I’ve driven every version of this damn truck that General Motors makes: the Chevrolet Silverado EV WT (Work Truck), the Silverado EV RST, and now the 2025 GMC Sierra EV Denali. The latter is the newest, most luxurious, and most capable version. Unsurprisingly, it’s also the best. But despite its GM electric truck superiority, the Sierra EV still suffers from many of the same issues that its Bowtie-branded siblings do.
Refreshingly, GMC’s offering doesn’t feel like badge engineering. It looks radically different from the Silverado EV and its cabin is in another world. However, the fundamentals are all the same. It shares the same chassis, batteries, electric motors, and even suspension. They’re like fraternal twins: they have the same DNA but different looks.
The Silverado EV RST impressed me with some of its clever engineering, features, and range. But I can’t for the life of me figure out who the hell it’s for. Who’s buying a six-figure electric pickup that’s slower and less comfortable than its competition? The Sierra EV Denali is mostly in the same pickle but it’s the most compelling version yet. Allow me to explain why.
Like most GM trucks and SUVs, the GMC version of this electric pickup is more luxurious and slightly more capable than the Chevy version (even if it will lose that capability advantage soon, as the Silverado will gain GMC’s Crab Walk mode). Thankfully, the Sierra EV looks completely different. Since there won’t be a Cadillac version of this truck (even if I still maintain the Chevy version should be called the Avalanche, with a Cadillac Escalade EXT companion), the Denali is the fanciest variant GM will offer. Other trim levels are still to come but none will top the Denali for comfort or premium status.
It honestly looks like a different truck rather than some pricier rebrand. It’s not just the face, either—the entire shape and silhouette is new. Up front, the massive logo “shield,” as GMC calls it, has illuminated trim to go along with the light-up “GMC” badge. Its right-angle headlights look snazzier than Chevy’s lamps, and the integration of the frunk button is far better. (On the Chevy, you have to find the button hidden underneath part of the bumper but it’s front and center on the Sierra.)
Also gone are the Chevy’s Avalanche-style bed sails, so the Sierra’s bed not only looks cleaner but is more practical, too, since you can load gear over the sides more easily. A few Silverado EVs were floating around during my Sierra drive and I decided the GMC was better looking because it’s more traditional. Typical pickup buyers are a lot more likely to gravitate toward GMC’s offering.
The most impactful differences are inside. You realize the Silverado EV RST has no business costing six figures once you sit in it. It’s boring to look at, mostly feels cheap, and, during my experience, had far too many squeaks and rattles. Not so in the Sierra. Sure, the lower part of the door cards are made of scratchy plastics but all the touchpoints feel solid and high quality.
The dash design looks and feels expensive, with rich, soft-touch leather and metal. And the biggest improvement is GMC’s massive portrait-style infotainment screen which absolutely eats Chevy’s dinky, dash-mounted horizontal screen for lunch. The Sierra’s screen is bigger and has ultra-high resolution with crisp graphics, cleverly designed menus, and fast responses.
Also, bless their hearts at GMC, there are big chunky switches at the bottom for climate controls. They’re super simple to use and textured so you can easily control them with gloves on. Little stuff like that makes all the difference when you’re living with a car every day and I’d take the GMC Sierra over the Silverado 10 times out of 10 just for those buttons.
Under the skin, the Sierra isn’t any different than the Silverado EV RST. It still packs the same dual-motor powertrain, making 760 horsepower and 785 lb-ft of torque. With its monster 200-plus-kWh battery pack, it has 460 miles of claimed range, which is pretty believable. OK, so I barely averaged over two miles per kWh during a mixture of calm highway driving and twisty backroads (which it did not handle well), so I’ll guess most customers will see closer to 400 miles. However, that lack of efficiency feels like a waste, since the Sierra’s nearly 9,000-pound curb weight spoils all of that power. GMC claims a 0-60 mph time of 4.5 seconds but it feels slower than that.
I feel like I know this truck well, being one of the few people who has also driven both Chevy versions of it. But I did have one question going in: Would it be more refined? I asked GMC spokespeople if there were any NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) differences between their car and its Chevrolet sibling.
I was told that improved acoustic glass and higher-quality sound-deadening material were used in the GMC to make it quieter. I believe it worked. It’s a lot closer to silent than the Silverado EV inside, especially at higher speeds, which gives the impression of being more refined. Unfortunately, it’s every bit as rough and unsettled as the Silverado in its body movements. Of course, the Sierra is a pickup, so neither a squishy ride nor a silent cabin are necessarily expected. But it also isn’t a traditional body-on-frame pickup and it has a six-figure price tag, so I expected more.
