2024 GMC Sierra 2500HD

Inside, GMC swaddles all but the base Pro in materials that elevate the brand from Chevy. A 13.4-inch touchscreen spans the center of the dash, topped with thin horizontal vents that mirror the wide, broad expanse of the exterior. Along with the center stack, which has climate buttons and drive mode switches, as well as an ignition , the screen cants toward the driver and the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. A column-mounted gear shifter, tall side vents, and grab handles hanging from the A-pillars affirm its truckiness. A wireless smartphone charger fits neatly at the end of the deep storage console. Higher grades get leather upholstery and wood trim.

Is the GMC Sierra 2500HD 4WD?

Rear-wheel drive is standard and the basis for the tow capacities mentioned above. Optional four-wheel drive costs about $3,000 more, but it’s standard on all AT4 and Denali trims. The new AT4X trim due later in 2023 comes with a 1.5-inch suspension lift, Multimatic's DSSV spool-valve dampers, distinct control arms and steering knuckles, an aluminum front skid plate and larger transfer case skid plate, a rear e-locker, and 18-inch wheels wrapped in 35-inch Goodyear Wrangler Territory Mud-Terrain tires. This serious off-roader will need some space on the trail given its prodigious size. 

How fast is the GMC Sierra 2500HD?

The base 6.6-liter V-8 returns unchanged for 2024, making 401 hp and 464 lb-ft of torque. But this year GMC ditched the 6-speed automatic and swapped in the Allison 10-speed automatic used in the diesel model. The extra gears should make for smaller steps and smoother shifts, and GMC says each gear optimizes torque to the wheels. We’ll update this review after we test the gas V-8.  

The revised 6.6-liter turbodiesel V-8 features a new turbocharger that delivers more low-end torque, and boosts output from 445 hp and 910 lb-ft to 470 hp and 975 lb-ft. From behind the wheel, the turbo provides a welcome surge just below 2,000 rpm, and the turbo whir overtakes the muted diesel thrum that’s heard when the windows are down. 

Put the windows up and the higher-grade cabins become ensconced in quiet, which is pleasantly unusual in a vehicle this size. Anywhere else but off the line, it accelerates quickly enough to execute passing moves that might not normally be considered in other heavy-duty trucks. 

The high seating position and broad front sight lines give the Sierra 2500HD a king of the road vibe, but it’s an unfriendly commuter beyond rural environs. It’s stiff, and with the rear leaf springs unladen it bounces around humps on bumps and other road acne. With a 2500HD diesel crew cab weight of nearly 7,400 pounds, it can be a lot of load to handle. 

The electronic steering assist on all but Pro and SLE grades simplifies parking in a sense, but docking this barge in even a Costco-sized parking spot means the head or tail will stick out about four feet from where the yellow lines end. Suburban or exurban drivers should think twice before navigating it into port; a Sierra 1500 is plenty capable and not nearly as cumbersome.

How well does the 2024 GMC Sierra 2500HD tow?

With a trailer lashed behind the Sierra HD, nothing seemingly deters momentum, certainly not 5,000 pounds of fiberglass fishing boat, and the truck brushes off heavy loads with ease. The extra weight of a trailer actually smoothes out the somewhat jittery ride; the rear suspension settles as if it was just made to be hauling heavy loads. The available tow camera package has seven cameras that stitch together 14 different viewing angles, making it easier than ever to hook up, back up, and tow a trailer without another set of eyes.

The regular cab comes only with a long 8-foot-2 bed, while extended cab models stretch out the inside a bit more and can be optioned with a 6-foot-10 standard bed or the long bed. The crew cab has tons of space inside, as well as the two bed choices. The 3500HD with dual rear wheels only comes with the long bed. Every grade except the base Pro gets GMC’s 6-way power tailgate to help carry different types of loads or to help getting into the bed; corner steps and side steps near where the bed meets the cab also help. A lot. 

Payload is in the 3,500-pound range in crew-cab long-bed models, and jumps to about 4,400 pounds in 3500HD grades. Duallies carry up to nearly 6,500 pounds in crew cab gas models. Diesel models lose a bit.

It’s covered by the same 3-year/36,000-mile warranty as the rest of the GMC lineup. 

The Pro with a crew cab and a standard bed costs about $52,000, which is about $3,700 more than the regular cab and $1,800 more than the extended cab. A long bed adds $200. The SLE crew cab referenced above starts at $57,000. 

Which GMC Sierra 2500HD should I buy?

The SLE should do the trick, but if you’ve come to GMC, you might be leaning toward the $77,000 Denali. Note, however, that at just under $65,000, the SLT has a lot of the same features though not as nicely dressed. It still has the 40/20/40 split-bench front seat, for instance, but the center seat folds down as an armrest with storage. And the seats flanking it come with 10-way power adjustments; they’re heated too, as is the steering wheel. It doesn’t have the bed camera, Bose audio, leather seats, or the power sliding rear window, but it’s pretty, pretty good. 

How much is a fully loaded GMC Sierra 2500HD?

The new Denali Ultimate climbs to Mt. Denali heights at $95,000. Rich leather, embossed wood trim, massaging front seats, surround-view cameras, all the trailering gear, power running boards, this thing’s got it all. Except Super Cruise.