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Professional Grade Luxury As GM's ultimate, the 2005 GMC Sierra Denali raises the bar for light duty pickups. This Crew Cab adaptation of GMC's Sierra pickup is bathed in luxury and attired as one of the most attractive trucks in the market today. Sporting a short 5 ft. 8 inch cargo bed and color keyed soft tonneau cover this specialty truck is better suited for the lake than at the worksite. Powered by a High Output Vortec 6000 V8 producing 345 horsepower and 380 lb-ft torque means this is not just another pretty face. Power is a necessity, but its not enough to just have horses, they must be sure-footed horses. All wheel drive is always engaged on the 2005 GMC Sierra Denali Crew Cab and control is automatic without buttons to push or hubs to engage. Normally power is split with 60% directed to the rear wheels and 40% to the front. Combined with standard locking differential, trailer towing is confident and sure. The ride, response and control of this package is so refined I actually drove the vehicle for two days before I realized it was an all wheel drive. The EPA rates fuel economy at 14/16 MPG. My test vehicle, an all Black Sierra Denali Crew Cab, was a most striking vehicle. The signature Denali grill in my opinion is the best looking front grill on the market today. Outstanding 17" polished aluminum wheels handsomely accented the monochromatic black paint, as did the chrome tipped exhaust and chrome tubular side step bars. Inside the cabin of the 2005 GMC Sierra Denali Crew Cab, comfort and pampering for the truck owner has been elevated to a new level. While I no longer need the Rear Seat Entertainment System with DVD player and flip down screen, I sure could have used it when my girls were growing up. The dual play feature allows rear seat passengers to tune their personal wireless headphones to a DVD while adults listen to the stereo through the six-speaker Bose audio system. I am absolutely getting hooked on XM Satellite Radio. With two satellites each appropriately named "Rock" and "Roll" beaming 120 channels of crystal clear digital sound, I look forward to my time in General Motors vehicles equipped with this premium service. It is a true pleasure to settle into the sofa-soft heated leather seats of the Sierra Denali Crew Cab. Dual Zone Climate Controls automatically keeps temperature set at a constant comfort level. The leather wrapped steering wheel provides fingertip controls for the Drivers Information Center as well as full audio controls. This is luxury at a new level for a pickup truck. Missing from the GMC Sierra Denali Crew Cab for 2005 is GM's Quadrasteer four wheel steering. Standard on the 2004 Extended Cab model, this notable omission is puzzling. At over 19 feet long you need all the help you can get parking this at the mall. And, what about sonar based parking sensors found on other models? Already priced north of $43,000, would an extra few bucks for these helpful features really break the bank? The basic General Motors pickup design while comfortably traditional, is getting a little long in the tooth, with a major redesign still a year or two in the future. So a premium offering like the Denali package on the Sierra demands all of the toys. We love our pickups. For many, a truck is no longer a working utility vehicle but a daily environment carrying expectations of comfort, convenience, entertainment and luxury. The 2005 GMC Sierra Denali Crew Cab is one of the best examples of this new bread of pickup. While the short bed and room for five disqualifies it for some work applications, many will find this truck the pinnacle of a luxury truck. It has the looks, comfort and ability to tow that bass boat to the lake in ultimate style.
2004 Pontiac GTO Rear Wheel Drive
$33,190 MSRP as tested. 17/29 MPG Additional Web only Information and Resources For Additional Reviews: |
©2003 - Stan Risener