2025 GMC Sierra EV First Drive Review: The Premium Electric Option

The GMC Sierra EV debuted for the 2024 mannequin 12 months as an all-new, all-electric pickup truck. It goes up towards the likes of the Ford F-150 Lightning. Now the 2025 mannequin 12 months autos are out and GMC has expanded the lineup with two battery choices. At the moment, there is just one trim, the Denali, however an AT4 and Elevation are set to reach within the first half of subsequent 12 months. Particulars on these are nonetheless below wraps. We had the possibility to drive the 2025 GMC Sierra Denali EV firsthand to expertise all that this premium electrical truck has to supply.

First Drive occasions present our preliminary impressions of a car in a restricted atmosphere below sure time constraints. Regulate CarBuzz for our complete Take a look at Drive overview which can observe quickly.

What’s New For 2025

The massive information for the brand new fashions is the supply of ordinary and long-range batteries. This helps make the Sierra EV extra inexpensive. When it launched in 2024 because the Denali Version 1, there was just one battery possibility at a value of $106,700, not together with $1,995 vacation spot. Delays pushed deliveries into summer time of 2024, however the upside was a value drop to $97,500 (excluding vacation spot). That also made the Sierra EV an costly proposition.

This 12 months, the Denali begins at $89,900 for the Prolonged Vary or $98,400 for the Max Vary, (excluding $2,095 vacation spot). This enhance in battery choices means the Sierra EV is extra inexpensive, however GMC remains to be a premium model with a premium value.

An Imposing Stance

The outside of the Sierra EV stays unchanged from final 12 months. It has a downright imposing entrance finish, largely as a result of there’s no conventional grille, however quite a big piece of steel with the GMC badge proudly displayed. Nobody may have any doubt that you simply’re driving a GMC or that it’s an electrical car.

That grille is probably the most noticeable distinction between the ICE Sierra and the Sierra EV, however taken from the facet, it is extra modern with no separation between the cab and the mattress. There’s additionally the cab and mattress configuration: The Sierra EV is on the market solely as a crew cab with a 5-foot 11-inch mattress, versus the a number of beds and cabs provided on the fuel mannequin. The vary of obtainable colours additionally expands this 12 months. As an alternative of simply Thunderstorm Grey, there’s Summit White, Onyx Black, Darkish Ember Tintcoat, Deep Ocean Metallic, and Moonlight Matte.

A Premium Truck Expertise

The GMC model provides a extra upscale expertise with vans and SUVs that not solely get work executed, however do it in type. The Sierra EV, particularly since its presently solely accessible within the prime Denali trim, is a shocking truck with high quality supplies all through and a spacious inside. There’s ample room for 5 adults with loads of legroom and headroom within the rear seats. Overhead is a panoramic fastened glass roof that fills the cab with gentle and makes it really feel even greater.

As probably the most premium trim within the lineup, the Denali has normal options together with open pore wooden, heated and ventilated entrance seats, eight-way energy entrance seats with four-way energy lumbar, heated rear outboard seats, and a heated, leather-wrapped steering wheel. There’s no scarcity of premium facilities that make this very succesful truck – one that gives a soothing and comfy journey. Whereas some vans could be harsh and fewer than supreme for highway journeys, the Sierra EV is a superb alternative for prolonged adventures.

A Huge Truck With A Huge Touchscreen

Screens maintain getting greater and the infotainment touchscreen within the Sierra EV isn’t any exception. It measures 16.8-inches mounted vertically on the dashboard. A display that large could be overkill in a smaller car, nevertheless it matches properly with the roomy inside of the Sierra EV. There’s additionally a 14-inch head up show and an 11-inch digital instrument cluster that collectively create a tech ahead first impression.

Infotainment features a seven-speaker Bose audio, 5G wi-fi hotspot connectivity, wi-fi smartphone charging, and two entrance USB-C charging and knowledge ports with one USB charging-only port. There are additionally two USB-C charging ports on the again of the middle console for rear passengers. It’s a complete system with clear menus and a responsive display.

What you received’t discover on this or any GM electrical car is Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. GM goes with its Google-based working system as an alternative. It’s very straightforward to make use of, however it might show to be a deal-breaker for some. We propose going for a take a look at drive and giving it a go first, as a result of though it may not be what you’re used to, it’s nonetheless fairly good. Particularly when issuing voice instructions, it responds rapidly and does an amazing job of understanding what you say on the primary attempt.

Select From Two Batteries

This 12 months, the Sierra EV is on the market with both an Prolonged or Max Vary battery with normal four-wheel drive for each configurations. The Prolonged Vary delivers 645 horsepower with 785 lb-ft of torque whereas the Max Vary will get a rise to 760 horsepower with torque unchanged. These are large numbers, and so they make this a responsive truck. Particularly with the moment torque that you simply get with an electrical car, the Sierra EV has loads of energy to get out of its personal means.

Quick Charging And A lot Of Vary

Whereas the charging community continues to develop, the supply of chargers and the velocity at which you’ll cost a car proceed to be prime issues. The Sierra EV provides a formidable 390 miles with the Prolonged vary battery or 460 miles with the Max Vary. These numbers simply cowl a day of driving, even for an extended journey, while not having to cease and cost.

