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$67k vs $80k: Chevy Silverado High Country vs GMC Sierra Denali Ultimate

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Comparing the Chevy Silverado High Country vs GMC Sierra Denali Ultimate reveals just how much you get for an extra $16,000.

Both of these GM trucks have nicer materials, advanced driver and safety features and more standard options than a lower trim truck. They seem similar, yet putting them on video next to each other and the Chevy Silverado High Country vs GMC Sierra Denali Ultimate are not as close as they seem.

Chevy Silverado High Country vs GMC Sierra Denali Ultimate exterior

For this comparison, I had a week long press loan of the GMC Sierra Denali Ultimate and compared it to the Chevy Silverado High Country I recently bought for the channel.

Starting with the exterior, I was thinking the Chevy Silverado High Country vs GMC Sierra Denali Ultimate exterior comparison would be simple. Why? Two words: Vader Chrome.

This new type of chrome finish really stands out on the Denali Ultimate and gives the truck a much more upscale look.

Plus the 22″ wheels found on the Sierra further make the luxury statement as standard equipment and you have to option up to 22″ wheels for the Silverado.

The Chevy has the traditional bow tie and I can’t help thinking a blacked out bow tie would give it a better look and make it more comparable to the Sierra.

Finally, the Denali Ultimate can be optioned up with a Carbon Pro bed, a type of carbon composite that is nearly indestructible and should never rust. In a tour of the facility that builds it, they mentioned it might even survive a Nuclear blast and after banging on it with a sledgehammer, attempting to cut it from the box frame with power tools, hammers and whatever else they could find, I tend to agree.

Inside comparison

Once inside the trucks, they are pretty similar with the dash layout being nearly identical. From the interior storage, second glovebox addition, the secret storage compartment found in the middle of both outboard rear seats, they are truly twins, except one is prettier than the other.

Prettier in a truck? Yup. The Denali Ultimate takes the same interior and changes out all the hard plastic for Alpine Umber interior with full-grain leather seating and plaited contrast stitching. Then, there’s the 16-way adjustable seats, heat/cool and massage feature and the suede headliner.

There’s also all the easter egg references to Mount Denali found in the cabin like the Denali Ultimate metal bad on the front seatbacks and doors with topography of the famous mountain. The authentic open-pore Paldo wood is found throughout the cabin and with Exclusive Denali Ultimate metal badging on front seatbacks and doors.

Finally, the 12-Speaker Bose Premium Sound system should handle everything from Beethoven to Tupac Shakur.

For the Chevy Silverado High Country, it also has a Bose sound system, albeit 7 speakers only, real wood trim and its own upscale Ares leather seating surfaces.

Sadly, no massage seat option for the High Country and no special engraving of topography.

Engine and technology differences

For both the Silverado and Sierra, they come with a similar array of engines and technology.

Both of these trucks can be purchased with either the 3.0-liter LZ0 Duramax Diesel or the 6.2-liter V8. However, the Silverado High Country can also be purchased with the 5.3-liter V8 while the Denali Ultimate doesn’t offer that engine choice. All engines are mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission.

They are also offered with a myriad of camera views, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert and braking. The Denali Ultimate can be optioned up to include GMC Super Cruise, a semi-autonomous self driving technology that also can change lanes for you.

The bottom line

All of these differences, plus a variety of smaller ones I might have skipped over, comes out to a $16,000
up-charge for the Denali Ultimate. Is it worth it? That depends on what you want to do and get out of your truck purchase.

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Tim Esterdahl

Automotive Journalist Tim Esterdahl has been a lover of trucks and SUVs for years. He has covered the industry since 2011 and has pieces in many national magazines and newspapers. In his spare time, he is often found tinkering on his '62 C10 pickup, playing golf, going hunting and hanging out with his wife and kids in Nebraska.

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1 Comment

  1. Jim Rice March 23, 2023

    Over priced who can afford that. They don’t back their products. Look at the AFM and the transmission problems. lm a Chevrolet person. Disappointed. How about the frames rusting out. I thought it was the best company ever. Sad indeed by now you’d think they could something to be proud of.

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