Off-Road in HD: GMC Announces the Sierra HD AT4X and Extreme AEV Edition

Chris Teague
by Chris Teague

People use pickup trucks as everyday vehicles, even heavy-duty models, so it’s not surprising to see automakers adding more luxury and capability to their most work-ready models. Rugged, off-road-read heavy-duty trucks are nothing new, but GMC’s taking it to the next level with the new Sierra HD AT4X and Extreme AEV Edition trucks. The pair comes with a slew of upgrades to improve their off-road capability while maintaining the workhorse attitude that people expect from heavy-duty trucks.


The 2024 GMC Sierra HD AT4X gets a 6.6-liter gas V8 as standard, but buyers can add the 6.6-liter Duramax diesel. A ten-speed automatic transmission and four-wheel drive are standard. The truck delivers 18,500 pounds of towing, a 1.5-inch lift kit, Multimatic DSSV dampers, an electronic locking rear differential, and 35-inch Goodyear tires. The HD also gets a new off-road driving mode, which recalibrates braking, steering, and other settings to improve traction and performance. 


The Extreme AEV Edition brings touches from American Expedition Vehicles, including 18-inch wheels and underbody steel skid plates. It also offers steep bumpers with integrated recovery points and a winch mounting point. 


Both trucks bring the luxury inside, where GMC equipped leather upholstery and massaging front seats. Ash wood trim and a Bose 12-speaker premium stereo come standard, along with a 13.4-inch touchscreen and 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster. GMC offers several driver aids, but most are withheld in added-cost options package. Available tech includes a transparent trailer-view camera system, blind spot monitoring with trailer coverage, and adaptive cruise control with trailering.


GMC hasn’t detailed pricing for the new trucks yet but said more information would become available closer to their on-sale date this fall.


[Image: GMC]


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Chris Teague
Chris Teague

Chris grew up in, under, and around cars, but took the long way around to becoming an automotive writer. After a career in technology consulting and a trip through business school, Chris began writing about the automotive industry as a way to reconnect with his passion and get behind the wheel of a new car every week. He focuses on taking complex industry stories and making them digestible by any reader. Just don’t expect him to stay away from high-mileage Porsches.

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  • Master Baiter If you rear-end someone, it's your fault, period. If motorcycles need more time to stop, then riders need to increase their following distance.
  • Master Baiter Until recently, virtually every cell phone and computer was made in China and no one seemed to care. The majority are still built there. I'm not a fan of tariffs as it just gives domestic makers a price umbrella to sell their garbage products to U.S. consumers at higher prices.
  • Teleedle It would seem that if the Chinese made cars and trucks are ready to compete on the world market that they should be able to compete without the need for government help through subsidies. That's never going to happen with the mindset of their leadership. The rate at which they've transferred the ability to copy to the rate of their abilities to innovate isn't really astounding, but it is truly indicative of their inherent abilities to see through problems and overcome without a lot of fuss. They just have a different way that seems to continually baffle the Western mind. It only goes back a few thousand years. The rest of the world just has to catch up... Without tariffs, three Seagulls could be bought for the price of one loaded Toyota Corolla. I would settle for a nice small pickup truck that can get 30-35 mpg, if the Chinese want to build something with real durability and value. I'm sure they can do that for about $10-12k US, too, dumping them all the way to the bank. Neither Trump or Biden or Bugbrain want that, though. Restrictive 'targeted' tariff ideas indicate that they all want protectionism and the Chicken Tax to continue. The price of living in freedum in the non compete world... and the hallmark of one upmanship by the political class towards more and more expensive transportation related needs. All costs are ALWAYS passed onto the end consumer. Tariffs are the burden of the extra cost. Tariffs are punitive, remember... as intended. The political class is still living off the backs of their constituents throughout the world... same as it ever was.
  • Theflyersfan One day, some of these sellers will come to the realization that cars are not houses and putting expensive upgrades into one doesn't equal a higher selling price down the road. $29,000? The only Challenger that has a chance of value down the road, and only with low miles, is the Hellcat.
  • SaulTigh The Cyclone engine was really powerful, but with a fatal flaw. Ask me how I know.
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