INTERESTED IN A BIG TRUCK? GMC MIGHT HAVE THE ONE FOR YOU IN SIERRA 2500HD AT4

The GMC Sierra 2500HD AT4 is a big truck.

It’s also a beautiful truck and a very utilitarian vehicle, but your first impression is pretty much going to be, “Wow. This is a big truck.”

This is not the kind of truck you likely would want for runs to the local home improvement store to pick up a load of sod. This one you’d use for bringing back a load of trees for your landscaping project. Big trees.

Yes, the 2020 GMC 2500HD AT4 is for serious trucksters. GMC even touts it as “the most capable heavy-duty truck” that it has ever offered.

Standard features for AT4 models include a ProGrade Trailering system with an available 15 camera views, keyless open and start, remote start, dual zone climate control, heated front and rear outer seats, ventilated front seats, driver seat and mirror memory, folding exterior mirrors that can be extended with the push of a button, heated leather-wrapped steering wheel, LED reflector headlamps, a tailgate that flips down with the push of a button, a spray-on bedliner, a dozen cargo tie-downs, and side and corner steps for easy access to the bed.

An AT4 Premium Package ($4,215) adds such items as a rear sliding power window, a premium entertainment system with navigation, 8-inch HD touchscreen, voice recognition, Bluetooth audio streaming, Apple CarPlan and Android Auto, Bose premium sound system, wireless charging, LED roof marker lamps, front and rear park assist, lane-change alert with blind side alert, and rear cross traffic alert.

A new 6.0-liter V8 gasoline engine has increased power for 2020 (401 horsepower, 464 pound-feet of torque), but a 6.6-liter Duramax V8 turbo diesel engine is the real big boy. Mated with a new 10-speed automatic transmission, it pumps out 445 horsepower and a whopping 910 pound-feet of torque, giving this behemoth a towing capacity in excess of 30,000 pounds. It runs surprisingly quiet, too.

The AT4 model (as opposed to the upscale Denali) is designed for more off-road use with a 2-speed automatic transfer case as standard.

An off-road suspension, skid plates, a locking differential, and special shocks are included. Hill descent control, hill start assist, and a traction select system with a specific off-road (and tow) mode also are part of the package.

All this comes at a price, of course, and one that matches its size in bigness. Starting MSRP for the Sierra 2500HD AT4 is $57,700 plus a hefty $1,595 destination and delivery charge.

My well-equipped vehicle for the week had enough options to run the bottom line to $77,555 after a $750 AT4 Premium Package discount was taken off.

 What I liked about the 2020 GMC Sierra 2500HD AT4 Crew Cab: This is a great looking truck that is up go about anything you might ask of a full-size pickup. The infotainment features are numerous and very user friendly. The surround-view camera is a real plus. The running board makes the climb up into the Crew Cab much less of a task. You can go a long way between fill-ups with the turbo diesel.

What I didn’t like about the 2020 GMC Sierra 2500HT HT4 Crew cab: Maneuvering in a mall parking lot is a task, a huge task. Even fitting into many marked places is difficult. The backend hangs out into the street in some lots where perpendicular parking is required. The interior could use an upgrading.

Would I buy the 2020 GMC Sierra 2500HD AT4 Crew Cab? I am not a truck guy, especially a big truck guy, so no, I would not. But it is really a great option for those who need such a big vehicle and can afford it.