When I initially tested the 2024 GMC Sierra EV Denali in November 2024, I wasn’t so kind to it. The truck’s driving dynamics “border on being dangerous” even on everyday roads and I wished it had felt like a less half-baked product. Now, more than a year later, the Sierra EV and I are going round two, are things any different? Well, it appears that many of the complaints that I raised in my 2024 first drive are being addressed and for the most part rectified by the AT4 off-road package.
Certainly the Sierra EV AT4 Max Range isn’t a slam dunk. I’ve still got plenty of philosophical issues with a vehicle of this size and scope, and I honestly could stand to see a bit more AT4-ness in a truck like this, but I will say this: it’s much improved.
I don’t feel that way anymore—that I’m a menace to everyone on road when I’m driving this truck, and while that’s not a high bar to clear, it was one that the original Sierra EV Denali didn’t clear when I drove it the first time.
It’s all for the better here at Jalopnik and I just hope the Sierra EV looks at me as if I’ve gotten through as much of a transformation as it has in barely a year and a half. I was provided a fully charged 2026 GMC Sierra EV AT4 by GMC for a week to take on with I wish.
Second chances
One of my biggest gripes about the Sierra EV Denali was how wobbly it felt, particularly at speed and when I was punching the accelerator. I can’t comment on the driving for that version in the big 26, but the AT4 Extended Range goes a long way toward addressing the complaints I had. First off it’s a little down on power versus the Denali. This pickup generates a still-mind-bending 725 horsepower and 775 pound-feet of torque through a dual-motor configuration, and that’s sufficient energy to push the 8,800-pound behemoth from 0 to 60 miles per hour in only 4.3 seconds, as per Car and Driver’s testing.
For context, the Denali has 760 hp and 785 lb-ft of torque, and it shaves a couple of tenths off the 0-60. Trust me, you’ll never notice it. Add in the power gap, the reinforced sidewall and extra width of the AT4’s beefy 35-inch Goodyear Wrangler tires, its set suspension hardware rather than the Denali’s air springs, and a couple years of rear-steering tuning and development, and the whole truck just feels a hell of a lot more planted when you’re driving down the road. I think the main culprit here might be the tires, though. The AT4’s 18-inch wheels are a full six inches smaller in diameter than the ones on the Denali I tested, and its tires are almost 0.4 inches wider. That makes a huge difference.
As the ever-uncompromising laws of physics hold true, it’s still not a sports car, but the Sierra EV AT4 doesn’t quite feel like it wants to dart suddenly sideways under hard acceleration that Denali had. Yeah, the steering does wind up being a touch too light for my taste as the rear bounces around a bit, but overall the coil springs do a much better job at softening that issue than the Denali’s air suspension.
But, holding all the off-roady bits that I’ll get to in a moment in abeyance, the Sierra EV AT4 has an absolutely fantastic driving range. GM says it has a range of up to 478 miles on a single charge, and from what I know, that figure seems about right. Of course the faster you are the faster it drops, but that 205-kWh battery pack is big enough to take the truck where it needs to go. Due to its 800-volt architecture and charging speed of up to 350 kW, you can actually charge this rig fairly quickly. It can add 100 miles of range in approximately 10 minutes while DC fast-charging, says GMC. Be warned though, charging the battery to 100% will take around 5,000 years and cost roughly a billion dollars, depending on which charger you use.
Truck stuff
It’s a small sacrifice to make because the Sierra EV AT4 makes a really solid daily… with the proviso that space is plentiful. Super Cruise is standard, and that Level 2 hands-free ADAS system is about as good as it gets in the industry. Plenty of passengers could sit comfortably in the seats in the Sierra and there is a ton and ton and ton of space for cargo. If you happen to fill the 5-foot-11 bed, there’s an 11-cubic-foot frunk you can open and close at the touch of a button to store all your precious cargo. Hell, the tech isn’t half-bad either — particularly the 16.8-inch vertical infotainment display. It’s simple to use, there are physical buttons for volume and climate controls, and it’s customizable enough so that you can place your most-used functions where they best fit your workflow.
The 11-inch driver’s display is just as good. It’s pretty configurable, and you can also display a full navigation map. There’s even a 14-inch head-up display and a bunch of cupholders. Some other good stuff: a panoramic sunroof, GM’s trick MultiPro MidGate, which, yeah, is a gimmick (I love gimmicks), and its truly amazing MultiPro Tailgate, which got me in and out of the bed easier than ever when I was doing Truck Stuff™ (something that the bones in my body were very thankful for). What more could you want?
