More imposing, refreshed GMC Sierra HD let loose

Chevrolet’s upmarket bakkie division in the United States, GMC, has the joined ranks of revealing its mammoth heavy-duty models in the shape of the refreshed Sierra Heavy Duty (HD).

The twin of the Silverado HD unveiled at the end of last month, the Sierra HD debuts less than a year after the updated Sierra 1500 went on-sale in the States, with parent company, General Motors, billing the refreshed model as taking “premium luxury, comfort and pulling power to new highs”.

Not as extensively panned for its looks as the conventional Silverado 1500 was, the Sierra HD follows the same design approach at its Sierra 1500 sibling by receiving a redesigned front bumper, grille and headlights with indicator animation, restyled LED taillight clusters and up to 22-inch alloy wheels.

Rounding the exterior off is a choice of six new colours; Sterling Metallic, Downpour Metallic, Meteorite Metallic, Redwood Metallic, Titanium Rush Metallic and Volcanic Red Tricoat.

Inside, the interior revisions mirror those of the Silverado HD, namely a new 13.4-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, improved materials, new colours and veneers, and a redesigned smartphone charger.

Also carried over from the Silverado HD is the slew of mainly trailer assist technologies in response to the majority of owners using their vehicles to tow heavy equipment.

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Bundled under what GMC calls ProGrade Trailering System, the list of items comprise a transparent camera display for the fifth wheel or gooseneck hitch, Adaptive Cruise Control programmed with a trailer setting, a backwards facing loadbed camera aimed at easing hitching and a trailer optimised Blind Spot Monitoring system.

Standard across the range, made-up of Pro, SLE, SLT, AT4, Denali and Denali Ultimate trim levels, is the GMC Pro Safety systems made-up of Distance Alert, Forward Collision Warning with Autonomous Emergency Braking, Lane Departure Warning, Auto High Beam Assist and Pedestrian Braking.

Optional, as part of the Safety Plus pack, is the mentioned Trailer Blind Spot Monitoring system and Rear Cross Traffic Alert.

As with the standard Sierra 1500, the Denali loses its range topping position to the Denali Ultimate that becomes the recipient of the intricate MultiPro tailgate, Vader chrome exterior detailing, 20-inch machined alloy wheels and electrically deployable side-steps.

Inside, a 12-speaker Bose sound system features, along with a 15-inch Heads-Up Display, open-pore Paldao wood inserts, full-grained Denali Ultimate badged leather seats with the fronts being electric, ventilated, heated and with a massaging function, a sunroof and a micro-suede roofliner.

Up front, the Sierra HD carries over the engine options from the Silverado HD, the 6.6-litre L8T V8 petrol that makes 299kW/629Nm and the completely revised 6.6 Duramax turbodiesel V8 that generates a mammoth 350kW/1 322Nm.

An enhanced ten-speed Allison automatic transmission sends the amount of twist to the rear or all four wheels, with the latter, as well as the dually rear wheels, being standard on the 3500 HD models.

Unlike Chevrolet though, GMC has divulged tow ratings for the Sierra HD, which will more than likely apply to the Silverado HD as well.

In the case of the Sierra 2500 HD, rating vary from 9 934 kg to 10 206 kg with the 3500 HD able to tow up to 16 329 kg. Compared to the Silverado HD, the Sierra HD boasts three body styles; regular single cab, Extended Cab and double cab called Crew Cab.

Going on-sale across the United States from the first quarter of next year with an off-road focused AT4X joining at a later stage, the Sierra HD, like the Sierra 1500, won’t be offered with right-hand-drive as the case is with the Silverado only Australia will be privy to from 2024.