2022 GMC Sierra 2500HD

The 2022 GMC Sierra 2500HD is a full-size three-quarter ton pickup truck. The traditional market for this type of vehicle is for towing or carrying heavy loads in the bed, but above base Pro spec, the Heavy-Duty Sierra seems to aspire to be as much a luxury truck as a workhorse. It’s a mechanically-identical cousin of the Chevrolet Silverado HD 2500, but with a higher price and somewhat more upscale appointments and options. 

2022 is a quiet year for the GMC 2500HD, with the only change being a new, extra-cost paint color (Forest Metallic). There are three cab styles, a single cab two-door, the double-cab four-door and the still roomier crew cab four-door. Beds come in two lengths, 6.8 or 8.2 feet. There are five trim levels, Pro, SLE SLT, AT4 and Denali. Like most other big pickups, the low-end Pro and SLE are the only trims where all three cabs are available. SLT is double-cab or crew-cab, while AT4 and Denali models are crew-cab only.

This segment is mostly a throwback to the old “Big Three from Detroit” era, with the Sierra 2500HD and Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD coming from GM, Ford fielding the F-250 Super Duty and the Ram 2500 the entry from Stellantis (formerly Chrysler). Nissan does offer the Titan XD, but it has never been competitive in terms of sales or performance. The Sierra (and Silverado) lead the class in interior room and storage and are even with the competition in terms of maximum towing capacity but lag behind in fuel economy. Their cabins also fall short of the design standards at Ford and Ram.

There are two available powerplants, the standard 6.6-liter gasoline V8 (401 horsepower/464 pound-feet of torque) and the optional 6.6-liter turbodiesel V8 (445 hp/910 lb-ft). Both are very powerful, but the diesel’s torque makes it the choice for serious towing. The base Pro model starts at $42,995 (including destination). SLE adds rear air vents for double and crew-cab models, remote keyless entry and the MultiPro tailgate and begins at $48,295. The SLT begins at $57,895, adding an HD rear vision camera, a two-speed transfer case and digital variable steering assist. 

The AT4 starts at $65,895 and adds a ProGrade trailering system and an off-road package, though it’s less radical than AT4 versions of other GMC models. Finally, the luxury Denali begins at $72,395.  Engine and bed choices, as well as option packages, can add thousands to all those starting prices. The GMC Sierra 2500HD offers an array of driver-assistance safety features, but most are extra-cost options. However, it’s hard to fault GM here as that’s also how Ford and RAM have chosen to offer similar features in their three-quarter-ton trucks. GMC’s towing assist systems (again, mostly extra-cost) are the best on the market. 

The Sierra 2500HDs cabs are all very accommodating, with best-in-class headroom and legroom. Even lower-spec trims are comfortable, with Denali approaching luxury-car territory, save for some unfortunate hard black plastic. Where the Sierra 2500HD falls behind is in the design, layout and materials of its instrument panel. The new generation of GM pickups brought with it, for the most part, the previous generation’s approach to controls and displays, putting GMC (and Chevy) well behind Ford and RAM.

Performance: 12/15

For its size and weight, the 2022 GMC Sierra 2500HD handles, rides and brakes well. The standard 6.6-liter gasoline V8 offers 401 horsepower and 464 pound-feet of torque and can tow 14,500 pounds.  The optional 6.6-liter diesel is the hero of this lineup, however. It doesn’t come cheap, adding up to nearly $11,000 on some models when ordered with integrated Power Take-Off (PTO, for accessory devices common on work trucks), but it does pack 445 horsepower and a trailer-smiting 910 pound-feet of torque. Diesel Sierra 2500HDs are rated to tow 18,500 pounds.

These stats are broadly even with the Sierra 2500’s closest competitors. The 2500HD falls short of the F-250 regular cab’s maximum payload figures, but in crew and extended cab terms, it’s broadly similar. Both are appreciably higher than those of the Ram 2500, and all four domestic trucks handily out-tow the Titan XD.

AT4 models offer standard four-wheel drive and slightly more aggressive styling, but unlike some of GMC’s other AT4s, the 2500HD does not get any additional ground clearance over the other trims. Its sheer size also makes it less of an off-road player than some other trucks. The Ram 2500 Power Wagon might be a better option for off-roaders who need an HD truck.

Fuel Economy: 7/15 

The EPA does not publish fuel economy estimates for heavy-duty trucks. In 100 miles of combined city street, urban freeway and mountain backroad driving, we saw actual mileage of 14.5 miles per gallon combined from the big Sierra’s optional ($9,750) 6.6-liter diesel V8. 

