aggressive Goodyears didn’t howl on the pavement, as we thought they might.

As such, the AT4X is a great everyday truck. It’s quiet, comfortable, and super luxurious, graced as it is with leather upholstery, massaging front seats, ash wood trim, and a 12-speaker Bose audio system. At the same time, this new AT4X — straight from the factory and with no modifications — can do some impressive things in the dirt, where it’s aided by a grille-integrated camera that gives you a good view of the ground directly in front of the truck.

Inside, the Sierra has benefitted from a facelift made possible by technology. In models with front bucket seats, the gear selector lever, a shift-by-wire unit, now lives on the top of the center console, which has been completely redesigned. The dash has also been reconfigured into a more coherent, cockpit-like environment. An available 12.3-inch digital instrument panel and 13.4-inch diagonal color touchscreen bring the Sierra into the big-screen race, and an available 15-inch head-up display (HUD) puts it over the top.

The second row in Crew Cab models is positively SUV-like, making it a good choice for families who need a pickup.

As for the new Denali Ultimate, its luxurious cabin is highlighted by the use of full-grain leather front and rear, plus a leather-trimmed instrument panel, 16-way massaging front seats, a head-up display (HUD), and open-pore Paldao wood trim that’s laser-etched with a topographical map of Mt. Denali.

The new AT4X is similarly luxurious inside. In addition to massaging front seats, leather upholstery, and ash wood trim, the AT4X comes standard with the HUD, a power sliding rear window, and Bose premium audio system.

The Sierra’s exterior gets a new grille and updated headlights. The grille design and finishes are tailored to each trim level, with details that echo the interior design with similar shapes and textures. The headlights are slimmer and more expressive than before. Welcome lighting with animation shows off when it detects the driver approaching with the key fob, and gives a pavement show upon ignition and when the driver with the fob leaves the truck.

The new Sierra comes in Regular Cab, Double Cab, and Crew Cab configurations. Regular Cab models come with a standard box or long box; Double Cab models get a standard box only; Crew Cab trucks get a short box or a standard box.

A unique grille in dark Vader chrome helps distinguish the new Sierra Denali Ultimate, along with 22-inch wheels, Ultimate fender badging, and a Carbon Pro carbon-fiber composite bed. The new Sierra AT4X makes its presence known with red front tow hooks, AT4X badging, and black 18-inch alloy wheels shod with LT265/70R-18 Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac Mud-Terrain tires.

HEAD-UP DISPLAY
GMC has updated the head-up display for the Sierra to a 15-inch diagonal multi-color display, now capable of providing a large, customizable collection of information. The better this technology gets, the more we enjoy driving with it, as many factors can be monitored without taking your eyes off the road ahead, making every drive safer. It is standard on upper trim levels, and available on most others.

MULTIPRO TAILGATE
Even though this feature debuted on the 2019 Sierra, it still impresses. With six origami-like functions, the MultiPro is the gadget-lovers tailgate. It can be a bed step, a stock stop, a worktable, a bed extender, a regular tailgate, and more. It’s standard on upper trim levels, and available on most others.

The base Sierra, a 2WD regular cab Pro model with a 6.6-foot bed, comes standard with the turbocharged 2.7-liter 4-cylinder engine, an 8-speed automatic transmission, a capless fuel tank, 4-wheel disc brakes, power windows, and 17-inch steel wheels with a full-size spare.

At the SLE level, the 2022 Sierra ups the ante with a locking rear differential, 12.3-inch digital gauges, a 13.4-inch infotainment screen, cruise control, the MultiPro tailgate, a trailering package, LED cargo bed lighting, a locking EZ Lift tailgate, USB ports, WiFi, and OnStar.

Elevation models get a higher-capacity suspension, 20-inch alloy wheels, and a body-color rear bumper, while the SLT gets the 5.3-liter V8, a 10-speed automatic transmission, 3.23:1 gearing, dark gray 18-inch alloy wheels, and external oil coolers for the engine and transmission.

