So we purchased a 2021 Denali 3500HD at the end of last year. Like the supermodel girlfriend, she is a stunner. Carbon Black Metallic. Spent 3 days doing initial detail and ceramic coating. Here's the problem, she may look great, but if she doesn't make for a good home life, then you gotta kick her to the curb. Another buddy of mine has one and more colorfully likened it to the "Crying Game" reveal.
What to like: Exterior is fantastic. Sharp looking truck. I didn't want the retractable running boards, but after having lived with them, the are great. They put the step further away from the truck making it easier to use and better split the distance to the ground. Loved the tech and cameras. 10 speed and L5P Gen 2 are wonderful.
What I didn't like. The hood is really tall so corner visibility kinda sucks.
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Deal Killers:
Primarily cab ergonomics. I am 6' 2" ~200lbs. Tall but not crazy tall. I could never get the wheel down where I could rest a elbow on: 1. My leg 2. Left side arm rest 3. Center console. I could never get the wheel low enough and not block half the dash.
Seat Adjustment. GM removed 1/2 or more of the front seat pitch adjustment. If you adjust the seat up to the higher side, the front starts rolling off and there is no mid-thigh support.
Seat Comfort. Feels like they took the springs out of the seat and just put a hunk of hard foam there.
Ride: What a Bouncy SOB! I think in order to meet the ever-growing towing capacity wars, GM upped the spring rate to the point that empty or even towing my 4500lb trailer, it bounced down the road like a Spaulding basket ball.
This isn't to bag on anyone else that loves their 2020/2021. We're picky with my hip issues and my wife's back, we can't take the pounding that we did 20 years ago.
This is however, to bag on usual crap management at GM. They spend all this money and time to build brand loyalty, then piss it away by letting the cost accountants go after the very things that build the brand. The Denali interior is indistinguishable from the LTZ interior. The seats and comfort are downgrades from the 2019, all the while continuing to drive prices into the stratosphere.
They build these brands so that people like us just go get the new model without cross-shopping the competition. If you're happy, why leave? Not this time. We're going to keep the 2019 for a while and start doing our homework looking at the Dodge and Ford. GMC needs to earn our business on merit next time.
Anyway, we got this 2019 with 36k miles and an extended bumper-to-bumper and power train warranty from the previous owner. Driving home it was so much tighter than our 2011 and so much smoother than the 2021. Hopefully for the next refresh, GM can get their $hit together.
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