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Living in rural Nova Scotia, Matthew Guy has immersed himself in car culture for over 30 years and relishes the thought of a good road trip. A certified gearhead, he enjoys professionally writing about cars and is very pleased to contribute for wheels.ca.

His work has also appeared on Car Throttle, The Truth About Cars, and in CAA Magazine. Find him on Twitter @matthewkguy

What do you consider well-travelled? Jumping on a plane and heading to a different country? Maybe cracking off the Toronto – Montreal corridor multiple times a week? Or perhaps taking in the cross-country sights of this great nation.

How about driving from the bottom of South America in Tierra del Fuego to Prudhoe Bay at the top of Alaska? Or surreptitiously smuggling thousands of books to children behind the Iron Curtain? And then motoring 3,061.8 kilometres clear across the UK from London to Land’s End to John O’Groats and back again without refueling?

That’s the provenance behind this pickup truck, a diesel-powered 1988 GMC Sierra 3500 SLE equipped with an extended cab and four-wheel drive. Owned by Garry Sowerby, it’s a machine that has seen more of planet Earth than most humans – which is appropriate since Sowerby, holder of multiple Guinness World Records for long-distance driving – has driven more miles in reverse than many people have in forward.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-177012" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/IMG_2435-scaled.jpeg" alt="Gary Sowerby 1988 GMC Sierra 3500" width="2560" height="1742" />

Actually, this truck is the first diesel-powered 1988 GMC Sierra 3500 SLE equipped with an extended cab and four-wheel drive. Readers with an affinity for Ovaltine and a bedtime of 9:00pm (raises hand) will remember that model year saw the introduction of brand-new GM half-tons and heavy duty machines after about 15 years of “squarebody” rule. In fact, assembly workers had to stop the production line twice since the combination of an extended cab and one-ton frame (not to mention a manual transmission) had yet to be hammered together on the factory floor.

The impetus for the rig was a follow-up to Sowerby’s adventure a few years prior in which he and a driving partner broke the world record for venturing from the bottom of Africa to the top of Scandinavia (which itself was a follow-up to his around-the-world feat in 1980 of circling the globe in 74 days). After conquering those challenges, belting from the southern tip of South America to the northern reaches of Alaska seemed like natural progression.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-177000" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/IMG_4026.jpg" alt="Gary Sowerby 1988 GMC Sierra 3500" width="1000" height="688" />

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-177005" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/SowerbyCahillPrudhoeBayFinish.jpg" alt="Gary Sowerby 1988 GMC Sierra 3500" width="1000" height="525" />

They called it the Pan-American Challenge, cracking off the feat in just 23 days, 22 hours, 43 minutes. For the task, Sowerby determined he and co-driver Tim Cahill needed a purpose-built pickup truck; they turned to GMC, a brand with which Sowerby enjoyed good relations thanks to previous successful record attempts. The new Sierra was a perfect choice, especially since the company was keen to prove its switch to an independent front suspension (unheard of on a truck in those days) was up to the task of handling harsh environments.

Also required? A truck that didn’t need refueling at every corner since they expected diesel quantity (and quality) to be unreliable in certain places. For ’88, the truck’s stock tank was good for 35 gallons or about 132 litres. Impressive, but the team installed a u-shaped fuel cell in the Sierra’s cargo box capable of handling an extra 110 gallons. That’s a total of nearly 550 litres, ensuring they’d only have to stop a handful of times on the journey. In fact, the truck only required two fuel stops between Texas and Alaska. And, for your next trivia night, that much diesel weighs roughly 1,000 pounds. Good thing this truck has a stout payload rating.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-176978" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/IMG_7641-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="1920" />

But before hitting the environs of North America, Sowerby and Cahill had to navigate through Central and South America. “A big worry was security,” explained Sowerby. “There were problems in Peru at the time, and then the issue of Colombia. Several areas were simply not safe.” Given geopolitical climates of the day, Sowerby and Cahill were prime targets for kidnappers with ransom demands. Their solution? Run quickly and quietly through trouble spots, broadcasting neither their progress nor arrivals. In fact, their first large-scale press conference didn’t occur until they reached Texas. “We were all stickered up for the journey – but no one knew we were coming,” grinned Sowerby.

Still, they had a few tricks up their adventurous sleeves in case of emergency. A stock of Farmer’s milkshakes were squirreled away in the truck, with the lads making sure to be drinking one or two whilst being approached by federales, then giving some away as an ice breaking gesture of goodwill. The same went for a trove of special truck-shaped lapel pins worn prominently on their jackets. Often, they’d sigh to various gendarmes that these were their last two pins but would gladly give them up if it helped grease the wheels of border entry. A few miles after clearing the checkpoint, Sowerby and Cahill would simply reach into their stash of pins and affix new ones to their lapels.

