2019 GMC Sierra Denali: The Professional Grade Experience
GMC says it’s the most-engineered tailgate they’ve ever designed, and it has to be if it’s going to hold up to the rigors of truck use. While I can’t say for certain how it’ll hold up, I give the team the benefit of the doubt here on designing something that’ll survive the life of the truck without issues.
Since the tailgate is power-operated (it doesn’t power close like Silverado, but it power and soft opens), I asked what happens in the event of an electrical failure. Even in a “no crank” situation, one of the engineers assured me that the solenoid will still fire, opening the tailgate. Apparently if all else fails, the cover of the tailgate can be removed and an override used.
I don’t like to focus on “what if it fails” scenarios, because a traditional latch can also break, but it’s good information to know to keep in the back of your mind if you’re on the fence about using a tailgate with as much technology built in as this truck has.
Further separating the Sierra from the Silverado, especially the Denali, is the exclusive Adaptive Ride Control. It replaces the standard Magnetic Ride Control that used magnetorheological dampers to control body motions from the previous-generation Sierra.
I was a big fan of Magnetic Ride Control. It made the truck as comfortable as the Ram 1500 with air suspension, but offered a bit more body control since it can control the viscosity of the damper fluid infinitely and independently at each wheel.
The new Adaptive Ride Control setup uses a more traditional adaptive damper that can be controlled independently. While it’s unclear why the company made the switch, the new system retains most of the unloaded ride comfort of the old setup but also does some neat tricks when towing or hauling.
One of the demonstrations had an ATV loaded in the bed. When hitting bumps in the road, the truck wouldn’t bounce the way other trucks would. There is a hauling mode for the suspension that’s automatically activated when the system detects 550 pounds over the rear axle.
Without having the old truck to test back-to-back with the new one, I’m not sure if the new system rides better than the magnetic shock version. It does, however, off a superior ride to the new Silverado and some of the other trucks currently on sale.
2019 GMC Sierra Denali: The Professional Grade Experience continued…
