For as long as it’s been on the market, the GMC Sierra has been labeled as little more than a tarted-up Silverado. It’s an image the top brass at General Motors and the team at GMC are determined to change, and they’re betting that special edition trucks like the 2019 GMC Sierra AT4—a trim level of the new Sierra that GMC is showcasing at the 2018 New York auto show—will help them do just that.
The AT4 has been designed to give the new Sierra some additional all-terrain capability (AT) with standard four-wheel drive (4). The biggest dynamic changes to the Sierra AT4 are a two-inch factory lift, the addition of a set of Rancho monotube shocks, and standard 18-inch wheels with a design exclusive to the truck that can be shod with a set of special Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac tires if the owner is looking to get muddy (20-inch rims are available, but not with the Duratracs).
The Sierra AT4’s off-road chops are augmented by the aforementioned 4WD setup with a two-speed transfer case, locking rear differential, and skid plates. GMC’s hill decent control and traction select system are also a part of the standard kit.
Cosmetic changes round out the rest of the updates to 2019 Sierra AT4, including black chrome accents to the new Sierra’s unique upright grille, fog lamp bezels and fender surround. The AT4 also gets body color accents for the bumper, grille surround and door handles, and red tow hooks.
Inside is a black attack, with all manner of darkened touches, full leather seating with exclusive to the truck Jet Black/Kalahari accents and stitching, and all-weather floormats. GMC’s heads up display that shows data such as front tire angle is part of the package, as is its surround view camera system.
Other than that, the AT4 is essentially a fully loaded 2019 GMC Sierra with all of the latest and greatest the new truck has to offer. The combo of the updated 5.3-liter V-8 with cylinder deactivation and eight-speed automatic is the standard powertrain, with the similarly massaged 6.2-liter V-8 or the 3.0-liter diesel six, both in tandem with a ten-speed automatic, as the optional motivation.
The AT4 comes with GMC’s unique six-way MultiPro tailgate, which is designed to aid the loading of gear and machines like motorcycles, plus the brand’s integrated, toughened carbon-fiber pickup box dubbed CarbonPro, and the ProGrade trailering system—and an accompanying app designed to make what can be a pain easier than ever. That’s a lot of Pro, bro. That said they’re developments that most truck buyers who tow trailers or use their beds specifically for hauling machines and gear out to the hinterlands will no doubt appreciate.
Like the rest of the 2019 Sierra lineup, the AT4 will be available in the fall, with pricing to be announced closer to when it hits the streets—or the trails, whichever comes first.