Mavericks, I tell ya.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-176979" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/IMG_7650-scaled.jpg" alt="Gary Sowerby 1988 GMC Sierra 3500" width="2560" height="1920" />

During the interview, at a turnaround spot, Sowerby tossed me the keys which is a move akin to Gordon Ramsey passing over the controls to his convection oven. Sitting behind the wheel was a familiar experience since this generation of truck was common whilst growing up in rural Newfoundland but the provenance of this thing seeps through with plenty of gravitas. Easing out the bear trap of a clutch is easy enough since the engine to which it is attached is less stressed than Willie Nelson after enjoying his favourite herb scent. The aftermarket tachometer climbs a couple thousand rpm and it’s time to find another gear.

Starting in first, a bull low cog, is almost a waste since its ratio is in the basement. Pulling onto the highway, we’re on through second to third nearly as quickly with only one more gear left in the chamber. Outrageously long shift throws are handled by a stick big enough to brain a moose – you could take a bus from first to second gears and still need a transfer – but the whole experience is one of low stress and deliberate motoring. Handled properly, it’s the yacht rock of powertrains.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-176995" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/IMG_4056-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="1818" />

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-176997" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Sowerby1Moscow.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="663" />

Don’t get it twisted: an easy powertrain doesn’t mean it was an easy drive. “About one-third of the journey was on unpaved roads,” Sowerby said, “But in the Atacama Desert, for example, we found pavement in such shocking condition it was worse than dirt.” Plans were afoot for one person to sleep in the cargo area while the other drove, explaining the u-shaped auxiliary fuel tank and rudimentary mattress back there, but temperatures approaching those found on the sun forced the abandonment of that idea after just a couple of days. Fitful rest was taken in the cab area.

Shockingly, much of the truck’s mechanicals are stock – which, of course, was the point GMC wanted to make. Engine, transmission, and suspension were all factory items, as were the body panels and glass (nothing bulletproof here). Some of the SLE trim equipment was ditched in favour of custom gear, especially the electronics which were cutting edge at the time but rudimentary today. A built-in radar detector peeps through the grille, for example, if you can find it. Also custom? The cap covering the cargo bed needed to be split down the middle and the fibreglass redone – the truck was so new for ’88 that properly fitting bed caps simply didn’t exist.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-177007" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/1988GMCSierraUK1992-e1644432256697.jpg" alt="Gary Sowerby 1988 GMC Sierra 3500" width="1200" height="705" />

Cruising up through America and Canada was relatively relaxed compared to the first legs of Pan-American journey, though fighting fatigue and road fever was a challenge. After smashing that record, Sowerby took the truck overseas for other events. This is a pickup which can lay claim to driving over 3,000 kilometres across Great Britain and back again without stopping for fuel. It can celebrate a similar feat in Scandinavia. And it can also bask in the importance of smuggling 5,000 children’s books to Moscow schools and libraries.

Well-traveled? That description doesn’t even cover the half of it.

I’ve Been Everywhere, Man

Mercedes-Benz CLE Coupe and CLE Cabriolet (European model shown)

Evan is an East Coast based automotive journalist and a Certified Engineering Technologist. He is an avid autocrosser, hack mechanic, and a member of AJAC. If you don't find him driving or writing about cars, you'll probably find him in the garage breaking one.

All-new Mercedes CLE

Mercedes-Benz is replacing the E-Class and C-Class coupes and convertibles with one new model called the CLE. The CLE is longer than both models it replaces and the same width as the E-Class, so customers won't be getting a downgrade in size. The CLE offers a long-nose and short decklid design, and it adds some extra sportiness to the car compared with the more elegant C and E cars it replaces. A four-cylinder offering will be the only one in Canada to start, badged CLE 300. It makes 255 hp from a 2.0L engine with 48V mild hybrid assist. One tech highlight is the use of AI to learn automated comfort functions. It will also include templates like "cold day" to switch seat heating on automatically or "date night" where it plays romantic music. The Mercedes-Benz CLE coupe hits Canada in early 2024, the Cabriolet in the middle of the year.

Canyon AEV

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-176800" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/news-7-10-3.jpg" alt="2024 GMC Canyon AT4X AEV" width="2500" height="1667" />

GMC has launched the AEV version of its 2024 Canyon AT4X. The Canyon AT4X sees GMC teaming up with American Expedition Vehicles to add off-road goodies like 35-inch tall mud-terrain tires, a best-in-class 12.2 inches of ground clearance, and some seriously rugged steel bumpers. AEV also supplies its steel skid plates to protect essential underbelly bits of the Canyon for off-roaders. It also has a bed-mount spare tire holder and AEV branding on the headrests and a few other places around the truck. Like the standard AT4X, the AT4X AEV Edition comes with a 310 hp version of GMC's 2.7L turbo-four. It also has Multimatic DSSV dampers like those on the standard AT4X.

