Unlike the regular series of heavy-duty trucks from GMC, the diesel variants of the 3500HD Double cab range will only be made available in two trim, those being the entry-level Pro trim and the SLE. Prices for the rear-wheel-drive configurations of these trucks start from $53,250 for the Pro while the SLE gets a slightly marked up price tag of $56,080. Both trims will be available in an AWD configuration and this will set you back an additional $4300. GMC also offers a dual-rear-wheel setup irrespective of the configuration for $1,200 in case the payload exceeds the limit of the tires.

The standard equipment list on the 2022 GMC Sierra 3500HD Double cab is rather modest. The entry-level pro trims only get the basic creature comfort features and safety equipment, which is something that we expect from a work truck of this category. You get vinyl seat upholstery as standard with the front seats offering only manual adjustment. A 7 inch-infotainment system with six speakers with phone connectivity is the most futuristic thing you would find in the cabin. A 3.5-inch monochromatic driver information screen, cruise control, automatic locking rear differential, vinyl floor mats, cab-mounted cargo lights, and 18-inch steel wheels with all-terrain tires are some of the other kits that come from the factory. Mind you. GMC also offers a fully loaded Denali version of this heavy-duty truck, but that would be pushing up the base prices close to 70 grand.

 Which trim should you buy?

We would recommend the higher-spec SLE trim as it does add a whole lot of convenience and safety equipment to the truck for a premium of just under 3 grand. Moreover, the SLE trim is the only one here that offers a bunch of upgrade paths in the form of options, something which is unavailable on the base Pro trim. Talking about the drive train, if you are someone who is planning to stick to the roads, the rear-wheel-drive configuration will make more sense as it would obviously be more fuel-efficient.

2022 GMC Sierra 3500HD Diesel Double cab Release date

GMC Already has introduced their 2022 line of heavy-duty trucks and are available for configuration with pricing and productions have been said to have already begun. If that is the case expect deliveries to begin sometime towards the end of the third quarter of this year. Sending all this power to the wheels will be an Allison sourced 10-speeds automatic, which is both quick and at the same time extracts the best economy from this beast of an engine.

The 2022 GMC Sierra 3500 HD diesel comes with a 6.6L Duramax turbocharged V8 engine the pumps out nearly 445hp and an earth-shattering 910 lb-ft of torque at the crank. Most of the torque kick in form is as low as 1,600 rpm and the amount of thrust this truck offers is just unbelievable. The 10-speed automatic shifts through the cogs pretty fast and the short ratios mean that you would be gaining speed pretty quick.

This powertrain configuration will help this mammoth of a machine cross 60mph in just 6.6 seconds while the quarter-mile comes up in a flat 15 seconds. This might not seem all that fast for the outputs given, but when you factor in the 7,700-pound curb weight, you will truly appreciate these acceleration figures. The numbers are actually comparable to modern-day so-called “hot hatches” albeit in a straight line. Also, this truck comes with a tow rating of 14,500 pounds which is really impressive if you ask us.

The 2022 Sierra 3500HD and its twin sister, the Silverado, stand head and shoulders above the competition when it comes to real-world performance. The Ford F-350, despite being the one here with the best outputs on paper, does fall behind when it comes to pace, posting a 7.6-second run to 60mph, which is almost a second slower than the twins. This can be mainly attributed to the relaxed 10-speed transmission that Ford employs with this engine. That said, with a rated towing capacity of over 15,000 pounds, the Ford leads the trailering department. The Dodge, with its low output Cummins diesel, stays at the back of the pack with a 0-60 time of 8.4 seconds.

How well does the 2022 GMC Sierra 3500HD Diesel Double cab handle?

 Agility is not something that you relate to a 7,700 pound truck on a ladder frame and the 2022 GMC Sierra 3500HD diesel will be no different from its predecessor. Sitting almost 12 inches off the ground, the Sierra does face a considerable amount of wild body movements on steering input. The steering itself is light to operate but lacks any kind of communication from the front wheels. Also, the high-speed chassis stability is better than we thought it was, the numb steering did stand out like a sore thumb robbing away confidence.

 You cannot hide the size of this machine and it does take a lot of effort to jam it through the traffic. The light steering, which was a setback, does come in as handy in this case. We had a hard time getting used to the exterior dimensions of the old truck and scraping stuff is inevitable with the only available aid being the backup camera. The Automatic locking rear differential that comes in as standard does help the truck gain traction, especially on loose surfaces.

2022 GMC Sierra 3500HD Diesel Double cab Braking Performance

The 2022 GMC Sierra 3500 HD diesel will sport similar braking hardware as the outgoing model year. The front axles come with a pair of 14” rotors while the rear end gets bigger 14.7” rotors. All four wheels get ABS with traction control and stability program coming in as standard. The brakes are pretty decent and are capable of bringing the 7,700-pound machine to a halt in 145 feet. It is a pretty decent number for a truck of this category. The brakes do not feel all that strong and the pedal does feel a bit spongy. Also, the high levels of nose dive on emergency braking do not aid in boosting confidence.

The Silverado being one of the heaviest tracks here manages to perform decently when it comes to braking performance even though the braking hardware is more or less middling. The F-350 comes in close with a distance of 146 feet. What surprised us the most was the Dodge; even though it is one of the heaviest in this comparison, it managed to stop in just 140 feet, which betters the lightest truck here by at least 5 feet.

As the 2022 GMC Sierra 3500HD would share the same 6.6L Duramax diesel with the previous model year, expect the fuel economy figures to stay the same. This monster of a diesel engine is good for 18mpg on the highways. Inside the city, the maximum extractable efficiency falls to 12 mpg while you can expect around 14 mpg on the mixed driving condition. That said, the humongous 36-gallon fuel tank enables this truck to extract almost 648 miles from a single tank of diesel, which is pretty impressive by truck standards.

