Sierra 2500 HD First Drive

The 2024 GMC Sierra 2500 HD is truly the ultimate luxury truck with genuine work credentials. It is one of the best vehicles to purchase if you need something you can tow and haul with while having plenty of room for your family and friends, as well as excellent safety and driveability. 

Engines & Towing

The GMC Sierra 2500HD is available with either a 6.6-liter V8 gas engine that produces 401 horsepower and 464 lb-ft of torque or a 6.6-liter Duramax turbo diesel that puts out 470 horsepower and a whopping 975 lb-ft of torque. Both engines have an Allison 10-speed automatic transmission that makes effortless shifts. The 2500 Sierra also has the ability to tow up to 21,900 lbs when properly equipped, which is the most of any 2500 pickup in the segment. 

Weight & 0-60 Testing

MotorTrend recently had the Sierra 2500 HD Ultimate Duramax to test, and to say they liked it would be an understatement. First, the Sierra 2500 HD weighs 8,346 lbs and gets from 0 to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds. That’s faster than many sedans driving on the roads today. 

How Does It Stack Up?

When talking about how the Sierra 2500HD stacks up against its competition, MT said, “A refreshed 6.6-liter Duramax V-8 turbo diesel is standard for Denali Ultimate, but its 470 hp and 975 lb-ft of torque still don’t match the top diesel engines from Ram or Ford. However, that isn’t the whole story. The more powerful 6.7-liter high-output Cummins only comes in the 3500, and the standard-output 6.7-liter Cummins is down about 100 hp and torque from Duramax. The high-output 6.7-liter Powerstroke is an expensive option for a Super Duty over the standard gas engine but jump up to a Limited – shooting past the Denali Ultimate’s base price – and you get it as standard equipment.”

Safety First

When you are spending so much money on such a large vehicle, it’s understandable why you would want to cross-shop to ensure you’re getting the most product for your money. So it helps to know that the Sierra 2500HD has more standard equipment than the equivalent Ram and Ford, as MotorTrend said. Plus, the extra large truck also comes with Sierra HD Pro Safety as standard, which features Forward Collision Alert, Lane Departure Warning, Automatic Emergency Braking, Front Pedestrian Braking, IntelliBeam auto high beams, and Following Distance Indicator. Buyers can also option the Safety Plus Package, which adds Rear Cross Traffic and Trailer Side Blind Zone Alert.

Riding Like A Luxury Vehicle

The writer later talked about how well-balanced and composed the 2500 is, not just for a heavy-duty pickup, but even compared to the Sierra 1500, saying, “If the ride quality of the 2024 GMC Sierra 2500HD Denali Ultimate didn’t match our praise for the powertrain, we may not have noticed it in the first place. The front end carries the heavy diesel’s weight brilliantly, keeping the nimble feel of a Sierra 1500.”

Transmission Happiness

In some ways, a truck can only be as good as its engine and transmission in how they work together. The 10-speed Allison works magic with such a large truck, as MotorTrend notes: “The automatic 10-speed Allison transmission mated to the Duramax completes one of the smoothest heavy-duty powertrains on the road. Ford puts a 10-speed transmission behind the V-8 Powerstroke, but the first few shifts aren’t as silky as the Duramax … the Denali Ultimate is just as good of a daily driver as a gasser.”

At Ewing GMC, we take pride in offering the best vehicles to our customers. With hundreds of new and used vehicles to choose from, our amazing sales team and finance department will find you the right vehicle at the right price. Once you’ve purchased your vehicle, our stellar service department will ensure that your car stays in the best shape.

We look forward to taking care of you in the future.