Stellantis forging ahead with new EV platform

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-176798" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/news-7-10-1.jpg" alt="Stellantis SLTA medium" width="2500" height="1406" />

Stellantis, parent of Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge, and others, has introduced a new electric vehicle platform. STLA Medium is the first of four global EV platforms Stellantis is planning, and it says this one will be for “C” and “D” segment vehicles. This covers compact and midsize vehicles. Stellantis says it currently has 26 vehicles in those segments. The automaker promises more than 700 km of range from the platform with battery packs up to 98 kWh. It will be a 400-V platform. Stellantis says it will be used for cars, crossovers, and SUVS, and that it will be able to offer massive 29-inch wheels.

Windsor Gigafactory

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-176801" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/news-7-10-4.jpg" alt="Stellantis battery plant" width="2500" height="1663" />

At least some of those vehicles are likely to use battery packs built at the Stellantis Gigafactory in Windsor, ON. The automaker along with the federal and provincial governments have signed a new deal to resume construction of the NextStar Energy EV battery plant. Construction had paused while Stellantis negotiated for a better deal, and now the two levels of government have worked to "level the playing field" in the words of COO Mark Stewart, with US incentives. The plant is expected to start production next year with an annual capacity of 45 gWh.

Mercedes to adopt NACS

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-176799" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/news-7-10-2.jpg" alt="Mercedes adpots NACS" width="2500" height="1667" />

Mercedes-Benz is the latest to jump on the North American Charging Standard. The NACS plug, the one designed and used by Tesla, is suddenly the hot ticket. Mercedes-Benz is just the latest of half a dozen automakers to announce the switch in the last month. Starting next year, MB EV drivers will be able to access 12,000 Tesla Supercharger stations. The company will start putting Tesla plug ports on its EVs starting in 2025. Mercedes-Benz says it plans to continue to build its own network with more than 2,500 high-power EV charge stations in North America by the end of the decade.

News Roundup: GMC AEV, Stellantis EV News, More

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The midsize pickup truck segment, once largely given up for dead by several manufacturers, is currently hotter than a three-dollar pistol. No fewer than four all-new models are on tap from different brands this year, ranging from Detroit stalwarts to the top sales dog <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/reviews/2023-toyota-tacoma-access-cab-review">Tacoma</a>. One of the first to appear? A fresh GMC Canyon, complete with a powerful new engine and a variety of trims to suit an array of personal tastes.

You know how some kids rummage through the closets of their bigger siblings, trying to find a cool outfit or a better pair of shoes? That’s essentially the tack taken by the Canyon, which has – erm – borrowed the engine from big-bro <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/reviews/2023-gmc-sierra-at4x-review">Sierra</a> and tuned it to its liking. Gone are the V6 and diesel options, replaced with a 2.7L turbocharged four-cylinder making 310 horsepower and 430 lb.-ft of torque, all hooked to an 8-speed automatic and four-wheel drive. Unlike its midsize cousin at Chevy, which offers the same engine in three different states of tune, all trims of the Canyon show up with a single selection of power – the best one.

Sampling an Elevation trim on a series of crowded paved highways and twisty simple dirt roads confirmed this was the right decision. It was easy to goose one’s way around traffic-choked by construction bottlenecks before turning onto a loose gravel surface which showed off the truck’s willingness to act with a personality larger than its cylinder count. The mill doesn’t offer much in the way of aural gratification but this is the reality of most four-banger engines.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-175991" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/IMG_6601-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="1920" />

All trims – Elevation, Denali, and AT4 – not only get the primo power tune but they also get equal face time in terms of height and stance. Where other brands make customers pay extra to amp the visual aggression via a factory lift and flared widetrack fenders, GMC simply installs these cues as standard kit on its Canyon. It’s a trick that works, making the truck as symmetrical as moth wings and creating one of the best-looking trucks from The General in good spell.

Heading north into the Blue Ridge Mountains, we grabbed the keys to an AT4X trim, which is essentially an AT4 with the yassification cranked up an extra 75 percent. This truck is jacked a further one inch skyward compared to other Canyons, enabling 10.7 inches of ground clearance and a 36.9-degree approach angle. Rubber shows up as LT285/70R17 mud terrains (that’s 33-inches for those who speak Offus-Roadus), while at each corner of the AT4X one will find the fantastic DSSV dampers from the wizards at Multimatic.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-176004" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/IMG_6670-scaled.jpg" alt="2023 GMC Canyon" width="2560" height="1920" />

Much digital ink has been spilled about those suspenders since they first showed up on a GM truck about five years ago – and rightly so. These off-road wonders use separate spool valves for compression and rebound, meaning the unit can regulate the damper’s fluid flow depending on demand. During extreme off-road use, a third valve delivers additional compression damping plus yet another separate rebound valve up front. In plain English, this explains why we could send the AT4X suspension into full yaw over a jump but enjoy the pillow-like ‘fwump’ of a landing that didn’t break our spines. The drive home from the trail is also as comfortable as it gets.

