Sometimes you just need a truck.
This is a fact in life.
Having a stylish or practical car is nothing to be down about, but sometimes you just need a truck!
In action and adventure sports you will always find two reoccurring themes judges look for in competition: style and performance. They are the pillars that the action/adventure community has ultimately built themselves on.
With that criteria in mind, let me introduce you to the off-road-focusedGMC Sierra AT4 that was launched late 2018.
The AT4 is the beefed-up, rough-and-ready alternative to the posh Denali. But do not for a moment let the thought enter your mind that the AT4 is not posh.
If Aston Martin made a truck, they would model their truck after the AT4.
It gains a 2.0-inch factory-installed lift kit, a set of protective skid plates, an Eaton locking rear differential, upgraded Rancho monotube dampers, and all-terrain or mud-terrain tires on 18- or 20-inch wheels.
Insert Keegan Michael Key here explaining what that all means is its more aggressive—but still quite refined looking.
The AT4’s styling is finished off with bright red tow hooks at the front. And being quite honest, it looks pretty awesome.
Unsurprisingly, the AT4 truck devoured up the bumps, washboard surfaces, dips, and potholes that mother nature has with poise.
It’s no Ford F-150 Raptor, but it is not supposed to be! The AT4 is not designed to bounce across the dessert at 80 mph. The aim of the AT4, is to be a comfortable, well-equipped pickup that can handle the rough stuff when it needs to.
Despite its off-road -readiness, the ride is smooth. This is atruck you could drive every day whether you’re patrolling the American desertto ride dirt bikes or driving to the skatepark.
The AT4’s unique mix of luxury and off-road ability makes it one of the few compelling reasons to shop a GMC store instead.
Of course, any talk of the Sierra wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the truck’s MultiPro tailgate. The tailgate-within-a-tailgate is the killer addition to the latest GMC truck lineup.
The MultiPro tailgate consists of an upper and lower section with six different configurations that help with ingress and egress, the ability to reach into the box, and/or handling longer loads. It’s standard on the AT4, and having proved itself to us as truly useful on other Sierras, is perhaps the biggest must-have pickup feature we’ve seen in years.
MultiPro admittedly has greater functionality, including a further upgrade that embeds within it a pair of speakers, rudimentary audio controls, and USB and aux inputs and for tailgating purposes, it would be a nice addition. Especially since the bed’s standard 120V power outlet and that aux jack would let you plug in a TV back there, while GMC’s standard 4G LTE WiFi makes it possible to stream live TV through something like YouTubeTV.
Your tailgate party could now feature the pre-race show. Andtrust me, if there is something action/adventure sport enthusiasts (AKA NASCARfans) can do, it’s tailgate.
The most impressive take-away was actually the multiple cameras included in the AT4’s Technology package, specifically the one in front, that allows you to effectively see through the monolithic hood, and successfully navigate yourself around otherwise hidden impediments. There’s also an off-road inclinometer that shows the truck’s current tilt and front tire angle in the gauge cluster and, if so equipped, the gigantic color head-up display.
The AT4 drives like a dream. It’s smooth, but not bouncy. The 6.2-liter V-8 roars with an aggressive authority.
Remember our judging criteria? Style and performance?
For a truck, the AT4 is fast, with no problemhurtling up to speed, both on beach sand and on the highway. The tall drivingposition infuses the driver with confidence, and keeps that person convinced thathe or she looks like a complete badass driving this sinister truck.
But don’t take my word for it. Go try one out for yourselffrom your local GMC dealer.
Those shoppers will find that the Sierra AT4 crew cab starts at $54,695—just $1,500 shy of a Denali. My rather loaded test truck clocked in at a hefty $65,355. Among the checked option boxes on the truck we drove were the $4940 Off-Road Performance package, which brings the upgrade 6.2-liter V-8 and its 435 hp and 469 lb-ft of torque (the standard 5.3-liter V-8 makes 355 and 383), a 10-speed automatic (up from eight speeds), a cat-back exhaust, and a performance air intake. Our truck also had the AT4 Premium ($3,100), Technology ($1,875), and Driver Alert II ($745) packages, which added an 8.0-inch head-up display, a 360-surround camera that includes the ability to see it all.