The pickup truck market is stagnant. Last year, pickup truck sales totaled 29,937 units, a drop of 5% from the previous year’s sales of 31,508 units. However, there is a model that stands out in this stagnant market: the GMC Sierra, launched by GM.

The domestic pickup truck, the SsangYong Rexton Sports, recorded sales of 25,905 units, a rise of 0.35% from the previous year’s 25,813 units. While the domestic pickup market has maintained a healthy level, imported pickups have seen the opposite trend. The total sales for imported pickups were 4,032 units, down 29.2% from the previous year’s 5,695 units.

The Chevrolet Colorado’s sales fell to 2,848 units, a decrease of 24.1% year-over-year. The Gladiator saw a drop of 40% with only 566 units sold, while the Ford Ranger Raptor and Ranger Wildtrak recorded declines of 16.6% and 50%, respectively. The imported pickup market continues to see negative trends.

Amid this, GM has launched the GMC Sierra. The Sierra is the first luxury pickup truck introduced in Korea under the GMC brand, marking a significant milestone for GM.

The Sierra boasts several advantages over its competitors. With dimensions of 5,890 x 2,065 x 1,950 mm, it is the largest pickup available in South Korea. Its wheelbase of 3,765mm offers the most generous space among pickups sold locally.

The Sierra is a luxury pickup truck. Features like natural leather seats, open-pore wood finishes, and aluminum chrome accents enhance its premium feel.

Additionally, it minimizes driving stress. The 13.4-inch high-resolution color touchscreen, the 12.3-inch driver’s display, and the 15-inch head-up display significantly reduce driver fatigue.

The Sierra also offers powerful performance, featuring a V8 6.2-liter engine that delivers 426 horsepower and 63.6 kg.m of torque, paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. It stands out as the strongest performer in the domestic pickup market. Moreover, the Sierra incorporates GM’s exclusive Dynamic Fuel Management system, which deactivates cylinders not in use at low speeds, greatly improving fuel efficiency.

Various safety features are also included, such as adaptive cruise control, an automatic emergency braking system, and a forward pedestrian detection braking system.

The domestic price for the Denali trim is 93.3 million won, and the Denali X-Special Edition is priced at 95 million won, which is nearly equivalent to the starting price of $73,100 (around 92.76 million won) in the U.S. Furthermore, the Denali X-Edition is a model exclusive to the South Korean market, equipped with a LED black GMC emblem, GMC projection lamp, tailgate step lighting, and front and rear mud guards.

Considering the dedicated edition trim model sold only in Korea, it might be cheaper to purchase domestically than in the U.S. The initial response in Korea has been positive, with 100 units selling out on the first day of contracts. In response, Korean GM emphasized, “We are working with our headquarters to secure more inventory for the domestic market.”

In a dull pickup truck market, the Sierra emphasizes its position as a differentiated luxury pickup truck. Everyone is watching to see if the unique Sierra will elevate the domestic pickup truck market to new heights.

Lee Sang-jin daedusj@autodiary.kr