Front and rear electronic locking diffs on AT4X can make the difference between getting through that slippery obstacle or calling for a tow truck; a quintent of drive modes deliver markedly different throttle maps off-road, including a Terrain mode that enables smooth low-speed one-pedal driving. Skid plates are on hand in case you misjudge those rocks. GM is king of the camera game, with views up the wazoo for lane changing and trailering but takes things to the next level with a pair of underbody cameras that are perfect for spotting one’s way through a rocky off-road trail. Equipped with washer jets, these initially seemed like gimmicks until they proved their worth whilst your author was trying to pick his way around boulders the size of a compact car.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-176003" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/IMG_6659-scaled.jpg" alt="2023 GMC Canyon" width="2560" height="1920" />

Each Canyon trim has a distinct interior theme, an important way to separate trucks which all (save the AT4X) share the same stance and power level. With equal placement of major controls and solid material choice across all, choosing a favourite largely comes down to personal preference. Every truck gets an enormous 11.3-inch touchscreen for infotainment duties, populated with smartphone integration and reasonably responsive software. Elevation gets an 8-inch digital gauge cluster ahead of the driver; others are gifted an 11-inch display. Both offer up useful driving and off-road information, the latter in entertaining colours, and we never really missed the extra digital real estate in the more expensive models.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-176011" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/IMG_6701-scaled.jpg" alt="2023 GMC Canyon" width="2560" height="1920" />

Cabin space puts a priority on the front-row passengers, with those chairs able to move far rearward on their tracks to provide maximum legroom. This comes at the expense of the peanut gallery, who otherwise have a pleasant space equipped with USB charging ports and their own ventilation registers. Headroom was also at a premium for this 6’6” driver, though the space-robbing sunroof was largely to blame for that annoyance. Fortunately, that feature is optional on certain trims.

Buying advice? Those who are in the market for a rig which writes off-road cheques its midsize body can most definitely cash may consider the AT4X. Those tremendous Multimatic dampers continue to comprise part of the best factory-fitted off-road suspension in this segment, though we’ll see what the upcoming Ford Ranger Raptor and Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro have to say about that statement.

The rest of us should try an Elevation trim, equipped in Canada as standard with four-wheel drive and the same 310hp/430tq high-output tune as its more expensive brothers. It retains an equal lift and burly stance as the Denali and AT4, comes with that jumbotron of an infotainment screen, and can still tow 7,700 pounds. Layer on the $2,250 Convenience Package (sliding rear window, trick MultiStow tailgate, bed outlet, remote start, dual-zone climate control, and fog lamps) plus $410 for a locking rear differential and you’ve a solidly equipped Canyon for $48,108 plus destination. This is nearly twenty thousand dollars less than the AT4X and, as a bonus, ditches the infernal sunroof to quell my whinging about headroom.

Look for most trims of the new 2023 GMC Canyon on dealer lots before school lets out for the summer, with the burly AT4X not far behind.
<h3>2023 GMC Canyon pricing (plus freight)</h3>
Elevation – $48,497

AT4 – $53,197

Denali – $62,497

AT4X – $67,797

WEBSITE: www.gmccanada.ca

2023 GMC Canyon First Drive Review

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Having worked in the automotive industry in many roles for over 15 years and currently the Content Strategist for Wheels.ca - Kunal's obsession with cars goes back to his early childhood. Even now his insatiable thirst to be in the know of anything with wheels and a motor continues, and will likely never fade. His idea of bliss is the open road,  good tunes and a manual gearbox. Kunal is a member of AJAC (Automobile Journalists Association of Canada)

A pickup truck isn’t just a pickup truck anymore. They’ve evolved to do everything any other vehicle can do. And that’s why you don’t just find them at job sites but also filling up the parking lot at your local Costco.

Pickups are a far cry from the utilitarian beasts of yore they once were and can be outfitted with luxuries unheard of in the “good ol’ days”. In fact, if your truck doesn’t have an interior or tech that makes a Range Rover blush, it’s not good enough, anymore.

When GMC redesigned the Sierra, their first go at an interior wasn’t as well received as the one Ram had just installed in their own truck and so they were forced to go back to the drawing board. What they came up with was basically a brand new interior, that’s so different, it’s like it skipped an entire generation. Climbing in, it’s hard not to be impressed. The sheer square footage inside one of these behemoths makes it feel like you’ve just entered a cathedral.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-175976" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/DSC04316.jpg" alt="GMC Sierra AT4X" width="2048" height="1365" />

All new Sierras get the new interior in varying levels of optional extras but the Sierra I was driving—the off-road-ready AT4X—had nearly all the goodies checked off.

