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When a new Chevy Silverado comes, a fresh GMC Sierra inevitably follows. The General Motors twins share a lot—engines, platforms, and the like—but they’re more distinct than ever now with the three-letter brand going further upmarket. The 2027 Sierra Denali Ultimate is proof, but before we dive into what makes these rigs so fancy, let’s cover the basics.
GMC has restyled the half-ton Sierra’s exterior with a striking headlight design similar to the electric version. Rather than relying entirely on the LED signature to give it shape, the lamp is physically thin at the top before making a downward turn where it grows wider and wider. Each trim—Pro, Elevation, AT4 and AT4X, then Denali and Denali Ultimate—gets its own grille as well.
You could argue that the interior matters just as much as, if not more than, the exterior in half-ton trucks these days. GMC knows this, which is why it went whole-hog on the 2027 Sierra’s cab. A 16.3-inch center screen is the obvious focal point, and on the top-trim models, it even articulates like it’s on a swivel TV mount. That’s bolstered by a 12.2-inch digital gauge cluster to the left and an available 11.5-inch passenger screen on the right. Factor in the 15-inch heads-up display and 8.5-inch rearview mirror with a camera feed, and you’re over 60 inches of screens in this thing. But don’t mistake “more screens” for “more luxury.”
GMC doubled down this time around with forged wood on the Denali Ultimate, not to mention trim-specific colorways and stitching details like a topographic pattern on the seats and door cards. That truck also shares an available 16-speaker Bose sound system with the AT4X, rocking a pair of speakers inside the driver and front passenger headrests. I’ve only seen that before on Yukon Denali Ultimate and Infiniti QX80, but I might be missing some other luxury vehicle. (Update: Some Ford F-150s with the B&O Unleashed Sound System have them too!)
Another key interior update is the MultiPro center console. It folds and flips to provide deep storage or a flat-top work station while also housing two available MagSafe wireless chargers. And because the shifter is on the column, GMC didn’t have to design a fancy folding lever like Ford did for the F-150.
The 2027 Sierra 1500’s powertrain lineup is identical to its Silverado counterpart’s, with the new 5.7-liter and 6.6-liter small-block V8s as crucial additions. The 2.7-liter TurboMax four-cylinder remains the standard engine on lower trims, while the 3.0-liter Duramax diesel inline-six sticks around as well. We don’t have any official power numbers for the next-gen gas V8s yet, but GMC echoes Chevy’s claim that the 6.6-liter is the most powerful naturally aspirated engine in the full-size pickup segment.
A 10-speed transmission is the lone option now as GM ditches the eight-speed on TurboMax trucks.
GMC hasn’t left its off-road models, the AT4 and AT4X, alone for 2027 either. New this year are increased tire sizes—34-inch Goodyears on the non-X truck and 35-inchers on the top dog—as well as Multimatic Jounce Control Dampers to accompany the DSSV units that make the X and Silverado ZR2 so special. You’d be hard-pressed to find a snazzier four-wheeler than this.
We don’t know how much the new Sierra will cost yet, but expect those details, along with the small-block power specs, to come before the end of the calendar year. GMC plans to launch the 2027 model by then, but that’s as specific as the automaker cared to get.
Got a tip or question for the author? Contact them directly: caleb@thedrive.com
From running point on new car launch coverage to editing long-form features and reviews, Caleb does some of everything at The Drive. And he really, really loves trucks.