As a Denali, the updated 2022 GMC Sierra is loaded with niceties such as adaptive ride control suspension, dual exhaust, a trailer brake controller, polished 20-inch alloy wheels, chrome assist steps, body-color bumpers, and cab-mounted cargo lamps. The Denali also has a spray-on bedliner, a bed-view camera, front and rear park assist, HD Surround vision, a power tilt/telescope steering wheel, rear cross-traffic braking, and GMC’s in-vehicle trailering app.

The new top model, the 2022 GMC Sierra Denali Ultimate, positively exudes luxury. Attractive leather is used on the seats, door panels, instrument panel, and center console. The headliner and roof pillars are covered in premium microsuede, and the 16-way front seats have a massage feature. The Denali Ultimate also has a 12-speaker Bose sound system, a rear camera mirror, a power sunroof, and a 15-inch head-up display.

The other new Sierra 1500 for 2022 is the AT4X. Like the Denali Ultimate, it has leather upholstery and the 6.2-liter V8, but this version of the GMC Sierra pickup is designed to excel on dirt. To that end, the new AT4X has special spool-valve Multimatic shocks, increased suspension travel (up by 50 mm and 25 mm, respectively, compared with the standard AT4), and a 2-speed transfer case with selectable off-road driving modes. One of these, Terrain Mode, allows one-pedal rock crawling.

Also noteworthy: The new AT4X is equipped with e-locking differentials front and rear, plus a larger skidplate for the transfer case.

Super Cruise is standard on the Sierra Denali Ultimate and available on the regular Sierra Denali. This hands-free active cruise control system, for use on more than 200,000 miles of compatible roads in the U.S. and Canada, can even be enjoyed when trailering, thanks to special calibrations that take into account the extra drag and braking distances associated with trailering.

Trailering-capable Super Cruise also includes 14 available camera views (including Transparent Trailer) and a new Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) alert that will make a signal if the Sierra is overloaded. There’s also Trailer Blind Zone Alert, which accounts for the length of the trailer when changing lanes.

A Convenience Package is available on the 2WD Crew Cab Pro model. It features remote keyless entry, cruise control, the locking EZ Lift tailgate, tinted glass, LED cargo lighting, and heated power-adjustable mirrors. The SLT, it’s worth noting, can be ordered with the diesel engine and a Max Trailering Package that includes upgraded suspension and an automatic-locking rear differential, plus a bigger radiator, revised shock tuning, heavier rear springs, and a 9.76-inch rear axle.

The Sierra powertrain options are a high-output 2.7-liter turbocharged inline-4, a 5.3-liter V8, a 6.2-liter V8, or a 3.0-liter inline-6 turbodiesel. The inline-4 comes with an 8-speed automatic transmission. The 5.3-liter V8 is available with a 6-, 8-, or 10-speed automatic transmission, while the diesel and the 6.2-liter V8 mate exclusively to a 10-speed automatic.

Rear-wheel drive (RWD) is standard on most models. Four-wheel drive (4WD) is available on all models and standard on the Denali, Denali Ultimate, and off-road trims.

The Sierra Denali Ultimate is powered by the 6.2-liter V8 or the 3.0-liter turbodiesel, while the other new Sierra for 2022, the AT4X, comes exclusively with the big 6.2-liter V8.

2.7-liter turbocharged inline-4
310 horsepower @ 5,600 rpm
430 lb-ft of torque @ 3,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 19/22 mpg (RWD), 17/20 mpg (4WD)

5.3-liter V8
355 horsepower @ 5,600 rpm
383 lb-ft of torque @ 4,100 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 15/19 mpg (RWD 6-speed), 16/21 mpg (RWD 8-speed), 15/19 mpg (4WD 10-speed), 14/18 mpg (4WD 6-speed), 15/20 mpg (4WD 8-speed)

6.2-liter V8
420 horsepower @ 5,600 rpm
460 lb-ft of torque @ 4,100 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 14/19 mpg (4WD)

3.0-liter inline-6 turbocharged diesel engine
277 horsepower @ 3,750 rpm
460 lb-ft of torque @ 1,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 23/30 mpg (RWD), 22/26 mpg (4WD)