LaFontaine Buick GMC Dearborn

May 10, 2024
A black 2024 GMC Sierra 3500 Denali HD towing a large trailer.

There is likely a way to calculate the total number of possible combinations of options and features across the 2024 GMC Sierra 3500 lineup. However, when looking for a GMC Sierra 3500 for sale, you’re likely more interested in hearing about the features in detail rather than reading a one-number answer.

It wasn’t very long ago that a truck wearing a “heavy-duty” badge was outfitted with only the bare necessities; crank windows and an AM/FM radio were pretty much the height of luxury in bigger trucks. But today’s 2024 GMC Sierra 3500 HD proves that not only are those days very much in the past but that today’s heavy-duty trucks are perfectly capable of being well-mannered daily drivers. Take a look at some of the Sierra 3500’s possibilities to consider how you might configure your ideal version of this heavy-duty pickup.

An Overview of the 2024 GMC Sierra 3500

What is the 2024 GMC Sierra 3500, and what makes it such a big deal? Well, the Sierra 3500 is a big deal because, simply put, it’s big! Offered in regular cab, extended cab, and crew cab configurations, drivers can also opt to make it a “dually” by selecting available dual-rear-wheel models.

What comes standard under the hood is a generous 6.6L V8 engine that provides 401 hp and 464 lb-ft of torque. Previously paired with a standard six-speed automatic transmission, 2024 models now come with an Allison ten-speed automatic transmission. The addition of this transmission is designed to provide smaller gear steps, thus saving fuel and increasing low-speed torque.

Diesel lovers can select the newly-updated 6.6L Duramax Turbo-Diesel V8 option. Also joined by the Allison ten-speed automatic transmission, this engine is good for 470 hp and a massive 975 lb-ft of torque. A properly equipped Sierra 3500 HD can tow up to 36,000 lbs or get a payload capacity of up to 7,290 lbs. For many drivers, that’s enough to get the job done; with the standard V8, though, drivers can at least get 19,150 lbs of towing might.

The brown leather front seats in a 2024 GMC Sierra 3500 Ultimate HD for sale.

Notable Trims for Every Driver’s Enjoyment

There once was a time when heavy-duty truck drivers had a choice between “just the basics” and “slightly more enjoyable.” Today’s drivers have far more options. The 2024 GMC Sierra 3500 is offered in six trims: the Pro, SLE, SLT, AT4, Denali, and Denali Ultimate. New for 2024, too, is a seventh variant: the new off-road warrior AT4X, bringing incredible terrain capabilities to the lineup of this heavy-duty model.

Power-operated windows are now the standard, as is Bluetooth connectivity and the Sierra HD Pro Safety suite of driver assistance features, which includes Forward Collision Alert with Following Distance Indicator, Front Pedestrian Braking, and Automatic Emergency Braking, along with IntelliBeam automatic high beams and the Lane Departure Warning.

From there, however, the adventure begins with greater prospects. The luxurious Denali and the off-road-ready AT4 trims still exist, but GMC has taken them to the next level for 2024. Case in point, the brand-new Sierra 3500 Denali Ultimate combines premium features, luxurious touches, and the latest and greatest in convenience technology. With an outside clad in Vader Chrome and High Gloss Black accents and an exclusive interior designed in Alpine Umber with leather and Paldao wood, the Denali Ultimate offers what many trucks in its class cannot.

Denali Ultimate drivers also get some utterly stunning accouterments, like sixteen-way power-adjustable massaging front seats, a twelve-speaker Bose premium sound system with Centerpoint surround technology, a power sunroof, a rear camera mirror, and a 15.0-inch multicolor head-up display.

But maybe mud and grit are more your style. In that case, the brand-new AT4X might be a better fit. Equipped with a factory-installed 1.5-inch suspension lift with 35-inch Goodyear Territory tires to help you clear strange terrain, along with steel skid plates, rear e-locking differential, Multimatic DSSV dampers, and custom control arms and steering knuckles. A new Off-Road driving mode can also be called upon to calibrate throttle, transmission, and torque when the going gets rough.

This trim’s interior design palette is known as “Obsidian Rush,” and it includes full-grain leather upholstery, as well as massaging front seats because self-care is as important off-road as it is on the pavement.

An open MultiPro tailgate on a black 2024 GMC Sierra 3500 Denali HD.

Make This Heavy-Duty Pickup Your Own

While GMC offers the 2024 Sierra 3500 in more trims than ever before, this legendary manufacturer still knows that time spent on the road is best spent in comfort. After all, why can’t heavy-duty pickup drivers have the same depth of lush options as drivers of other models?

Each model can be enhanced with GMC’s bountiful customization packages. For example, the Snow Plow Prep/Camper Package allows drivers to ready their Sierra 3500 for intensive work, with additions like a 220-amp alternator, extra underbody skid plates, and heavy-duty front springs to accommodate serious pushing and pulling.

Each trim also has its own array of additional features, as well. The Pro Convenience Package adds GMC’s EZ Lift power lock and release tailgate, LED cargo bed lighting, and rear-window defogger. The SLT trim is up for many optional bonus features, including comfortable ventilated bucket seats, heated rear outboard seats, a wireless charging pad for compatible smartphones, and a Bose premium sound system with a Richbass woofer.

Trailering preparation is also a big deal for big trucks, so GMC has provided the Sierra 3500 with an array of options to make trailering and towing much easier. The available ProGrade Trailering System can be tailored to your specific needs, including up to fourteen potential camera views of bed and bumper hitches with in-screen zoom capability and Transparent Trailer Views for gooseneck or fifth wheel trailering.

Driver assistance features such as Side Blind Zone Alert and Adaptive Cruise Control can also be tuned to accommodate trailers with extra sensors surrounding the trailer and technology that calculates trailer size and braking distance, affording drivers extra peace of mind when dragging giant loads behind them—and when you’re pulling 36,000 lbs behind you, any extra peace of mind is welcome!

The All-New 2024 GMC Sierra 3500 HD

If you’re still working on calculating out all of the potential combinations of cab, bed, engine, trim, and optional packages, feel free to continue crunching those numbers; however, if you’re suddenly inspired to start shopping for a 2024 GMC Sierra 3500, we can’t blame you for skipping the accounting.

For too long, drivers who needed their trucks for heavy work have had to have separate vehicles for work and personal life. With the numerous updates to the GMC Sierra 3500 HD, that separation is no more. The 2024 Sierra 3500 is ideal for driving anywhere and everywhere—especially if you option for an off-road trim or optional off-roading package.

When we spend all day behind the wheel, our comfort is key; having all of the tools we need to get the job done is also important; perhaps most of all, we all want the peace of mind that comes with making a good investment. Today’s heavy-duty trucks are more capable than ever, yet more comfortable and driver-friendly than ever, too—especially the GMC Sierra 3500 and the seemingly endless list of options that allow drivers to make it their very own truck.