2019 GMC Sierra AT4 Debuts Lifted Tech-Savvy Off-Roading Trim

GMC has revealed its latest pickup, the 2019 Sierra AT4, a new trim that aims to combine off-road ability with lashings of tech you wouldn't typically find in a truck. Making its debut at the New York International Auto Show 2018 this week, the new model is only the first of GMC's vehicles to bear the AT4 brand. That, the automaker says, will proliferate across every model within the next two years.

In this particular case, GMC takes the 2019 Sierra and gives the exterior trim a dark finish. The front and rear bumpers, along with the grille surround, are body-color, but the grille itself is black chrome. The regular Sierra's C-shaped LED lights are kept, and then black chrome appears on the LED fog lamp bezels and fender trim.

The window trim, mirror caps, and skip plates get high-gloss black trim, and then the designers throw in some color with a little red for highlights. The AT4 also gets vertical tow hooks, too, unlike those on the regular truck.

Inside, dark remains the dominant theme. The steering wheel, center stack, and sill plates get dark-tinted and textured aluminum finish; the seats are black with Kalahari color accents and contrast stitching. AT4 badging appears on the headrests and floor mats.

As for the off-roading credibility, that comes from four-wheel drive as standard. There's a two-speed transfer case with a low-range all-wheel drive gearing option, and a factory-installed 2-inch suspension lift. Off-road tuned Rancho monotone shock absorbers, a locking rear differential, and Hill Descent Control are all included as standard.

GMC's Traction Select System has a variety of off-roading and terrain modes, and there's a new ProGrade Trailering System with a companion smartphone app. Surround vision offers a 360-degree view of the truck for low-speed maneuvers. A head-up display offers information including an inclinometer – showing fore and aft tilt, front tire angle, and left and right tilt – on the windshield.

The MultiPro Tailgate first seen on the 2019 Sierra Denali and SLT – which opens in six different positions – is included on the 2019 Sierra AT4 as standard. Later in the first model year, the truck will get a carbon fiber box option, which replaces the standard steel box with a more durable version. Either way, the short box gets 63 cubic feet of storage space.

Under the hood there'll be a choice of three engines. On the gas side, there's both the 6.2-liter and 5.3-liter V8 engines. Alternatively, there's a 3.0-liter inline-six turbodiesel. Both the 6.2-liter and the diesel get a 10-speed automatic.

GMC says the 2019 Sierra AT4 will go on sale this fall. Pricing will be announced closer to its launch.