Whenever you do cease, the Sierra EV can accommodate 800-volt DC quick charging at as much as 350 kW. This provides 100 miles of vary in roughly 10 minutes. Certain, it’s not as quick as filling your tank, however that’s nonetheless a wholesome quantity of vary in a short while, so that you received’t be spending countless hours charging if you’re on a highway journey. You may as well use your truck to cost your own home. By GM Vitality, you possibly can have a system put in that won’t solely can help you draw vitality out of your truck within the occasion of an influence outage, however will even allow you to retailer vitality from the grid or from your own home’s photo voltaic community to maintain your own home up and working within the occasion of a blackout.

Prepared To Get Down To Work

The Sierra EV provides the potential to get work executed with a most tow score of as much as 10,500 kilos and a max payload of 1,450 kilos. There’s additionally a further 11 cubic toes of storage within the frunk with an influence hood that may be opened with the important thing fob, through a entrance fascia touchpad, or with a button on the instrument panel.

There’s cargo mattress lighting to make it simpler to see when the solar is down and work nonetheless must get executed, and a spay-on bedliner. This covers the whole lot of the mattress not solely as safety, however to maintain cargo safer with its textured, non-skid floor. It additionally helps maintain you from slipping if you want to step into the mattress when it’s moist.

MultiPro Tailgate And Midgate

The MultiPro tailgate options six configurations. There’s the same old fold-down tailgate together with a fold-out load cease that retains objects in place when the tailgate is down. The middle portion of the tailgate folds down additional so you possibly can step nearer and extra simply attain cargo and there’s a full-width step for simply climbing into the mattress. It additionally morphs to incorporate an internal load cease or right into a useful work floor.

The Sierra EV additionally has a MultiPro Midgate. This expands the mattress to just about 11 toes by folding the rear seats down and optionally eradicating the rear glass to create open entry to the mattress. It’d appear like a job that requires two individuals, nevertheless it’s straightforward to do alone. Should you’re by yourself and want additional cargo room, then you possibly can handle the feat with out begging for the assistance of a random stranger.

Drive Impressions

The Sierra EV shouldn’t be a small truck, and the battery provides to its heft, nevertheless it doesn’t drive like one thing that’s overly giant. Its measurement is most noticeable in Regular drive mode, however personalizing the settings in ‘My Mode’ permits for a sportier drive that makes dealing with extra exact and driving simpler to handle. The journey itself is sort of easy because of the adaptive journey air suspension with good sound deadening, so even at freeway speeds, this truck is calm and quiet.

One-pedal driving with Excessive, Regular, and Off settings helps you to select simply how a lot brake regeneration feels proper. Should you hate this function, then you possibly can flip it off, however no less than give it a attempt in Regular the place it’s straightforward to be taught with out making the journey too jerky with sudden stops. When you get the dangle of issues, Excessive makes braking extra aggressive, which can be off-putting to passengers vulnerable to movement illness if the motive force is not cautious.

Max Energy helps you to unlock 760 horsepower and is barely accessible on Max Vary configuration of the Sierra EV. It’s activated on the contact of a button on the Drive Mode web page. This offers you additional energy with a 0-60 mph time of solely 4.5 seconds. There’s additionally CrabWalk, which made its debut on the Hummer EV. It makes use of four-wheel steering to drive diagonally and can be activated on the contact of a button on the infotainment display. The thought is to make it simpler to get out of tight spots, particularly off-road, however in actuality, it has a restricted variety of conditions the place it is helpful. It’s an odd expertise with a sensation a bit like sliding on the snow, nevertheless it’s a enjoyable trick simply the identical.

The Sierra EV options Tremendous Cruise, which is GM’s hands-free driving know-how, and it’s frankly our favourite of the lot. Different automakers have their very own variations, however this one is probably the most human-like. It’s straightforward to belief if you’re behind the wheel, doesn’t are likely to make passengers movement sick, and feels pure. It mimics an actual driver’s enter in a means that received’t have you ever panicking when it modifications lanes or takes a nook.

Verdict: The Simply Proper Electrical Truck

The GMC Sierra EV shouldn’t be an affordable electrical truck. It’s extra inexpensive than final 12 months with the brand new Prolonged Vary trim and stands to get much more so with the AT4 and Elevation, nevertheless it nonetheless received’t come low cost. It’s essential to keep in mind that it is a GMC: It’s not supposed to be low cost. This can be a premium model that sits above the Chevrolet lineup and provides a smoother, extra refined drive expertise than the Silverado EV. Should you’re searching for an electrical truck, GM provides a trio of decisions: In case your precedence is just going electrical, then you definitely’d do effectively to test-drive the Chevy Silverado EV. If, alternatively, you need one thing utterly over-the-top, then take a look at the GMC Hummer EV Pickup. Sitting within the candy spot proper within the center is the GMC Sierra EV.

It has the ability and the vary you want to get by means of the day. There’s good functionality for getting work executed with the MultiPro Tailgate and MidGate including versatility. It additionally has an upscale inside with a premium feel and look and loads of consolation options and know-how from its large infotainment display to SuperCruise and CrabWalk. The 2025 GMC Sierra EV is simply the appropriate providing inside the GM electrical truck lineup. It’s not anybody function, however quite the entire bundle that makes it a prime contender.