2025 GMC Sierra EV Denali Review: Max Range, Max Power, Max Presence

Highlights

• Up to 740 km of range with the Max battery, plus 760 hp and insane torque on tap

• Incredible ride comfort and agility thanks to air suspension and four-wheel steering

• Clever midgate and huge frunk add versatility and real-world usability

Lowlights

• Passenger-side side-view mirror distortion is distracting, and blind spots are tricky despite sensors

• Charging at home with a Level 2 setup is brutally slow due to the huge battery

• Massive 24-inch tires dealing with weight and power mean costly, frequent replacements

It turns out that the 2025 GMC Sierra EV Denali is in equal parts about doing the job, hauling the gear, and in this case, impressing your buddies and your kids with four-wheel steering that can crabwalk like some weird mechanical dance move. This truck really is a showpiece. The only greater “performer” in name and design only is the GMC Hummer EV, its non-identical twin.

This Sierra is the full-size electric answer from GMC, sitting on GM’s Ultium platform like its Silverado EV sibling, but with a more rugged, upright face that Canadians seem to like. It least I see it this way. Honestly, there’s something about the Sierra’s stance, especially when dropped on its air suspension, that makes it look ready to plow through the Laurentians or just flex in your driveway.

Denali ain’t cheap

It’s not cheap, though. The Denali Extended Range starts at over $115,000 in Canada, while the Max Range model like the one I had balloons to nearly $120,000. You do get a lot: four-corner air suspension, 24-inch wheels (so big your wallet will wince when it’s time to replace the tires), four-wheel steering, Super Cruise, a 16.8-inch centre screen, an 11-inch digital gauge cluster, a massive head-up display, and a serious Bose audio system. Oh, and there’s a giant fixed glass roof, great for stargazing, less great if you hate sun on your head.

Inside, it’s close to the Silverado EV, complete with Easter eggs like GPS coordinates stamped into trim. The seats are big, bolstered, and power-adjustable every which way. The rear bench? Limousine-like, with so much space my kids could literally run side-by-side down the alley. Plus, there’s a huge frunk, perfect for tools or just hiding groceries from your kids’ feet.

And then there’s the midgate. Drop it down, pop the glass out, and you’ve basically extended your box to nearly 11 feet. I might’ve tested it with cargo that was technically too long… but that’s staying off the record (and out of my picture gallery). Either way, it’s handy if you’re hauling long lumber or just showing off.

Torque, ride, steering

Driving? Well, it’s a beast. The Extended Range uses a 170-kWh battery for 645 horsepower, while this Max Range bumps up to 205 kWh and 760 horsepower plus 785 lb-ft of torque. That’s good for a 0-100 km/h sprint in about 4.5 seconds. Not bad for something with a gross weight brushing up to 10,000 lbs. Range is solid, too: roughly 628 km for the Extended, 740 km for the Max. Just be prepared for home charging to be… slow. After 12 hours on my Flow X5 home charger, I gained about 56%, not exactly a gas-and-go quick charge. However, thanks to its 19.2 kW onboard charger or DC fast charging capability of up to 300 kW, you can significantly reduce downtime with the right charger or charging station.

On the road, the Sierra EV is surprisingly refined. The air suspension smooths out battered asphalt, the steering is tight (especially with rear steer turned on), and the regen paddle lets you slow to a stop without touching the brake pedal. Once fully pressed and held for a second, the Sierra will, in turn, hold you at a standstill. The truck can tow up to 10,000 lbs, haul more than 1,300 lbs in the bed, and it’s genuinely satisfying to drive. In fact, it’s easy to forget how enormous it is until you park it next to, well, anything else.

But it’s not flawless. Truth be told, there’s only one real flaw: Those giant mirrors distort distances enough to mess with your head, so blind spot monitoring is essential. And while it does everything a work truck should, let’s be real: a lot of owners will buy it because it’s cool tech wrapped in brute force. It’s a toy you can justify because, hey, it also hauls plywood and dirt bikes.

After a week, I managed to pigeonhole the Sierra EV Denali. It’s a rolling contradiction: a luxury showpiece that can haul gravel, a quiet EV that can roast sports cars at stoplights, a tech marvel that’s still pretty happy to get dirty, and it’ll happily work if you need it to. And for me, that’s exactly why it works.

What to watch out for

• Charge times at home can be discouraging without a high-output charger
• Rear-side visibility and mirror distortion can affect daily driving confidence
• Be ready to invest in tires—those 24-inch wheels aren’t cheap to maintain
• Typical software glitches from everything, including the infotainment and various unnecessary warning alerts.

Comparative chart

2025 GMC Sierra EV Denali

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