Hands-free driving, premium comfort and big-truck capability make this full-size pickup a confident companion on Canadian highways
The 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 Denali Ultimate stands out with bold proportions, luxury detailing and a commanding road presence.
On my first visit to Nova Scotia, I was driving a GMC Sierra 1500 Denali Ultimate. There was a lot to learn about both the province and the vehicle.
Nova Scotia is compact and historic. The Denali is new and enormous. While the province was home to France’s first North American colony in 1605 and became a founding member of the Dominion of Canada in 1867, the Denali nameplate only dates back to 1999. It marks GMC’s top-tier luxury trim line and was inspired by the tallest peak in North America.
The name is fitting. This truck is big—3,745 mm of wheelbase, 5,891 mm in overall length, 2,063 mm in width and 1,918 mm tall. Its size makes it feel like a rolling suite on the highway. Luxury touches and technology are everywhere, making long-distance travel feel effortless.
The starting price for my test model was $103,499. With options—including $2,495 for GM’s Super Cruise hands-free highway system—the total came to $111,304.
I left Stanfield Airport, about 35 kilometres north of Halifax, and headed for Stellarton, a small town of 4,200 in the province’s northeast. Stellarton is best known as the birthplace of the Sobeys grocery chain, which began as a butcher shop in 1924 and now forms part of Empire Co. Ltd., with more than 1,500 stores nationwide. Stellarton also hosts the Nova Scotia Museum of Industry, which features the first Volvo assembled in North America, built in Dartmouth in 1963.
Next was Antigonish, home to St. Francis Xavier University, which has granted degrees since 1868. It was the ideal place to try out Super Cruise, GM’s semi-autonomous driving system that uses cameras, sensors and GPS to steer the vehicle on pre-mapped highways.
Engaging it is simple: press two buttons, wait for a green light on the steering wheel, and a message confirms “Super Cruise Engaged.” Once active, I could take my hands off the wheel, though not my eyes off the road. The system monitors attention, and if I looked away too long, say, while adjusting audio or adding sugar to coffee, it triggered escalating warnings: flashing lights, seat vibrations, audible alerts and even a voice prompt.
Failing to respond would cause the system to disengage and gradually bring the vehicle to a stop, with an OnStar operator calling to check in. Super Cruise isn’t foolproof; it disengaged several times due to unclear lane markings or incompatible road segments. GM advises against using it in tunnels, construction zones or poor weather.
Still, most of the time, it worked well and contributed to a surprisingly relaxing highway experience. From Antigonish, I crossed the Canso Causeway into Cape Breton, passed scenic Baddeck and Sydney—once home to Toyota’s first North American plant—before arriving at historic Louisbourg.
While the drive itself was largely seamless, not everything in the cabin was as intuitive. Adjusting to Super Cruise was easier than mastering the heating and ventilation controls. The fan-speed buttons are tiny and hard to use—a strange oversight in such a well-appointed vehicle.
Fuel stops were no less dramatic. The 6.2-litre V-8 delivers 420 horsepower but consumes fuel at a rate of 12.1 L/100 km on the highway and 16.0 L/100 km in the city. A fill-up at an Irving Big Stop—a familiar Atlantic Canadian landmark—cost $150 for 86 litres, or about $1.74 per litre.
When I reached Halifax, the Denali’s sheer size became a liability. Narrow city streets and parkades weren’t built with full-size pickups in mind. But on the highway, the truck shone: smooth, quiet, capable and less fatiguing to drive, thanks to Super Cruise.
Our Verdict
For Canadian drivers covering long distances in varied weather, the GMC Sierra 1500 Denali Ultimate is as luxurious as it is capable. Its price and bulk won’t suit everyone, and urban manoeuvring can be a challenge. But for comfort, space and highway ease—especially with Super Cruise—it’s an impressive and surprisingly relaxing way to cross the country.
Dale Johnson is an award-winning author, broadcaster and journalist who has worked in TV, radio, print and online. While the manufacturer provided Dale with a vehicle to test drive, the content of this review was not reviewed or accepted by the manufacturer.
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