Auto | 2022 Sierra Denail Ultimate and AT4X Set a New Standard for Trucks

With the eyes of the car world fantasizing about what “might be” at the SEMA show in Las Vegas, the reality is what is best to come in 2022 in the truck world is already out.

The new 2022 Sierra 1500 pushes to new heights of luxury, technology and performance.

The first-ever Sierra Denali Ultimate is the most advanced and luxuriously appointed Denali ever offered. The Sierra AT4X delivers serious capability and uncompromising refinements but when called upon, will take the off-road trail with ease.

Now you don’t have to pick between luxury or off-road performance, you get it all in one truck.

We have always said the AT4 is the perfect truck and you are welcome to change our minds. That being said, the AT4X is perfection redefined while the Sierra Ultimate is everything a truck owner, who doesn’t plan to be off-road, could ever want.

The spirit of adventure in premium comfort — that’s what drives GMC Sierra 1500 AT4 off-road truck.

But for the new 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 AT4 (available Spring 2022), GMC has gone even further to combine advanced off-road capability with first-class amenities and refinement.

Of course things didn’t stop there. The new 2022 model year introduces the First Ever Sierra 1500 AT4X: The New Peak of Premium Off-Roading. This new trim brings first-class luxury while elevating the rugged capability the AT4 brand is built on. It’s how GMC takes no-compromise off roading to the next level.

See how GMC is exploring new ways to push the boundaries of premium off-roading with the new Sierra AT4 and First Ever Sierra AT4X.

The new 2022 Sierra AT4X has an attitude that doesn’t sacrifice style and comfort for it’s ability to go anywhere it wants.

The Obsidian Rush interior features a premium microsuede headliner and best-in-class 16-way power front massaging seats wrapped in full grain leather with red and white double needle stitching, technical grained leather appointed accents and Vanta ash wood trim. Translation….the inside is really..really.. nice. You do not feel like you are in a premium off-road vehicle.

The audio experience has also been elevated to provide a more perfect way to hear the soundtrack for any outdoor adventure. The 12-speaker Bose Premium Series with CenterPoint includes AudioPilot Noise Compensation technology and Richbass subwoofer. And to enjoy audio outside of the cabin, the standard 6-function MultiPro Tailgate includes the MultiPro Audio System from KICKER.

So when the day of riding your UTV that you trailered out with your AT4X is done, you can relax fireside with your tunes.

Under the hood GMC equipped this pickup with a 6.2L V8 with 420 hp and 460 lb.-ft. of torque. The 2-speed transfer case, meanwhile, has selectable modes for multiple off-road scenarios. For example, Off-Road Mode helps give momentum in low tractions situations like gravel or mud. And Terrain Mode in 4-LO enables one-pedal driving for low-speed, off-road technical scenarios to help give greater control when taking on rugged environments.

The AT4X trim is also the only pickup in its class to have front and rear e-locking differentials, which will send power where you need it most in low traction scenarios like mud, gravel or sand. The lockers will also help give control when ascending or descending steep inclines.

Meanwhile, the new Multimatic DSSV shocks and dampers deliver premium performance, control and comfort even while going off road for extended periods. The Multimatic dampers feature three separate spool valves to control damping for an exceptional ride experience even during the longest of adventures in the harshest of environments. In addition, the Sierra AT4X’s off-road ride experience benefits from an increased suspension travel that helps dampen the effects of rough terrain.

But taking on the most punishing terrain means mitigating potential damage. That’s why the Sierra AT4X has underbody skid plates and a large steel transfer case skid plate to help protect underbody components. The available rock sliders will help shield the truck’s sills and frame rails.

The 2022 GMC Sierra Denali Ultimate is the future of trucks in so many ways. While it is not as off-road capable as the AT4X, the Denali Ultimate presents itself as a serious challenger to best truck on the market for the every day use.

From the interior that features the topographical maps of the Denali mountain range, to Super Cruise hands-free driving and trailering and more, the Denali Ultimate is hard to beat.

Beginning with the SLE model, the Sierra’s cabin benefits from a significant makeover that includes a new 12.3-inch digital instrument panel and a 13.4-inch center touchscreen. The gauge cluster is highly configurable, and the updated infotainment system now supports Google’s app store, maps, and voice assistant. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard with the big touchscreen, too, and a huge heads-up display is also available. Along with a newly designed center console, models with front bucket seats feature a T-shaped electronic shifter; those with a front bench seat have a column-mounted shifter. Additionally, upper trims now come standard with a power-adjustable steering column.

The half-ton Sierra continues to be offered with a 355-hp 5.3-liter or a 420-hp 6.2-liter V-8. A turbocharged 2.7-liter inline-four and a Duramax diesel 3.0-liter inline-six are also available. Last year’s 4.3-liter V-6 has been dropped. GMC says the turbo-four has been updated to be more refined and make more torque (420 pound-feet versus 383), and its eight-speed automatic has been recalibrated to be more responsive. Thanks to chassis alterations, the Duramax diesel is now compatible with the Max Trailering package, which allows it to tow up to 13,200 pounds. Previously, diesel-powered Sierras could only pull up to 9200 pounds.

Let’s talk Super Cruise, GM’s hands-free-driving tech.

Now, you can travel hands-free on more than 200,000 miles, and counting, of compatible roads in the U.S. and Canada with the available enhanced version of Super Cruise.

In addition to driving hands-free, this first-in-class advanced feature performs automatic hands-free lane changing to maintain your set speed or allows you to pull your trailer hands-free.

The driver attention system uses a small camera located on the top of the steering column and works with infrared lights to determine where the driver is looking whenever Super Cruise is in operation. If the driver attention system detects the driver has turned their gaze away from the road ahead for too long, the steering wheel light bar will prompt the driver to return their attention to the road.

While admittedly, it’s hard to feel comfortable with your hands off the wheel, you will slowly find your confidence in it within a few dozen miles of letting it take over.  Once the speed limit is set to a speed you feel comfortable driving, Super Cruise can be engaged through the steering wheel and the guidance system holds both the truck and the trailer down the middle of the lane perfectly.

The 2022 Sierra 1500 is expected to reach dealerships in the first quarter of next year. The entry-level Sierra Pro will start at $32,495 and the Denali Ultimate opens at $80,395–$19,100 more than the regular Denali. The AT4 starts at $60,995, and the AT4X costs $74,995 before any options.