2025 GMC Sierra 1500 Denali Ultimate Review: What You Sacrifice For Luxury

Full-size pickup trucks have fully transitioned into luxury transportation for the masses. On top of their abilities to pull massive trailers, haul heavy loads, and off-road in the most extreme conditions, modern pickups are expected to be as comfortable and opulent as any luxury sedan or SUV — and luckily for us, they've risen to the occasion. Models like the Ford F-150, Ram 1500, and the Toyota Tundra all offer flagship trim levels with soft leather surfaces, industry-leading tech, and much more capability than pretty much any average commuter will ever need. These brawny rigs are about as feature-packed as they can be.

The GMC Sierra 1500 Denali Ultimate is one of the top contenders amongst these beacons of brightwork. Facing tough competition from elite full-size rivals, the Sierra glides into 2025 with a few small changes (new colors, new wheels, and an active exhaust), but it remains seriously appealing with several robust powertrains to choose from, a long list of modern features, and a strong base of pickup-truck capabilities underpinning the whole operation.

While it may seem like the era of the EV is fully upon us, there's still plenty of internal combustion power to be had. There are four different options for power in the GMC Sierra 1500. The first engine is called the TurboMax – a turbocharged 2.7-liter four-cylinder that puts out 310 horsepower. Next up on the ladder is GM's ubiquitous 5.3-liter V8 which makes 355 hp. Then, there's the 3.0-liter Duramax diesel with 305 hp and 495 lb-ft of torque. Finally, there's the 6.2-liter V8 which puts out 420 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque.

Our Denali Ultimate test truck was equipped with the 6.2-liter V8 paired with four-wheel drive and a 10-speed automatic transmission. Bury the throttle and you're easily up to highway speeds, with merging and passing taking no time at all. The 10-speed automatic shifts quickly both up and down in gears; on uphill grades, its calibrated well, and isn't left searching around for the right gear. 

There is quite a bit of rumble and shake from the big V8 though, which slightly upsets the luxury experience. Most of this disturbance happens at idle, however, and it goes away once the truck settles in at speed. It's hard to call this a drawback since some owners will enjoy the rumble of the eight cylinders they paid extra for, but it's worth noting on a truck with such a luxurious demeanor.

There are lots of powertrains to choose from for the Sierra 1500, but unfortunately, none of them are hybrids. There is an available GMC Sierra EV, but not only does it start at nearly $100,000, according to GMC all the reservations are currently full. The Sierra does continue to offer a diesel powertrain though, which in many ways outshines much of the competition, even hybrid models.

With the diesel, the Sierra is rated as high as 26 mpg combined by the EPA — a high mark for the GMC, and likely worth the added cost you'll pay on some of the lower trim levels for the engine upgrade. The next-best rating for the Sierra is 19 mpg combined for the four-cylinder engine and a maximum of 16 mpg combined with the 6.2-liter V8 (in my time with the Sierra 1500, I averaged about 14 miles per gallon). 

The Ford F-150 does better here, with the top-rated hybrid checking in at 23 mpg combined and the available 5.0-liter V8 getting ratings as high as 19 mpg combined from the EPA. The Toyota Tundra (with an available hybrid) has a high average when it comes to fuel economy, with the lowest-rated versions of that truck receiving a rating from the EPA of 19 mpg combined, while other trims are rated as high as 22 mpg combined.

As you might expect from such a large pickup, the Sierra 1500 has some pretty serious towing capability across the range. Base four-cylinder models can pull as much as 9,500 lbs, while diesel models can hook up trailers that weigh as much as 13,200 lbs (the Silverado 1500 maxes out at 13,300 lbs). With the 6.2-liter V8, the Sierra 1500's max is 13,000 lbs.

The Ford F-150 slightly edges out the Sierra here, offering as much as 13,500 lbs of max towing capacity. The Ram 1500 checks in at 11,550 lbs maximum towing capacity, the Toyota Tundra offers a maximum of 12,000 lbs, and the Nissan Titan offers 11,050 lbs of maximum towing capacity. 

The Sierra barely falls behind the F-150 in this category, but it beats out every other rival by a minimum of 1,300 lbs — an impressive showing by any standard. Maximum payload is a slightly different story, with a close race between the class leaders. The Sierra has a payload maximum of 2,240 lbs, falling behind the F-150 which offers 2,440 lbs, and the Ram 1500 tops out at 2,370 lbs. 

The Sierra 1500 does its best to disguise its heavy-duty underpinnings with adaptive suspension sporting various degrees of adjustable firmness, but the ride quality over rough roads gives up its secrets. Big 22-inch wheels are bound to cause some ride issues and that's certainly the case here. On the open highway, where imperfections aren't as frequent, the Sierra's ride feels calm and composed. Yet on the broken streets of West Los Angeles, where I live, it's a bumpy ride most days.

