2014 GMC Sierra: 'Glamping' In Style

In recent years the Oxford English Dictionary has seen its hallowed pages invaded by scores of modern words that, despite their improbable origins and loosest possible claims to legitimacy, have achieved recognition by this cherished tome. To their number we may soon be adding 'glamping,' a term that describes 'glamorous camping,' or what GMC had me experience earlier this month as part of my first drive of the 2014 GMC Sierra.

The all-new 2014 GMC Sierra (and its Chevrolet Silverado counterpart) is an important truck for General Motors, especially given the recent spate of full-size pickup redesigns that have made their way to the market. Why, exactly, did GMC take me and a motley crew of other automotive journalists 'glamping' in California in order to show off the newest addition to its line-up? To prove to me that, when compared to the Silverado, the Sierra is aimed at what the General perceives to be a very different truck customer.

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Home Away From Home

The 2014 GMC Sierra has been identified as the pickup of choice for what General Motors refers to as 'focused achievers,' individuals who like to look good when doing the best possible job they can. There's a fair bit of marketing-speak buried in that descriptor, but given that vehicle segments are more often defined than grown organically, I can't fault GMC for trying to put a name on its ideal buyer.

Now that we know what a 'focused achiever' would drive, the next glamping-related question becomes 'where would they sleep?' The answer to that particular query was given to me in the form of a seven-metre Airstream trailer. Hewn out of polished aluminums, and looking to all the world like the fuselage of a 50s-era private plane, this Airstream represented the latest and greatest in a line of camping trailers that stretches back for decades.

Not only was the Airstream handsome and luxuriously decked out inside, it was also attached to the 2014 GMC Sierra I had been given to drive within an hour of landing in Los Angeles. I immediately too part in a trailering academy at a local airstrip, in which I learned the ins-and-outs of manoeuvring the truck with a 2,200 kilogram trailer along for the ride. The GMC Sierra's integrated trailer brakes and anti-sway control were put to the test through a series of emergency lane changes, slaloms, and even a couple of reverse sections that had me using every single neuron of my mental capacity in order to fit the Airstream into a tight, 90-degree slot defined by arrogant pylons and a couple of jeering barrels.

Heading Up The Highway

After being declared the recipient of a GMC certificate in trailer towing (no actual documentation exists to prove this credential), my traveling companion and I were turned loose on the Pacific Coast Highway to make our way just north of Santa Barbara, California, where we would be staying at a seaside RV park. This was my first true test of the Sierra's towing ability outside of a controlled environment, and the vehicle's fresh 5.3-liter V8 engine was more than up to the task of pacing the flow of traffic around us.

California law limits those with trailers in tow to 90 km/h, which meant that we didn't need all of the Sierra's 355 horsepower and 383 lb-ft of torque (made possible via direct injection and variable-valve timing) to cruise at a comfortable speed. Tow/haul mode on the truck's six-speed automatic also made short work of the few hills we encountered on our trip. In all honesty, I barely felt the Airstream stuck to my rear bumper, and the camper really only made its presence known when I studied my mirrors in an effort to change lanes as gracefully as possible.

Handsome On The Outside, Spacious On The Inside

Once the Airstream had been carefully parked at GMC Base Camp, I had time to take better stock of the 2014 GMC Sierra's new look. Some have been critical of the retro elements that are definitely visible in the Sierra's fresh sheet metal - particularly the blocky fenders and front grille - but overall, the pickup's buff attitude is clean and pleasing to the eye. I was also impressed with practical elements such as the steps hewn into each corner of its rear bumper, a detail which made it easy to access the cargo area.

The passenger compartment of the GMC Sierra is suitably enormous. The model I drove during most of my glamping experience was an SLT-trim Crew Cab, which meant four full-size doors and seating for five adults in absolute comfort (I also had the chance to test out a six-passenger Crew Cab). The materials used on the dash and door panels was suitably soft while still feeling rugged enough for daily work use, and the leather upholstery (heated and cooled, of course) was quite comfortable. The truck also offers an overwhelming amount of interior storage, with more than one pocket carved into each door, dual glove compartments, and one of the deepest centre consoles you could possible imagine.

The 2014 Sierra's upscale interior hints at the premium separation between GMC and Chevrolet, and is indeed one of the truck's most pleasing aspects. Throw in the easy-to-use GMC MyLink infotainment system, and the available Denali luxury trim - which we got to look at, but not drive - and it's clear that the brand is quite serious about pursuing a more affluent buyer with this pickup.

Still Competitive After All These Years

It's no secret that the previous-generation Sierra was getting a little long in the tooth, which is a big part of why the 2014 GMC Sierra's redesign was so hotly anticipated. When evaluating this truck, however, it's important to temper one's expectations. In a sense, the new Sierra is more of a good thing, with its evolutionary styling complemented by a very comfortable interior and ride quality, as well as a trio of much-improved engines (including a revised 4.3-liter V6 that takes smoothness and power to a level never before seen in a six-cylinder GMC truck).

There's no tectonic shift here, however, that will disturb the current full-size truck order. The GMC Sierra continues to offer a great blend of practicality and power available in a near-premium package, and this should help the truck maintain its place in the current pickup pantheon. It's also the only truck out there that has ever taught me a brand new word.