2024 GMC Sierra HD Adds a Lot of Luxury to Heavy Duty Pickups

Lee Bailie
by Lee Bailie
2024 gmc sierra hd adds a lot of luxury to heavy duty pickups

For years, GMC, the truck and SUV-only brand within General Motors, has defined itself in the marketplace as “professional grade”.

It’s a tagline intended to emphasize its tough and capable, yet also technologically advanced, lineup.

While professional grade still fits well with the brand, the arrival of the all-new 2024 Sierra HD, GMC might want to think about amending it to professional luxury grade. That’s because the Sierra Heavy Duty Denali Ultimate, a first-ever trim for the HD pick-up, blasts the truck into a premium stratosphere it has never been before.

2024 GMC Sierra HD Denali Ultimate

2024 gmc sierra hd adds a lot of luxury to heavy duty pickups

Consider the Denali Ultimate’s cabin, which includes. A full-grain leather-wrapped door panels with etched stainless steel speaker grilles. A full-grain leather front and rear seats with Denali Ultimate badge on the front seatbacks and center console lid. All-new 16-way power adjustable and massaging front seats.

But wait, there’s more. Like the premium microsuede headliner, visors and A and B-pillar trim, and leather-wrapped A and B-pillar grab handles. A 12-speaker Bose Premium series with Centerpoint surround technology. Open-pore Paldao wood trim in the dashboard and door panels, with the former including a laser-etched carving of Mount Denali (highest point in North America)

2024 gmc sierra hd adds a lot of luxury to heavy duty pickups

On the tech front, the HD Denali Ultimate comes with a standard camera mirror with full camera display, 15-inch diagonal, multi-color head-up display, power sunroof, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 13.4-inch multimedia touchscreen powered by Google built-in that features a split-screen view, along with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Upgraded Exteriors

2024 gmc sierra hd adds a lot of luxury to heavy duty pickups

On the outside, the 2024 GMC Sierra HD is more premium with a unique grille finished in dark “Vader” chrome, model-specific 20-inch Ultra-bright machined aluminum wheels with High Gloss black accents (22-inchers are available), unique fender badging with topography of Mount Denali.

Design changes for the Sierra HD range include new bumper, fascia, grille, and redesigned LED headlights. The headlights feature animations that engage when approaching, starting, or using turn signals. New wheel designs are also in store for SLE, AT4 and Denali trims, and dual rear-wheel models receive bigger 18-inch polished aluminum wheels.

Six new exterior colors arrive for ’24, including (at extra cost), Titanium Rush Metallic, Sterling Metallic, Volcanic Red Tintcoat, Redwood Metallic, Meteorite Metallic and Downpour Metallic.

Trim Specific Interiors

2024 gmc sierra hd adds a lot of luxury to heavy duty pickups

Interior changes across the range include refreshed interiors for SLE and SLT trims and more premium cabins for AT4 and Denali grades. GMC didn’t reveal much about these models, and they were not on display at the sneak peak event Autoguide attended. But these trims will receive, “new color and stitching designs throughout,” according to a statement, along with more premium materials.

2024 GMC Sierra HD – More Power

2024 gmc sierra hd adds a lot of luxury to heavy duty pickups

If anyone thinks GMC has spent all their time and resources on the Sierra HD’s looks, not to worry as this truck is more powerful than ever.

The available 6.6-liter Duramax Turbo Diesel V8 and 10-speed Allison automatic transmission put out 470 horsepower and 975 lb-ft. of torque. The latter up 25 percent at the low-end compared to the outgoing model.

Tow More

2024 gmc sierra hd adds a lot of luxury to heavy duty pickups

Max towing numbers with this engine, as one might imagine, have increased versus the current truck.

The 2500HD crew cab is rated at 21,900 pounds, which GMC claims is best in class. The 2500HD is rated at 22,500 pounds, which is 4,000 greater than the current model. Meanwhile, the 3500HD boasts an eye-watering 36,000-pound rating.

Changes to the Duramax engine include a new, more efficient turbocharger for delivering better bottom-end torque. There’s more power and torque across the rev range. The engine also has improved engine braking, new cylinder heads that feature improved cooling, a new combustion system, higher-flow fuel injectors, greater fuel injection pressure and a new engine cooler.

Gas Engine Gets a New Transmission

2024 gmc sierra hd adds a lot of luxury to heavy duty pickups

The standard 6.6-liter gas V8 engine will also be paired with the Allison 10-speed, replacing the discontinued 6-speed automatic. The Allison gearbox, GMC says, will offer smaller “steps” between gears which it claims is better for the most power out of the 6.6 engine (401 hp / 464 lb-ft.).

The 2024 GMC Sierra HD also features a slew of enhanced trailering tech. It includes, according to GMC, an industry-first transparent trailer view for gooseneck and fifth-wheel trailers. Essentially, this tech allows the driver to see through the trailer virtually thanks to a camera mounted on the back of the truck and another on the back of the trailer.

2024 gmc sierra hd adds a lot of luxury to heavy duty pickups

Other trailering features include available Trailer Side Blind Zone Alert, which includes the blind zones around the trailer, along with GCW Alert, which warns the driver if the truck and trailer weight exceed the vehicle’s Gross Combined Weight Rating, and Adaptive Cruise Control, which accounts for additional drag and increased braking distances while towing.

2024 GMC Sierra HD – 6 Trims, 2 Grades

2024 gmc sierra hd adds a lot of luxury to heavy duty pickups

The 2024 Sierra HD will be available in 2500HD and 3500HD models. It can come in regular cab, extended cab, and crew cab configurations. Dual-rear wheel models are available with the 3500HD. Six trims will be available at launch: Pro, SLE, SLT, AT4, Denali and Denali Ultimate. An off-road focused AT4X grade will arrive later in the model year.

The 2024 GMC Sierra HD goes on sale in the first quarter of 2023. Pricing will be announced closer to launch.

NOTE: All trucks shown are U.S. pre-production models.

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Lee Bailie
Lee Bailie

With more than 20 years of industry experience, which includes automotive retail, motorsports PR, and writing and editing for various automotive publications, Lee is an AutoGuide freelancer, and car guy to the core. For nearly a decade and a half, he has married his two consuming passions together – journalism and the automotive industry. Whether it’s providing coverage on debuts from an auto show floor, writing road test reviews, or previewing a new model coming soon, Lee is eager to share his passion for the automotive industry with his readers. He is a long-standing member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) and won a feature writing award in 2018.

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