And that’s another trend that’s rapidly growing. Off-roading. Nearly everyone is offering off-road packages that outfit regular crossovers and pickups with long travel suspensions and chunky tires. AT4 represents GMC's off-road branding and adding an X to it takes everything a step further.

The biggest and most noticeable change is the Multimatic DSSV dampers paired with longer travel springs. The Multimatic dampers use spool valve technology and were originally developed for racing but they’ve been designed here to work on a pickup. On the highway, you get a comfortable and stable ride as the dampers smooth out even the biggest impacts but they work just as well and smoothly off-road allowing lots of wheel travel. The AT4X gets a 2-speed transfer case, 18-inch wheels with Goodyear Wrangler Dura Trac Mud tires, and front and rear e-locking differentials for those technical off-road sections, which no one else in the class offers.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-175970" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/DSC04322.jpg" alt="GMC Sierra AT4X" width="2048" height="1365" />

The Multimatic dampers can be felt working right away. I covered nearly 2000 km in a couple of days and I had to remind myself I was in a big body-on-frame truck. Most body-on-frame pickups shimmy when driving over uneven surfaces or railroad tracks and generally don’t ride very well on rough broken roads, but the AT4X was composed at all times. There was no excessive bobbing or bucking and even in the corners, body roll was impeccably controlled for a big rig like this.

The 6.2-L V8 makes 420 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque and is mated to a 10-speed automatic. It's the only choice here but it's a good one. It’s not a Raptor or Ram TRX in terms of brute force but the big 6.2 is torquey and sonorous and it still offers more than enough power when needed. Towing is rated at a respectable 5488 kg (12,099 lbs).

On the open highway, the Sierra AT4X was smooth, civilized, and stable but was just as confidence-inspiring on the snow-covered trails found throughout Northern Ontario.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-175966" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/DSC04331.jpg" alt="GMC Sierra AT4X" width="2048" height="1365" />

Off-road and Terrain modes make it easy to configure the AT4X for duty when the paved roads end. There’s even a 1-pedal mode that allows you to crawl over the really technical sections on an off-road course.

From the driver’s seat, the AT4X feels just as capable as the mega off-roaders like the <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/vehicle-reviews/first-drive-2021-ram-1500-trx">Ram TRX</a> and <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/reviews/2023-ford-f-150-raptor-r-review">Raptor</a> but is more approachable and practical than either of those. With mostly highway driving during my time with the AT4X, I scored just under 14L/100km, a good figure considering its chunky mud tires and how this truck is set up.

The eminently useful Mutlipro tailgate is standard here too but so is almost everything else. The new dashboard with its large colourful centre screen and array of buttons angled towards the driver is ergonomic, well laid out, and feels richer than it should in a pickup but now also makes much more sense when associated with its six-figure price tag. It’s also cavernous inside with storage spaces and cubbies to stash anything you bring along.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-175964" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/DSC04334.jpg" alt="GMC Sierra AT4X" width="2048" height="1365" />

All this tech doesn’t come cheap but the AT4X feels just as capable as a Raptor but undercuts it in price. It’s not as powerful but the 6.2L V8 sounds better and has more character than Ford’s turbocharged V6.

The GMC Sierra AT4X is an impressive bit of kit, inside and out. The Multimatic dampers are near magic in their ability to balance on-road comfort and handling, with off-road capability. It truly is a truck that does it all.
<h3>2023 GMC Sierra AT4X </h3>
BODY STYLE: 4-door,  5 passenger full-size pickup

CONFIGURATION: -Front-engine, four-wheel drive

ENGINE:  6.2-L V8; Power: 420 hp @ 5600 rpm; Torque: 460 lb-ft @ 4100 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 10-speed automatic

TOWING CAPACITY: 5488 kg; Payload: 880 kg

FUEL ECONOMY : (Regular-grade Gasoline in L/100 km): 16.7 city; 14.0 highway 

PRICE: $ 98,703 (base MSRP not inclusive of fees, freight and taxes)

 Website: <a href="https://www.gmccanada.ca/en">GMC Canada</a>

&nbsp;

2023 GMC Sierra 1500 AT4X Review

2024 GMC Sierra HD AT4X

Car companies are famous for mining every single shred of goodwill out of a popular trim or nameplate when they suddenly find themselves with a hit on their hands. Fortunately, when the bones are as good as this, the proliferation of models can be considered a Very Good Thing.

