Experiencing GMC’s 2019 Sierra Denali

GMC was the title sponsor for our TV show New England Boating for 5 years. Over these 5 years, my co-producer and I have really gotten to know the brand and we couldn’t be happier with its performance. I had the privilege of being a passenger as we traveled nearly 6500 miles across New England every summer towing a 12 thousand pound motorboat to different seaside villages. As we trailered the boat to some of New England’s best coastal destinations, The GMC Sierra Denali turned into my mobile office. Sitting in my leather bucket seat, I fined-tuned my individual temperature control, plugged my laptop into the AC outlet and kept my phone charging in one of the many USB ports. The truck has tremendous power. Towing the boat was always a breeze but for me, it wasn’t just about that. It was also about the comfort of the cab and luxury details. As I produced the show from the road, I was as comfortable and efficient in the GMC Sierra Denali as I would have been in my office. This is not just a truck. The amenities are top of the line. When we arrive at a destination, it is evident that people who understand performance, precision and the latest technology are impressed. People always take a second look when we pull into town. We are big fans of GMC’s entire Denali line, particularly the Sierra Denali. There is clearly a level of awe and respect that comes with this vehicle, so when GMC recently approached us with an opportunity to test out the 2019 model and attend the Premium Tailgate and Polo experience in Saratoga Springs, NY, we immediately said yes. As I said, we already adored the Sierra Denali but this was the brand new model and we were going to be among the very first to test-drive it.

They delivered the truck on Friday and early Saturday morning we headed to Saratoga Springs - a 3 ½ hour drive from our home base in Boston. I couldn’t believe it, but the ride was even more pleasant than the previous year’s model. The ride was so smooth. GMC truly redesigned this new Sierra Denali from the ground up. It’s larger in almost every dimension, including a longer wheelbase, and the back seats have 3 more inches of legroom for passengers. The back seats also have storage underneath. We folded the back seats up and it made a nice cargo space for our luggage.

The 3 ½ hours flew by and when we arrived at the Saratoga Polo Association for the barbeque tailgate party, we had a beautiful lunch with others who had traveled from afar to see what this new model had to offer. After lunch, we got down to business learning about the features on the 2019 Sierra Denali. We were totally blown away by the industry-first MultiPro Tailgate. First, you touch a button and the tailgate effortlessly glides down into location. No slamming! The tailgate then drops down again into a second piece and a convenient step folds out for easy access into the bed of the truck. Not only that, GMC also added a handle to help climb up into the truck bed. The folding tailgate also allows easier access to items in the cargo box. To top it off, this MultiPro Tailgate has an upgrade option where you can have a Bluetooth connection with a premium Bose audio system so you can listen to your favorite music whether you’re on the jobsite, at a football game or like were, at a polo match. There’s also an AC plug down by the tailgate where you can plug in power tools or whatever you have that requires electricity.

The Saratoga Polo Association founded in 1898, was the perfect setting to check out the trailering ability of the new GMC 2019 Sierra Denali. This is horse country and with polo or other equestrian competitions, horses need to be trailered. We had the opportunity to jump in the truck and test out the towing capability. When I took the wheel, the first thing I noticed was the rear view mirror. It can function as a traditional mirror or as a camera screen for unobstructed rear view. By the way, the ProGrade Advanced Trailering Package is standard and includes Hitch Guidance with Hitch View and a Trailering App. The next thing I noticed as I drove on the track around the polo field was that I barely could feel that I was towing a 10 thousand pound horse trailer.

Later that night, we met up on the roof deck of the Pavillion and had a wonderful dinner with the folks from GMC. Everyone attending had great things to say about this newly designed Sierra Denali. The truck is amazing in terms of power, capability and style. The GMC team seems to continually be striving to make it more comfortable, more convenient and more commanding. Cap and I were privileged to test it out and we are not only still fans and believers but we are vocal advocates of this brand. Way to go GMC. You keep surpassing our expectations.