Big news for fans of big obnoxious trucks. Now that the Cybertruck is gone, there needs to be another oversized pickup, and luckily the replacement is a bit more capable.
Last week, Cavender Auto Country Chevy Buick GMC in Texas was selected to be the first-ever redesigned 2027 GMC Sierra 1500 Denali in the United States. And the first look was met with mixed reactions. But hey, being controversial makes it a great candidate for a Cybertruck replacement.
Your sorta over-the-top truck is here
The GMC Denali arrived in the United States back in 1999, with the Yukon. It has continued to be a popular choice in the U.S., surpassing 2 million units sold in late 2024. GMC had record-breaking sales in the US last year, with many believing that this included increased Denali sales (although GMC has not revealed any exact numbers).
The new GMC Denali has a white exterior with black details. It looks…. Pretty plain. A lot of the early reactions say it looks like a “work truck” rather than a luxury pickup. A lot of the added details look a bit cheap, to be fair, like the black taillights. But hey, at least it’s free of fingerprints and rust.
The interior was equally jarring for Denali fans, with some noting it looks tacky and cheap, including the center console and vinyl seats. But Car and Driver raved: “The Sierra 1500 can be had as a stripped-down Pro work truck as well as a high-zoot Denali Ultimate luxury rig. In any trim, passenger space in the front seat is generous.”
But okay, the looks should be the least important part of a truck. In theory. I mean, people were buying a smudged metallic dumpster. Well, okay, only 70,000 people did. But that’s a lot of people willing to drive an embarrassingly tacky crypto bro billboard with panels falling off just to get the alleged capabilities Elon Musk lied about.
And here’s where the true difference lies. The GMC Denali can actually do things. It has a 6.6L V8 L78 engine that makes a little over 400 horsepower, can tow up to 13,500 pounds, and likely won’t get stuck in sand. It has a 16.3-inch infotainment system, an 11.5-inch front passenger screen, and a 12.2-inch driver information display, as well as a Bose audio system, a rear camera mirror, and adaptive cruise control.
Obviously, it’s not as “get ‘er done” as an actual work truck. But it’s still plenty capable.
The biggest downside? It’s $86,000 (thanks to a $2,795 destination fee and $9,205 in added features). But it didn’t promise to be $30,000 first, did it? Plus, GMC never claimed there was a $16,000 “Range Extender” that would take up a third of the bed space before being canceled.
MotorTrend’s review concluded with: “With its suave styling, abundant tech features, and proven work-ready capability, the redesigned 2027 GMC Sierra 1500 could become the best version of this venerable full-size pickup truck yet.”
So yeah, the 2027 GMC Sierra 1500 Denali is sorta ugly. But it’s cheaper and more capable than the Cybertruck and it won’t get you laughed at. Well, unless you lift it or something. Seems like a good alternative to me if you want to overpay for a truck.
