We drive the 2024 GMC Sierra Denali Ultimate to find out if it is the BEST LUXURY truck you can buy?

CHAPTERS
0:00 Intro
0:20 Denalit Ultimate Trim
0:39 Pricing
1:02 Standard Hardware
1:15 Exterior
1:50 Cargo Bed
2:47 Under The Hood
3:24 Rear Seat And Storage
4:42 Interior And Tech
9:50 Driving
12:41 Super Cruise
14:30 Off-Road
16:39 Verdict

This is the 2024 GMC Sierra Denali Ultimate and it’s GMCs most expensive and most luxurious offering but is it a recipe that people are going to want to buy? Today I'm going to test it and find out.

The Denali badge has always been sufficient to distinguish GMC's fanciest versions of its pickups and SUVs, apparently not because GMC has raised the game further with its Ultimate trim. What’s next the Denali, Ultimate Pinnacle?

Let’s work backward for a change and start with the price. This one will cost you $85,690, which is a lot for a truck that doesn’t have 700 hp.It does include Super Cruise for $2,200 and it’s a system that I think works very well. Standard hardware includes a full safety suite, Denali premium suspension with adaptive ride control, a two-speed transfer case, a trailering package, and a trailer brake controller.

Exterior

At the front, there's a dark chrome grille, which seems to be the new way of saying black plastic or as GMC calls it "Vader Chrome,". It comes with 22-inch seven-spoke machined aluminum wheels, the type you are never likely to ever take offroad. Tires are Bridgestone Alenza 275/50-R22s.

The regular Denali can be had with either the short or standard box, along with its Crew Cab, the Denali Ultimate only gets the smaller of the two. You get the clever MultiPro tailgate as standard and power-retracting side steps.With the Duramx 3.0, it can tow up to 13,300 lbs. 

Under the hood

My tester had the excellent 3.0-liter Duramax turbo-diesel which has more power for 2024, 305 hp with 495 ft-lbs @ 2,750 rpm driven through a 10-speed automatic transmission. 0-60 takes around 7.1 seconds which is somewhat slower than the 6.2 liter V8, however, with the Duramax, you can expect to get 27 mpg on the highway.

2024 GMC Sierra 1500 Denali Ultimate Numbers

BASE PRICE: $82,5000
PRICE AS TESTED: $85,690
VEHICLE LAYOUT: Front-engine, 4 wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door pickup
ENGINE: 3.0L DOHC I-6 Turbo-Diesel
POWER: 305 hp @ 3,750 rpm
TORQUE: 495 lb-ft @ 1,500 rpm
TRANSMISSION: 10-speed automatic
CURB WEIGHT: 5,350 lb
0-60 MPH: 7.1 sec
TOWING RATING: Up to $13,300 lbs
EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON: 23/27/24 mpg
OUR OBSERVED: 21.9 mpg
PROS: High Tech Cabin, Super Cruise excels, Excellent on and off-road manners
CONS:  Some cost-cutting inside