Oh, you want your truck to crab walk? No problem! The 233.4-inch Sierra AT4 can do that, too. Is it particularly useful? Not at all, but it never stops entertaining passengers. That rear steering also helps the AT4 achieve a mighty impressive turning circle of just 39.1 feet.
Like the Denali, its driving dynamics are very configurable. One-pedal driving is optional, and even with it off, you can apply regenerative braking just by pulling a little plastic paddle on the back of the steering wheel. Drivers can also disable the rear steering if they dare, which is only good for parallel parking.
What’s with the all AT-for?
If it wasn’t obvious, a big reason this particular Sierra EV is a million times better than the one I drove previously is because of the trim level. Trading a Denali for an AT4 looks like it has made a world of difference here. It’s not like you’re making much of a sacrifice by opting for the more modestly equipped, off-road-friendly AT4. This one is very much a softroader, and a long way from GMC’s other AT4 products. If you’re here looking for an electric substitute for the Ram 1500 TRX, and Ford F-150 Raptor, well, keep dreaming.
In most respects, this is a mild upgrade package that includes upgraded tires and suspension, some blacked-out trim and red tow hooks, and that’s really fine. Sure, it’d be great if the AT4 were a more off-road-focused truck, but GMC was obviously pragmatic in terms of what owners of this truck would do, and it’s not like they’re going Off-Road.
Regardless, the AT4 rolls on those 18-inch wheels wrapped in 285/75R18 35-inch Goodyear Wrangler all-terrain tires that indeed look the part, and contribute an additional 2 inches of ground clearance over the base Sierra EV Elevation, giving it a total of an even 10 inches of clearance and besting the Denali’s air suspension by more than an inch.
Assisting the AT4 in its ability to drive over things even more is the Terrain drive mode that is exclusive to this model, think of it as like a sort of overlanding mode courtesy of software. It offers the Sierra EV more granular one-pedal off-road braking control at speeds under 25 mph, employing a combination of two electric motors and four friction brakes. It too employs smoother throttle mapping and at an earlier steering wheel angle engages rear steering when cornering, when turning. The 145.7-inch wheelbase of the truck is made so much easier to handle, that’s for sure.
Crossing the Sierra
Despite a price difference between the 2024 GMC Sierra EV Denali Max Range I road-tested and the Sierra EV AT4, the latter is still far from cheap. The base Sierra EV Elevation costs $65,490 with a steep $2,595 destination charge, but why are you worried about that? The AT4 Extended Range with its smaller battery and ”only” 390 miles of range, begins at $82,390. But the truck has to make do with only 625 horsepower, slower charging speeds, and far fewer niceties — including the Max Range’s standard panoramic sunroof, and MultiPro Midgate.
You will shell out $92,195 to get the second-highest trim of the 2026 Sierra EV, the Sierra EV AT4 Max Range – which sits just beneath the 2026 Sierra EV Denali Max Range in the mountain of the truck. Anyway, take consolation in the fact that the price makes the truck nearly fully loaded. My test vehicle had a single option: a $1,950 dealer-installed hard folding truck bed cover by Real Truck Advantage, which brings the tested price to $94,145.
They have few competitors to speak of — mostly floor mats, bed organization and charging accessories, for the most part. Everything I’ve talked about in this review so far has come as standard equipment on the Sierra EV AT4 Max Range.
The Sierra EV AT4 has taught me an important lesson—one I’m just going to pretend I didn’t already know: You need second chances. My criticism of the original Sierra EV to this day is one of my most severe. I got a very angry call from gmc about it, which i don’t blame the pr person for. I would be miffed too.
The AT4 is proof of two automotive realities. That is to say, vehicles aren’t carved in stone once the design and engineering work is completed. They continue to be tinkered with, and refined, even after release. Secondly, the holistic effect of a few minor modifications can be quite large. Looking at it from the outside, there’s nothing about changing the tires and suspension, and de-tuning a car a little that would make all the difference, but it did.
The Sierra EV AT4 Max Range may not have all of the luxury bells and whistles and high-tech gadgets that the Denali has, but it still putters ahead.