The interesting crossroads of off-road muscle, high-tech and luxury appointments…that’s the thinking behind the 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 AT4X and GM has nailed it.
First the dirt. The AT4X gets Multimatic DSSV dampers and an impressive 420 horses and 460 lb.-ft. torque from a stout powertrain led by a 6.2-liter V8 and 10-speed automatic.
Plus, it’s got a two-inch lift, front and rear electronic locking differentials, rock rails, skid plates and 32.5-inch Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac tires that sit a half-inch higher than the Goodyear Wrangler Territory tires on the AT4. It looks like a bad ass truck and yes it’s a blast to drive.
But I wouldn’t think of getting it airborne and it doesn’t look like GM would either. Yeah, I know there’s the commercial showing the AT4X getting one of its front tires off the ground while rock climbing towards a scenic waterfall inside a literal man cave. But that’s one tire. It’s a far cry from getting all four wheels off the ground.
Camera views are great on the 13.4-inch horizontal display and made traversing this swampy terrain even more exciting.Tom Quimby
The Sierra 1500 AT4X was developed as a balanced execution of superb on-road tech, comfort and handling and extreme off-road capability. Our customers are really looking for that sweet spot with the added chops and confidence when it comes time to venture off road.
I totally agree that the AT4X delivers “a balanced execution of superb on-road tech, comfort and handling.” Ventilated leather seats in the front with 16-way massage capability melted away the miles on a long road trip under a tough summer sun. And you can never get bored of that horizontal 13.4-inch center touchscreen which provides stellar camera views while off-roading, the best map view you’ve ever seen (horizontal view dominates here), options galore to make the most of a 12-speaker Bose premium, more options when it comes to making the most of trailering and the list goes on.
The 15-inch head-up display on the windshield? I’m a huge fan. I love seeing my speed clearly on display and being able to quick set the pacing distance between myself and the other guy out front with GMC’s Adaptive Cruise Control.
Comfort, handling and power come naturally for the AT4X. It’ll quickly eat up those highway miles, pass up the stragglers like they’re standing still and leave you both hungry for more.
Best pickup bed yet. The GMC Multipro tailgate with Kicker audio system quickly hooked up to Bluetooth and belted out the tunes. It's really directional so you don't have to worry about blasting out the neighbors on either side.Tom Quimby
But with 420 horses, beefed up suspension and an MSRP of $76,790 which is roughly on par with the starting price of the 702-hp 2022 Ram TRX and nearly $7,000 more than a base 450-hp 2022 F-150 Raptor—both of which are engineered to get airborne—you sort of expect this Sierra to defy gravity for a bit while belting out Sinatra’s “Come fly with me.”
The 15-inch head-up display is great for road trips. Adaptive cruise control pacing is easy to set and observe as the miles melt away.
I can’t fault GMC too much here. They’ve done a superb job of combining luxury, technology and serious off-road capability. Getting airborne is a big risk. Ford and Ram obviously did their due diligence before giving the greenlight to jump their trucks. The AT4X isn’t ready for that—at least not yet and that’s fine.
What's good...
- 420-hp V8 and 10-speed automatic deliver some exciting get-up and go
- Aggressive two-inch lift with Multimatic DSSV dampers tame rough roads
- Leather throughout including massaging, ventilated and heated front seats (outer rear seats are heated too)
- Serious off-road pedigree like electronic locking front and rear diffs and one-pedal Terrain Mode in 4-Lo
- 13.4-inch horizontal center touchscreen (horizontal is great for maps and camera views)
- Multiple camera views which are really handy while parking, trailering, backing up and off-roading
- 15-inch head-up display on the windshield. Great during a road trip to see various info like vehicle speed and pacing distance
- Multipro Tailgate with Bluetooth-enabled Kicker audio system--a real crowd pleaser especially with my kids
- Plenty of charge ports front and back. Wireless phone charging in front conveniently located by center console
- Beefy 32.5-inch Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac tires wrapped around gloss black 18-inch aluminum wheels are quiet on the road
- GMC Pro Safety features like automatic emergency braking, pedestrian braking, forward collision alert, lane keep assist, etc.
- LED headlights, fog lights and bed lights
What's not...
- Suspension is beefed up over AT4 but not flight worthy. Put their pencils down too early on this one.
- $76,790 MSRP is steep considering that a diesel-equipped 2020 GMC Sierra 2500 Denali 4x4 crew cab stickered at $78,455. (Of course, prices for new and used vehicles have really jumped the past couple of years).
- Skinny step rails are tough but they're narrow and not easy to use for cab ingress and egress
Creature comforts keep coming in the AT4X including additional storage in the rear seats which can also be heated up on cold days.Tom Quimby
Rail is too narrow for my tastes. It's tough but skinny and make it a challenge when stepping in and out of the cab.Tom Quimby
Tough and graceful...you get the full package with the AT4X.Tom Quimby
The AT4X eats up the off-roadTom Quimby
Can't beat the map view on the 13.4-inch horizontal display. Accessible button layout is a plus too.Tom Quimby
