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What could make spending a few days in the beautiful northeast Canadian Province of Newfoundland better? Spending it driving the new 2019 GMC Sierra. Spacious, comfortable and smooth-riding, the Sierra Denali was a joy to experience, as a driver and passenger.

Steady and Smooth

Exploring the countryside through curves, hills, small towns roads and highways, it was easy to forget I was riding in a truck. The “brace yourself” moments when you expect to jerk to the side, or feel the dreaded bed bounce never arrived. Redesigned from the ground up, the new Sierra Denali has Adaptive Ride Control, a Denali-exclusive, that adjusts damping for exceptional control and ride.

Impressive Bed Access and Functionality

By far the most functional feature is the MultiPro Tailgate. This six-function tailgate makes loading, stepping, hauling and working easier with just a few quick steps. Have trouble getting up into the bed? In addition to the steps built into the rear side bumpers, the MultiPro tailgate has an inner gate that folds out to a step. An extendable pole located in the bed acts as a helping hand for climbing up or down. The tailgate also has a position for second-tier loading, a load-stop barrier, standing workstation, and easier access to items in the bed when the inner gate is folded down, enabling a further reach into the bed. The MultiPro tailgate is standard on Denali, SLT and AT4.

Load the truck bed so high you can’t see behind you? A segment-first rear camera mirror is available. The mirror functions as a regular rearview mirror that can turn into a camera mirror to provide a more unobstructed view. While nighttime use of the mirror results in some image fuzziness, daytime resolution is bright, crisp and clear.

A personal favorite is the new Prograde Trailering System designed to help ease the process of trailering for rookies through professionals. The advanced camera technologies provide hitch guidance through a hitch view mode that allows the driver to zoom in on the hitch and provides guidance lines for easy positioning. Side view cameras integrated into the side mirrors provide a view down the side of the truck and trailer for greater visibility during lane changes or when backing up. An available, third-party seller auxiliary camera can also be mounted on the rear of the trailer to display on the center screen.

Enhanced Safety Technology Offerings

New car and truck buyers want safety features and 2019 Sierra delivers. Front pedestrian braking, lane change alert with side blind zone alert and rear cross traffic alert are available. Sierra also offers surround vision to assist with parking and visibility during low-speed maneuvering. I love head-up displays and Sierra’s segment-first Multi-Color Head-up Display is wonderful. Larger than their previous version, the 3-inch by 7-inch display projects key, customizable vehicle data such as speed, infotainment, phone and navigation, on the windshield.

Family-Friendly Rear Seat Storage, Spaciousness and Comfort

As a soccer mom/chauffeur of teenagers, interior spaciousness, storage and rear comfort features don’t go overlooked. The new Sierra also has a longer wheelbase, providing about 3 inches more rear legroom than its predecessor. The rear seat also has a convenient and very innovative seatback compartment for storing those little items you want to always have with you (love this!), but don’t want out in view or in the way. New rear seat air vents keep rear passengers comfortable.

The 2019 GMC Sierra is an impressive truck for the truck buyer but also gives SUV buyers who could use the additional functionality of a pickup a very reasonable option that doesn’t compromise in comfort, styling or features.