2024 GMC Sierra EV Denali Edition 1 TOTY Review: The Second Act

Back in 2022 GMC’s over-the-top Hummer EV stole the show and nearly snagged the coveted title of Truck of the Year. Few production trucks have ever shown up with such a large presence and with as much drama as the Hummer EV. It was simply an unforgettable experience. Cue the company’s second act: the 2024 GMC Sierra EV Denali Edition 1.

With much of the truck’s underpinnings shared with both the Hummer EV and Silverado EV, the Sierra’s design does a lot of work differentiating it from those trucks. While the exterior of the truck is uniquely GMC and drew mixed reviews on the futuristic cyberpunk styling, the interior is what really sets it apart. The Sierra’s interior is not only functionally different than that of the Silverado EV but also markedly more upscale. Our judges raved about the premium materials, elegant styling, and ample technology package. The massive screens are both easy to navigate and full of rich graphic design.

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The Sierra’s MultiPro midgate also is one of its most intriguing features. When fully open the midgate offers the ability to haul items nearly 11 feet in length. On the surface this sounds like a compelling feature. Deeper thought left us realizing how infrequently the average truck owner might use that functionality, particularly given the Rube Goldberg–esque sequence of button presses, lever pulls, and seat reconfiguration needed to actually open the midgate. Debate over usefulness aside, we mostly agree it is a neat feature that would prove beneficial in a few (very specific) scenarios.

To drivers behind the wheel, the Sierra EV Denali offers a confused combination of oversimplification with a touch of convolution. There are only a few readily available drive modes: Normal, Tow/Haul, and Off-Road. However, wade deeper into the menus (separate from the drive modes), and you might find the customizable My Mode, which allows for adjusting the steering, throttle, suspension, and even propulsion sounds. Further, finding and pressing the Mjolnir (Thor’s Hammer) icon enables Max Power, which not only unlocks additional power and torque but can also be used in any of the drive modes.

And there’s Crab Walk, a GMC-exclusive feature only found on the Hummer EV and Sierra EV. However, to use the function on the Sierra, you must navigate three sets of menus, unlike the console-mounted button in the Hummer, before all four tires steer in the same direction to “crab” the truck sideways. 

Producing 754 hp and 785 lb-ft of torque, the 8,802-pound truck performs admirably in our performance testing. It gets from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.2 seconds. While impressively quick by any normal standard and on par with its Silverado RST cousin, Tesla’s dual-motor Cybertruck makes the sprint in 3.7 seconds, and the 2025 Rivian R1T Dual Motor Max Performance needs just 3.4 seconds. A lot of that difference comes down to weight, with the Sierra EV Denali weighing 2,030 pounds more than the Rivian.

Adding to our list of quibbles, the Sierra EV exhibits a propensity to torque steer heavily under hard acceleration, a trait not shared by the competition (if you don’t count the related Silverado EV and Hummer). Judges scribbled copious notes about various ride and handling grievances, too, most of which can be traced back to the truck’s massive 24-inch wheels and low-profile tires.

For the $3,000 difference in price between the Sierra EV Denali Edition 1 and Silverado EV RST, the GMC is worth it, if only for the Denali cachet. But that may be one of the few contexts in which it’s a value or the interior seems “nice.” You must appreciate its big range, big-time, to excuse its cabin, which still isn’t quite six-figure nice or even as nice as the less expensive Rivian’s innards. And while there is engineering excellence afoot in the quick charging setup, there’s something a little too simple about merely packing the truck with more battery than the competition as a way of getting maximum range.

This review was conducted as part of our 2025 Truck of the Year (TOTY) testing, where each vehicle is evaluated on our six key criteria: efficiency, design, safety, engineering excellence, value, and performance of intended function. Eligible vehicles must be all-new or significantly revised.

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