However, if you’d like to use Apple Maps or easily access any of the media available on your phone while driving, you’re out of luck.
The interface is clean and easy and ran well during my testing. I was particularly impressed by the ease of customization. Want a shortcut to bring up the 360 camera at the top of the screen? Just drag it from the vehicle controls to the top and it sticks there. You can rearrange other controls, too, just by tapping and dragging.
The software all worked well, and the Sierra EV Denali drove well, too. Despite the massive 24-inch wheels and tires, ride quality was reasonably good for a truck of this size, helped by the standard air suspension. I spent quite a bit of time winding my way through some extremely narrow roads and making U-turns in tight parking lots as I was looking for photography locations. The truck’s standard four-wheel steering was indispensable.
Not that much more expensive than the V8
And it’s features like that, plus the ability to power a job site or even your home with GM Energy’s bidirectional charger setup, that give the Sierra EV a genuine leg up over its internal-combustion predecessor. And that’s good because it’s coming in at quite a price premium. Again, the Sierra EV Denali starts at $91,995 with the smaller Extended Range battery or $100,495 for the 460-mile Max Range battery pack. Both prices include the $2,095 destination charge.
That sounds extreme, but if you haven’t priced out a regular Denali lately, you might be surprised how small the gap is. A top-shelf Denali Ultimate with the 6.2 L V8, which makes a relatively paltry 420 hp (313 kW) and 460 lb-ft (624 Nm) of torque, has a starting price of just under $75,000. Add a few options, and you’ll soon be over $80,000. But, tick all the boxes you want, and you still won’t get air suspension or four-wheel steering, nor that must-have midgate on a gas-powered truck.
In my eye, if you’re already looking to spend upwards of $80,000 on a big, luxurious truck, the extra amenities and features of the Sierra EV are well worth kicking it up to $90,000. But that still makes this a niche-appeal machine. GMC says that lower-cost Sierra EV models will come in time, but it will take something on the opposite end of the price spectrum before the EV truck segment really starts moving.