According to real-world reports from drivers at apps such as Fuelly, the average fuel economy for 2022 GMC Sierra 2500HD pickups, both diesel and gasoline, was 13.0 mpg, though some drivers report up to 16.6 miles per gallon from the diesel. Data on the segment shows the GMC and Chevrolet on the low side of the competition, though, with the Ford at 13.5 and Ram at 13.9 miles per gallon on average. Only the Nissan Titan XD fares worse, at 11.2 mpg on average.

Safety & Driver Assistance Tech: 7/15

The 2022 GMC Sierra 2500HD lacks crash ratings from either the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)  or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), which costs it some points in our evaluations. On mass alone, it would probably crash well, and the NHTSA gives the Sierra 1500 half-ton a four-star overall crash rating, but nonetheless, its lack of crash test data is a factor. 

The Sierra 2500HD also features a strong suite of driver-assistance safety features, but GMC charges extra for nearly all of them. Except for Nissan, however, so do all the other heavy-duty pickup manufacturers. For a vehicle of its scale, the Sierra does have excellent visibility all around, and its trailering tech is among the most sophisticated available, with many different ways to view what’s going on around you and even see through the trailer behind you.

Comfort & Room: 14/15

The 2022 GMC Sierra 2500’s Crew Cab claims best-in-class headroom and legroom as well as spacious rear accommodations.  Things are a bit tighter in rear-seat legroom in the double cab models, but still leading the competitive set. Rear seat headroom for all five HD trucks is within a fraction of an inch. These are big trucks inside and out, and anybody who feels cramped in here might want to try out to be an NBA center.

Infotainment: 8/15

The Sierra’s Infotainment systems are also a moving target within trim lines. The base-model Pro (a work truck) has a 7-inch infotainment screen, an AM-FM radio and a couple of USB ports, while the SLE and higher models get an eight-inch touchscreen. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard. Navigation is standard on the Denali but part of a $4,600 package on the SLT and $2,075 on the AT4. 

The Sierra 2500HD’s system gets points for simplicity and ease of use, but they aren’t nearly as comprehensive or visually pleasing as those of Ford or Ram.

Cargo Space & Storage: 15/15

The 2022 GMC Sierra 2500HD scores big on cargo space with convenient door pockets, a huge center console box and hidden storage in the rear seatbacks (in double-cab and crew-cab models) and under the seat. 

Sierra 2500HDs offer the same bed configurations as the other domestic HD trucks, but General Motors has made the beds of both the Sierra and Silverado 2500HD a little bigger than those in competing trucks. For that reason, they’ve got best-in-class capacities of 69.6 cubic-feet (standard bed) and 83.5 cubic-feet (long bed, regular cab only).

Style & Design: 7/10

The exterior of the 2022 GMC Sierra 2500HD conveys at a glance that it is a powerful, capable and luxurious truck. It’s a more put-together appearance than Chevy has managed for essentially the same truck and gives both Ford and RAM a run for their styling money. 

Interior fit and finish are good, but the basic layout is dated, and some of the materials in the higher-end models don’t really cut it. While work truck cabs are supposed to be utilitarian, Denalis are advertised as luxury machines, more than a cut above a work-truck cab. There’s still a lot of hard black plastic in the priciest Sierras and an instrument panel that’s a generation behind what Ford and RAM offer in their higher-end three-quarter-ton models.

Is the 2022 GMC Sierra 2500HD Worth it? Which Sierra 2500HD is the Best Value? 

Zeroing in on hauling and towing as the 2022 GMC Sierra 2500HD’s strong suit, the trim that appears to be the best value would be the SLT ($57,895). 

Yes, it’s Pricier than the SLE, but it includes an HD rear vision camera and digital variable steering assist, both of which, combined with GMC’s other towing tech, make an already capable truck even more so without jumping beyond the $70,000 price point by going to the full-luxe Denali. This leaves room for options like the trailering system. The AT4 comes with some nice features that are optional on the SLT, but the value in that trim is strictly in appearance and options rather than added capability.

How Much Does it Cost to Insure the GMC Sierra 2500HD?

The GMC Sierra 2500HD’s insurance costs are on par with its competitors According to our research, a typical 30-year-old female driver with a clean record can expect an average annual premium of approximately $2,244 for a crew-cab SLT, though this averages all 50 states. That compares to $2,488 for the Ford Super Duty F-250 Lariat, $2,438 for the Ram 2500 Laramie and $2,292 for the Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD LTZ. To get a more accurate picture of your potential insurance expenses, visit our car insurance calculator.