Enter the 2024 GMC Sierra HD AT4X. The overlords at General Motors have permitted their truck brand to delve into the corporate off-road parts bin and have a root around – paying particular attention to the magnificent Multimatic DSSV dampers which are the party pieces on top-tier variants of dirt-focused trucks from The General. For those not in the know, those suspension bits are the product of a Canadian company and feature technology hewn from lessons learned in the likes of professional desert racing and Formula 1. In short, they are a tremendous piece of kit.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-175898" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/IMG_6768-scaled.jpg" alt="2024 GMC Sierra HD AT4X" width="2560" height="1920" />

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-175894" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/007-2024-Sierra-HD-AT4X-AEV-scaled.jpg" alt="2024 GMC Sierra HD AT4X" width="2560" height="1565" />

Along with some of the segment’s best off-road suspension dampening, the AT4X adds a factory-installed 1.5-inch (38mm) suspension lift, then goes ahead and places specific control arms up front plus unique steering knuckles to appropriately handle that raised height. A rear e-locking differential is on board, plus skid plates in the form of a steel one over the transfer case and an aluminium one covering things up front. Those are 35-inch Goodyear Territory tires at each corner, if you’re wondering.

A choice of two engines are on tap, both familiar to GM fans. A 6.6L gasser is the standard mill, making 401 horsepower and 464 lb.-ft of torque. The one you really want is the 6.6L Duramax diesel, producing 470 ponies and a towering 975 lb.-ft of twist. It is this engine which, in our testing, has been shown to fit the personality of GM’s heavy-duty trucks to a tee. A 10-speed automatic handles shifting duties no matter which engine is selected. Towing prowess tops out at 18,500 pounds when properly equipped.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-175902" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/IMG_6782-scaled.jpg" alt="2024 GMC Sierra HD AT4X" width="2560" height="1920" />

Walking up to these trucks in person gives one a sense of just how enormous they are, keeping in mind yer author is 6’6” in his size 13 stocking feet. The top of its hood is chest level, meaning even yours truly will need to step on the power running boards to scrape off the windshield on a cold December morning. Those 35-inch flotation size tires look ready to pummel the earth into submission, and it probably will since diesel-powered units will weigh well in excess of 8,000 pounds. And forget leaning in the driver’s door to grab something out of the deep centre console without hauling oneself into the cab. Ground clearance is a whopping 11.6 inches, up from about 10 inches in the standard truck, and height checks in at 82.6 inches. Check those clearance signs, folks.

Speaking of, the truck benefits from the same interior upgrades as other GMC HD pickups, which is to say it jumps leaps and bounds over the old one as if evolution went straight from protozoa to human beings. Soft-touch surfaces and luxurious appointments abound, clad in an Obsidian Rush colourway which is unique to the AT4X. The full-grain leather-wrapped front seats have a massaging function, meaning one can unwind and decompress with the same verve as those DSSV dampers working underneath the truck. The authentic Vanta Ash wood trim looks expensive (and, more importantly, real) while the 12-speaker Bose surround sound audio system is sure to crank out Prime Country with the best of them.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-175892" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/004-2024-Sierra-HD-AT4X-scaled.jpg" alt="2024 GMC Sierra HD AT4X" width="2560" height="1145" />

Most importantly, these HD pickups receive a 13.4-inch infotainment touchscreen, a tablet tasked with running major truck operations plus music and navigation. It is complemented by a 12.3-inch configurable gauge cluster ahead of the driver and a 15-inch-diagonal head-up display. In short, there are more screens in there than your local cinema. More cameras than the cineplex, too, with views ranging from the trick Transparent Trailer View to a Bed View with zoom. In fact, up to 14 different camera angles are available to help drivers keep an eye on the truck and their stuff.

If all that’s not enough for ya, GMC will be glad to point you in the direction of a Sierra HD AT4X AEV Edition. This brute takes everything on the AT4X and adds a yaffle of extra off-road tools. Up front is a robust stamped steel bumper with integrated recovery points and front winch capability, an addition which looks great and adds a ton of functionality but slightly harms approach angles compared to the AT4X (29.8 vs 31.6 degrees) since it juts out a bit further than the stock bumper. Choose your weapon wisely, then. There is another steel bumper out back, skid plates are swapped out for heavy duty steel units over the steering gear and transfer case, while the expected AEV badging pops up in conspicuous places around the truck. The AEV trim showed up when corporate cousins at Chevy tossed a set of ZR2 keys to AEV brass Dave Harriton and told him to outfit the thing as if he was headed into the wilderness. This truck is a continuation of that relationship.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-175900" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/IMG_6778-scaled.jpg" alt="2024 GMC Sierra HD AT4X" width="2560" height="1920" />

With the addition of an AT4X trim, and its AEV counterpart, GMC has realized its multi-pronged approach of offering gonzo levels of off-road capability in each size class of its pickup truck portfolio. With this ability in midsize, full size, and heavy duty segments, the brand is – along with Chevrolet which offers similar kit on three sizes of ZR2 trucks – uniquely positioned to have a rig on tap for just about every off-road customer.