Tiny imperfections make their way into the Sierra's cabin, causing little jolts here and there. The congested concrete freeways that line the Los Angeles basin are amongst the roughest in the United States, and along those roads the Sierra 1500 feels stiff. While I wouldn't call the GMC's ride uncomfortable, I would say it's a bit less refined than both the Ram 1500 and the Ford F-150. Through corners the Sierra 1500 handles its heft well, with reasonable steering and handling for the class, but the F-150 feels a bit livelier on a back road. 

Over the last few years, manufacturers have paid particular attention to the functions their tailgates could perform – aside from the obvious duty of keeping stuff securely stored in the bed of your truck. Ford offers their integrated-step via the Pro Access tailgate, Ram offers a multi-function tailgate that opens near the middle, and the GMC has their MultiPro tailgate which folds and bends, contorting into a number of different configurations for all sorts of potential scenarios.

GMC

All three are improvements on a traditional, fold-down tailgate. Ram 1500's multi-function tailgate has door-like functionality – great for getting right up against the bed of the truck when you're loading an item deep into the truck's bed. Ford's Pro Access tailgate goes even further, with a hinged door in the center of the tailgate and a pull-out step with a support handle for pulling yourself up into the bed. 

Still, I think the best of all these tailgates is GMC's. Its tailgate folds out in a number of configurations, allowing for easy access to the bed, providing a step, or extending the bed with a flip-up portion to function as a sort of abbreviated tailgate (what they call a load stop). It's also available with a stereo, the MultiPro audio system, that offers Bluetooth and USB audio streaming completely independent of the truck's interior audio. Now that's a fun tailgating trick.

Many GM products are moving to large, dashboard-encompassing screens: the Chevy Blazer EV has a 17.7-inch screen that stretches across most of the driver's field of view, and so do the newest Tahoe/Suburban twins. Those screens are crisp, easy to read, and quick to respond to inputs, but I like the GMC Sierra's 13.4-inch touchscreen just the way it is. Why? It feels more properly scaled to this luxury truck's interior, while still providing excellent functionality. It has Google built-in, plus wireless Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto, all of which respond quickly to commands, while the screen displaying them feels less like the desktop monitor from a gamer's rig.

As we've cataloged on previous GMC Sierras (and pretty much every GM product) we're big fans of Super Cruise and its ability to reduce road fatigue by managing the steering and speed functions on GM's pre-mapped highways. The 360-degree parking camera is also an extremely helpful bit of tech too – especially in crowded cities. The clear exterior view of the truck makes sure you keep it properly inside the lines when parking, and helps take the sting out of parallel parking. The 12-speaker Bose stereo provides adequate volume and crisp sound, but it does cut a bit of the bass when you turn the dials all the way up — a forgivable sin at worst.

One of the highlights of the Sierra 1500, especially in the Denali Ultimate trim, is the cabin. Front row or back, you're surrounded by luxury. Sure, things aren't as plush inside the GMC pickup as they would be in some German luxury sedans, but expectations for the class are absolutely met. Dashboard, door panel, center console, seat upholstery, and steering wheel materials all look and feel upscale. All the contrasting stitching throughout the cabin looks arrow straight, and there are no squeaks or rattles to be heard, even when there are rough road conditions.

Travis Langness/SlashGear

There's also plenty of interior space to go around. In every seating position, adults of all shapes and sizes will have room to spread out, including expansive legroom in the rear. Those rear seats are naturally more upright, but they're comfortable enough for long journeys. The front seats are very well padded and supportive, even if they do lack enough bolstering to keep you properly planted through a few bends in the road. 

For small item storage, you'll almost never run out of options. The Sierra 1500 has all sorts of cubbies, cupholders, and storage solutions in both the front and back seat as well.

The 2025 Sierra 1500 Denali Ultimate you see here has a sticker price of $86,805, including $610 of options and a $1,995 destination fee. That's right near the top of the class when it comes to pricing. Ford's F-150 Platinum with the optional 3.5-liter PowerBoost Hybrid powertrain ($1,900) and the Platinum High Equipment Group ($6,540) checks in at $84,035 (including $1,995 destination). A top-trim Ram 1500 Tungsten with the standard 3.0-liter inline-six engine has an MSRP of $89,070 (including a $1,995 destination).

Equipment is similar on all three of these full-size pickups, so it's hard for any of them to offer an overwhelming advantage there, but the Sierra also faces the challenge of its platform sibling. Chevy's Silverado 1500 lands at a much cheaper price for similar equipment and features. A 2025 Silverado 1500 in the High Country trim, with the High Country Premium II package with Super Cruise ($7,860), has an MSRP of $79,545 (including $1,995 destination). That's a significant saving when compared to the Sierra, for nearly identical capabilities. 

The Sierra does shine when it comes to luxury though. It's a truly upscale truck with only a few notable compromises – none of which are large enough to sacrifice overall quality. It may be expensive, but the GMC in this flagship form remains one of the most appealing pickups on the market today.