MARSHALL, Mich.-Brawny, lifted and loaded with premium features, the 2019 GMC Sierra AT4 pickup is a 4WD specialist and a peek into the future of General Motors' upscale truck brand.
A fleet of AT4s easily negotiated an off-road course at Eaton Corp.'s challenging 600-acre proving ground 100 miles west of Detroit on a cold December morning, flaunting features ranging from 360-degree cameras to detect sharp boulders lurking on rugged trails to carefully detailed black leather seats with tasteful Kalahari brown inserts.
First and foremost, the Sierra AT4 rolls out of the factory with a 2-inch suspension lift, standard four-wheel drive, skid plates, off-road-tuned Rancho monotube shocks and a locking rear differential, basic tools for 4WD capability.
The pickup balances that with high-end looks and features. With base prices of $50,800 for a double cab with small rear doors and $53,200 for the more spacious four-door crew cab, the AT4 is the second highest model in the Sierra lineup, a step below the Denali. A loaded Sierra AT4 will cost around $66,000.
The Sierra is the pilot vehicle for GMC's new AT4 sub-brand. Over the next couple of years, every vehicle GMC sells, from the Terrain compact SUV to the eight-passenger Yukon XL, will get an AT4 model. Actual off-road capability will vary greatly from one model to another, depending on the vehicles' engineering and customers.
It's an ambitious strategy that mirrors what GMC did when it created the Denali sub-brand. Denali has been a huge success. The vehicles now account for 30 to 40 percent of GMC sales. They sell for considerably higher prices than other models.
GMC expects the AT4 to initially account for around 7 percent of Sierra sales. If the strategy succeeds, that should rise steadily over the years.
The Sierra AT4 makes no pretense to the Ford F-150 Raptor's extreme off-road capability, aiming rather to give owners a truck that looks, and is, a bit more at home when it leaves the pavement without sacrificing GMC's signature luxury and technology. Striking that balance-and adding models without competing directly with Chevrolet-is a key to making AT4 work.
Shifted into 4WD low at the proving ground where Eaton develops everything from on-road vehicles to mining and construction equipment, the AT4s pulled smoothly through axle-deep mud, up to 24 inches of water, a 30-percent grade, frame- twisting rock field and more.
The AT4's optional surround vision was invaluable in a twisty wooded stretch. It allows the driver to check for obstacles immediately in front of the truck, making it possible to avoid rocks and tree limbs hidden by the hood. The system can also provide a bird's-eye view for parking, views of all four wheels and a look down at the trailer hitch.
The Sierra's optional color head-up display adds inclinometers to show how much the vehicle is tilted, fore-aft and front to rear, and a display that shows the front wheels' steering angle.
Other available and standard features include a camera rearview mirror for a wider field of vision, a six-way tailgate that includes a step and variations for different kinds of access and loads. A carbon-fiber bed will be available at some point in 2019.
Exterior visual identifiers for the AT4 include red tow hooks. a black chrome for the grille and other trim.
A 355-hp 5.3L V8 and eight-speed automatic transmission are standard. An extra $2,495 will get you the 420-hp 6.2L V8 and 10-speed automatic.
The Sierra AT4 is in dealerships now.
ABOUT THE WRITER
Mark Phelan is the Detroit Free Press auto critic. He can be reached at [email protected].