The 2024 GMC Sierra HD AT4X and the accompanying AEV Edition are expected to arrive at dealerships in this autumn.

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First Look: 2024 GMC Sierra HD AT4X

2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV_front 3-4 profile

Whether it’s a first-drive feature from the sun-soaked California coast, a quick news story about an off-road pickup that may (or may not) be coming to your local dealership or a review of a hot new sports sedan, somewhere Lee Bailie is writing about cars and car culture, something he’s been doing for almost a decade. A car guy to the core, he went on his first automotive plant tour at age seven.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – There is perhaps no better example of reinvention in the automotive industry than GM’s resurrection of the Hummer nameplate.

Once an icon of ultra-capitalism and unrestrained gas consumption, Hummer production ended in 2010 and it was thought the marque would be gone forever. Then GM announced in 2020 that it would return, but this time it would be driven by pure electricity. That’s right – Hummer is now an EV, a sub-brand of GMC, GM’s truck and SUV division.

So yes, apart from the name, this Hummer isn’t at all like its predecessors.

There’s a lot to unpack here, so I’ll start with the basics. Both GMC Hummer EV SUV and its sibling, the Hummer EV SUT, or Supertruck as it is often referred to, are built at GM’s Factory ZERO plant in Detroit on the company’s new Ultium-based GM BT1 platform. GM BT1 also underpins forthcoming electric pick-ups, the Chevy Silverado EV and GMC Sierra EV.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-175274" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/IMG_2221-scaled.jpg" alt="2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV" width="2560" height="1920" />

Five grades are available for the Hummer EV SUV: EV2, EV2X, EV3X and Edition 1, with the latter being available in either on or off-road configuration.

What separates these vehicles primarily are batteries, electric motors and charging capability. Those with a ‘2’ in their name have two electric motors (one front, one rear), while the EV3X and Edition 1 have three, one at the front and two at the rear.

On the battery front, the base EV2 has a 16-module 170 kWh Ultium battery, while all grades above it have 20 modules. As for charging, all units above the EV2 have an 800-volt charging infrastructure and can handle up to 300 kW of charging on a DC fast charger, whereas the base EV2 is 400-volt.

As for range, final figures were still being sorted at time of writing, but GM says it should be at least 480 kilometres on a full charge for all grades.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-175266" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2024-GMC-Hummer-EV-SUV_side-profile-scaled.jpg" alt="2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV" width="2560" height="1920" />

Dimensionally, the Hummer EV SUV is a large vehicle, but it’s considerably shorter than its SUT sibling. For instance, the SUV is 20 inches (508 mm) shorter than the SUT and rides on a 226-millimetre (8.9 inches) shorter wheelbase.

These shorter dimensions are an asset for the SUV with respect to its turning radius, which is just 10.8 metres (35.4 feet). I should note that its four-wheel steering and 10-degree wheel articulation provide a big assist here too, but I’ll get to that.

In terms of power, the Hummer EV is one prodigious electric beast. Upper-level trims can produce up to 850 horsepower and an eye-watering 11,500 lb-ft. (!) of torque.

Using GM’s Watts to Freedom, which refers to launch control, the Hummer EV SUV has a 0-60 mph (0-97 km/h) time of 3.5 seconds. I cannot speak from experience, as I missed out on the opportunity during the media drive for a dumb reason, but I can verify that the Hummer EV is quite fast on public roads.

In the appearance department, the photos tell the story. It’s a big and blocky SUV that oozes Hummer style, especially when viewed from the front. GMC designers have done a fine job, I think, of updating its design language in a way that remains unmistakably Hummer. The Moonshot Green Matte finish on my test vehicle is quite pretty, especially in full sun.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-175259" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2024-GMC-Hummer-EV-SUV_dashboard-centre-console-scaled.jpg" alt="2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV" width="2560" height="1920" />

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-175265" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2024-GMC-Hummer-EV-SUV_rear-seat-scaled.jpg" alt="2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV" width="2560" height="1920" />

Inside the cabin, the Hummer EV SUV is spacious and comes loaded with an array of tech features, such as a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, 13.4-inch multimedia touchscreen with Google built-in infotainment features, Bose audio system, cell phone charge pad, and more.

The vehicle is also replete in design Easter eggs, with Hummer EV badging scattered all over its surfaces, on door panels, dashboard, and scuff plates, to name a few. My personal favourites are the front speaker grille covers which feature the moon’s Sea of Tranquility.

Heated and cooled leather seating are also on tap here, as is a heated steering wheel, an Infinity Roof with removable transparent Sky panels (which can be stored in cases in the car’s front e-trunk), a rear swing-out tailgate with drop glass and a mounted spare tire and more.

