DENALI PICKUP: Great Technology

Author's Rating:

Pros: Quadrasteer; All-Wheel Drive; Fit and Finish; Power; Lot's of Room in the Xtra-Cab Backseat.

Cons: Gas milage...but I knew that.

The Bottom Line: 
Go and drive these truck around the dealer lot. Unbelievable!!!

Author's Review
I purchased my black 2003 GMC Sierra Denali pickup in May of 2003 and have driven it 7000 miles. Holy cow what a great vehicle. The price was also great at the time. $500 under invoice ($39,900); $2000 quadrasteer cash rebate; and $3000 GM cash rebate. So I paid $34,400 for a truck that has quality, technology, and looks that is much greater. Plus using Section 179 of the tax code I will fully depreciate the cost in 2003 saving me about $14,000 in taxes (15.3% self-employed; 28% Fed; 7% Idaho State). Not a bad deal. No wonder the economy is growing at 7.2% GDP with uncle sam letting us keep our tax dollars to spend.

My past truck was a wonderful 1995 GMC. Love it. However, in 8 years everything has changed. The Denali pickup is the mother of all drives. It is so fast you your scared to fully depress the gas pedal for any length of time. It simply smokes. Passing a car going 60 is like unbelievable. The time you get around the slow poke your blowing doors at 85MPH (and smiling).

The quadrasteer system is just slick. I can't imagine any other vehicle this size not having it. It's fun to drive and park. People can't believe watching how this truck turns. The truck has a button that allows you to only have two wheel steering. I can't for the life of me understand why I'd ever use that button. Four wheel steering is the only way to go.

How about the All-Wheel Drive? Same as Subaru and Audi. Very technologically advanced. I'm a big skier so I need a capable/safe vehicle. No other truck can stay close to this system of wheel power on ice and snow. Plus Bridgestone just made a 17 inch Winter Dueler based on their Blizzack winter tires. These studdless tires are amazing (had three pairs on Saabs). They will stop your vehicle on ice like its pavement. I will put those tires on my truck Dec. 1 for about 4 months.

Fit and finish is perfect. Absolutely perfect. Everything is so well put together. People just are amazed when riding in it. Two suspensions are available via a push button. The caddy ride I use 90% of the time is sweet. Then I hit the sport button on twisty roads and the shock rebound rates tighten up in about 20 seconds and you can now just rip into turns with out feeling like a boat. The truck is damn near a sports car. At night all the roof; back wheel; and tail marker lights are so nice to have on. You feel like a christmas tree driving around. What a great driving and looking truck.

Of course the XM radio is the best fun device on the pickup. I listen to the best music now for 6 months. The sound is awesome. I mostly listen to various traditional country; bluegrass; comedy; and a station called Fred. However, it's kinda nice to crank up the dirty rap stuff and cruise around feeling like some urban gangster. Hysterical!!!

Ok the gas milage. Ouch!!! If you need 30 mpg you best look somewhere else. I get 12.5 mpg tooling around Boise, ID. I get 17 mpg cruising a 100 miles up to McCall doing about 60-65 mph. My trip to Las Vegas (85 mph) my milage was 15.2 (yes the Denali has a computer for all this). The Denali sucks gas. However, my 1995 GMC pickup received virtually identical mileage. So in many ways GM is getting improved milage with their engines and a ton more power. This truck will actually drive very well at 100 mph if you can get past the sucking gas sound.

I feel very fortunate to drive such a nice vehicle. GMC has created an outstanding product.