There’s a lot to like about the Sierra EV’s driving experience. Its steering is nicely weighted and direct enough, its seats are comfy, and it has excellent outward visibility—better than the Silverado EV’s without those bed sails. However, the suspension puts a damper on the experience. It somehow manages to be both floaty and crashy. The Sierra comes with standard air suspension that just can’t cope with the immense weight.
Granted, I don’t envy the suspension engineers who had to manage 9,000 pounds comfortably, while still giving it off-road capability and any sort of decent handling. As bad as I feel for them, though, there’s just too much secondary vertical motion over every bump, making it feel unsettled. And then when you hit a big bump or pothole, it feels like it crashes down on its bump stops.
The electric truck comes alive off-road, though. GMC took us to a horse farm, where we could test some of its additional capabilities and its on-road handling begins to make sense once you show the Sierra EV some dirt. It’s unphased by rough, undulating dirt roads, even at surprisingly high speeds.
I also need to talk about Crab Walk. You may have seen the commercials with the Hummer EV moving diagonally, using its four-wheel steer to point every wheel in the same direction. The Sierra EV has it, too, and I got to sample it through a small, coned course. It’s the strangest sensation I’ve ever experienced behind the wheel. While engaged, you turn the steering wheel and the car sidesteps diagonally, like you’re strafing in a video game. It feels entirely unnatural and I hated it at first. But after a few tries, I actually really enjoyed it, especially on a loose dirt surface. I don’t see many real-world use cases for it but it will likely be a blast off-road if even just for fun. And y’know what? Fun is good!
Since the only model currently available is the Denali, the Sierra EV comes with a hefty standard equipment list. The supremely helpful mid-gate from the Silverado EV is included in its base price, as are the air suspension, the heated and cooled leather seats, the massive touchscreen, and GM’s industry-leading Super Cruise hands-free driving assist. The latter is a huge help, as it’s the best semi-self-driving system on the market and it can be used while towing a trailer. The Sierra EV can also tow 10,500 pounds from the jump, without any additional towing package.
Since the Denali is the top-of-the-line model, there really aren’t any options to choose from except for utilitarian customization. For example, you can get various roof racks, coolers for the frunk, and a bed storage system.
There are more electric pickups than ever before, so the Sierra EV Denali’s competition isn’t exactly easy to take down. It needs to contend with the Ford F-150 Lightning, Rivian R1T, and now the Tesla Cybertruck. While it has more range than all of them, it needs almost double the battery size to provide it. It also shares its density with only neutron stars, so it’s slower than most of the aforementioned trucks in their various trims.
The Silverado EV RST, with the same Max Range battery pack, starts at $97,895, or just around $5,000 cheaper than the Sierra EV. They have the same specs, range, and mostly the same standard equipment. The Silverado will even be getting its own version of Crab Walk soon, called Sidewinder. However, the GMC is a deal over the Chevy simply for its superior interior, better infotainment, and quieter cabin. It also has a more prestigious badge and let’s not pretend like that isn’t important for buyers.
There’s a lot to like about the 2025 GMC Sierra EV Denali. It looks great, has a really nice interior, and its mid-gate and Crab Walk make it a surprisingly useful pickup truck. However, it’s $102,590 to start, which is still an outrageous amount of money for a pickup truck, especially since it doesn’t have the same techy, lifestyle vibe as the R1T or Cybertruck.
Once again, GM has made an impressive enough pickup that’s in search of an audience. It’s barely more expensive than the Silverado EV RST, with the same specs and more luxury, so it’s GM’s best electric truck offering to date. It’s just that I’m still left wondering who it’s for.
2025 GMC Sierra EV Denali SpecsBase Price$102,590Powertraindual-motor four-wheel drive | 170 or 204-kWh battery (per GM Authority)Horsepower760Torque785 lb-ftSeating Capacity5Cargo Volume57.5 cubic feet (bed)11.0 cubic feet (frunk)Max Towing10,500 pounds0-60 mph4.5 secondsMax Charging Rate350 kWRangeMax Range: 460 miles (GM-estimated)Extended Range: 390 miles (EPA-estimated)Quick TakeAn impressive truck with a luxurious interior and some useful truck features, but its poor ride and eye-watering price tag keep it from greatness.Score7/10
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