Much of what I’ve listed is standard, but one should consult their local GMC dealer for a full breakdown of standard and optional kit. I will note that almost everything mentioned is standard on the U.S.-spec Edition 1 model I drove in California, apart from the Extreme Off-Road Package.

Speaking of the drive, I spent about three hours driving the Hummer EV SUV in the San Francisco Bay Area over two days and come away impressed with its capability, both on road and off.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-175270" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/IMG_2155-scaled.jpg" alt="2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV" width="2560" height="1920" />

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-175267" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/IMG_2165-scaled.jpg" alt="2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV" width="2560" height="1920" />

A few caveats are in order, however. One, due to an unusually high amount of rainfall in northern California recently, a planned off-road driving exercise for journalists was scrapped.

Some in our group were unhappy about it (myself, included), but as the photos reveal, the course was a real mud bowl and some of us would have gotten stuck. In fact, one of the GMC engineers giving ride-alongs had to get pulled out by a bulldozer after getting bogged down in a deep mud trench.

With that said, my ride-along proved to be illuminating insofar as I could feel how the Crab Walk feature, where the rear wheels turn to help traverse rocky or muddy surfaces, really helps the Hummer EV traverse challenging terrain. And for the record, we didn’t get stuck.

One other thing to note is the vehicles I experienced were both equipped with the optional Extreme Off-Road package which comes with 18-inch wheels, 35-inch Mud Terrain tires, skid plates, rocker protection, a front locking differential, and a rear virtual locking differential.

The second caveat is my co-driver and I lost cell service, which scrambled out tester’s navigation, during the trip from the hotel to the closed course where the Watts to Freedom demonstration was taking place, so I missed my chance to experience the full seat-pressing thrust of the Hummer EV’s acceleration might.

During my time behind the wheel, however, I got to feel the full 11,500 lb-ft. of torque, and it does a fine job of pushing this brick-shaped SUV down the road. Power delivery is light switch fast, so leaving other cars in one’s dust is easy.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-175264" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2024-GMC-Hummer-EV-SUV_rear-3-4-profile-scaled.jpg" alt="2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV" width="2560" height="1920" />

On that note, while there was a high degree of tire and wind noise, but the Hummer EV doesn’t feel as big as it looks. Its four-wheel steering does a nice job of getting the car to rotate sharply through corners, and navigating tighter spaces, such as parking lots, which proved to be much easier than I was expecting.

What really sticks in my memory, though, are finer details. Not just Easter egg badging, but the graphical fidelity of the screens, which use Unreal Engine technology from Epic Games, which powers Fortnite and many other video games.

The easy toggling of one-pedal driving, which can be managed either through the infotainment screen or a button on the steering wheel, is another nice touch, as are the removable roof panels and swing out tailgate.

The Hummer EV SUV is also available with GM’s latest version of Super Cruise which offers hands-free driving and works on over 644,000 kilometres of enabled roads across North America. I used it on the highway driving back to San Francisco, including the Golden Gate bridge, and it worked beautifully.

In all, the Hummer EV SUV is an impressive vehicle. It’s certainly not for everyone, a GMC rep noted, it’s more for the person who has “a seven-car garage” and wants to have “all the latest toys”. Given its six-figure starting MSRP, I’d have to agree.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-175261" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2024-GMC-Hummer-EV-SUV_front-fender-wheel-scaled.jpg" alt="2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV" width="2560" height="1920" />

Efficiency figures were not available from GMC at time of writing, but I imagine the Hummer EV SUV will consume a lot of electricity – a frugal EV this is not.

But, as the same brand rep put it to me, the Hummer EV is a halo vehicle for GMC, and while it’s not going to be a sales volume leader, it should have a rainmaker effect on the rest of the lineup.

And for those with the means, it makes for an impressive statement vehicle.

2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV pricing

EV2 – $108,598
EV2X – $122,098
EV3X – $135,598
Edition 1 – $142,598 (on-road)
$154,193 (off-road)

All 2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV grades go on sale next month, except for the EV2 which launches in spring 2024.

2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV

BODY STYLE: full-size EV SUV
DRIVE METHOD: dual / tri-motor, electronic-all-wheel drive
ENGINE: 170 kWh battery (EV3X, Edition 1 – 830 hp / 11,500 lb-ft.; EV2, EV2X – 625 hp / 7,400 lb-ft.)
FUEL ECONOMY: TBA
CARGO VOLUME: 2,317 / 1,017 litres (81.8 / 35.9 cu ft.) (behind first / second row)
MAXIMUM TOWING: TBA
PRICE: $108,598 base, excl. freight, taxes and fees
WEBSITE: <a href="http://www.gmccanada.ca">www.gmccanada.ca</a>

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