The GMC and the Chevy, sharing similar mechanicals and capacities manage to deliver the exact same figures on paper (may vary per user) with the best figure being the 18 mpg highway run. The Ford managed to come atop of the competition with the best figures thanks to the well-sorted 10-speed transmission. With a claimed highway efficiency of over 20 mpg, the F-350 manages to squeeze out an almost 680-mile tank range which is more than what the GM twins can return even though they have the biggest fuel tanks in this comparison.

The insides of the 2022 GMC Sierra 3500 HD diesel are standard affair just like any other GMC truck, but a bit scaled up in this variant. The base truck does come with vinyl seats with-way manual adjustments for the front two seats. A 7-inch infotainment screen with a 6-speaker audio system is the infotainment that comes as standard. It is pretty easy to use for the most part but the screen is placed at a bit of a reach as the base trim does not offer steering mounted controls. You get an option to upgrade it to the 8-inch version on the SLE trim.

The front seats come with ample room with 66 inches of shoulder room to spare. The 44.53 inches of legroom is also the biggest in its class. The rear seats also feel adequately big and can fit three abreast. Single Manual climate controls come standard and rear occupants do get separate blowers. A monochrome driver information screen comes standard with the base car while the SLE trim gets a 4” color unit.

The GMC and the Chevrolet offer the largest cabin and the best front seat experience in this comparison. It is pretty surprising to see the Dodge offering the best rear legroom in its class even though it has the least legroom in the front. The Ford does offer the best shoulder room at the front but falls back when it comes to the legroom on both rows. Being only available as long bed variants, the GMC and the Chevy offer the biggest loading bed with a rated capacity of 83.50 cu-ft. followed by the Fords 65.4 cu-ft. cargo bed. Some standard cabin features expected on the 2022 GMC Sierra 3500HD are:

• 7” GMC infotainment system
• Vinyl seat upholstery
• Vinyl floor mats
• 4-way manual adjustment front seats
• Single-zone manual air conditioning
• Leather-wrapped multifunction steering wheel (SLE)
• 4” color driver information center (SLE)
• HD rear-vision camera

What’s there to keep you entertained?

On the regular trims of the 2022 GMC Sierra 3500HD Double cab, you are pretty much limited to a 7” GMC infotainment system as standard. It gets coupled with a six-speaker audio system. Thankfully GMC has not skimped on the Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality as it comes in as a standard addition. The screen itself is not the most elegant or big, but at least it gets the job done. An 8” unit comes in as an option for the SLE trim if you are into bigger screens. That is pretty much everything on the media system. Some key infotainment features expected on the 2022 GMC Sierra 3500HD Diesel Double cab are:

• 7” color touchscreen
• 6-speaker standard audio system
• Android Auto and Apple Carplay
• Bluetooth
• GMC OnStar and Connected Access
• Steering mounted controls

Ever since the launch of the fourth generation, the GMC Sierra has been one of the better-looking heavy-duty trucks out there. That stays true to this date in our opinion. The prominent grille with chrome surrounds and the big red GMC logo sandwiched between two vertically set LED headlamps to give the truck a real presence on the streets. The signature C-shaped running light makes it stand out and be distinguishable.

The front and rear chrome bumpers do add a touch of bling and do raise the premium appeal of the truck. 18-inch wheels do feel a bit out of size for the huge proportions but the high stance does hide this oddity with all-terrain black wall tires do come in as a standard fitment This truck comes with the Multi-Pro tailgate as standard making loading unloading and accessing the cargo box easy.

The GMC Sierra 3500HD and the Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD, almost identical in dimensions, are the biggest and heaviest trucks in this comparison. This clearly reflects the amount of cabin space on offer in both these trucks. The twins also offer the best ground clearance here making it more practical and capable at the same time. The Ford does show a considerable advantage in the weight department but there seems to be no real advantage to that. Also, being the shortest truck here, cabin room does take a hit on the Ford. Some exterior features expected on the 2022 GMC Sierra are:

• LED headlamps with signature LED running lights
• LED tail lamps.
• Cabin mounts cargo light.
• Multi-Pro tailgate
• 18’ wheels with all-terrain black wall tires
• Chrome front and rear bumpers.

Since the 2022 GMC Sierra 3500HD or its predecessors has not undergone any kind of safety rating by the IIHs or the NHTSA. But from what we know from results based on the T1 platform, the chassis integrity of the Sierra series is pretty good. Its sibling, the 1500 series of trucks, which are based on the same platform did manage to score 4-stars in the NHTSA crash tests and while IIHS gave them an overall “Good” rating except for the medium passenger-side overlap and poor headlamp performance. GMC has packed in a lot of passive safety features into the truck but driver assistance features seem to be missed and only get offered as optional extras. Some safety equipment expected on the 2022 GMC Sierra 3500HD Double cab is:

• 6 airbags
• StabiliTrak electronic stability control
• Traction control system
• Tire pressure monitoring system
• Back-up camera
• Hitch guidance
• Auto emergency braking(o)
• Forward collision assist(o)
• Front and rear park assist(o)

2022 GMC Sierra 3500HD Diesel Double cab vs 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD

Both these trucks are identical based on what they have to offer both practically and mechanically. The Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD diesel does start at a lower price tag compared to the GMC 3500 HD Sierra Diesel, which is the only prominent factor favoring one. Picking one solely relies on brand preferences and design interpretations. If it were us, we would opt for the GMC just because of the fact that it looks better.

 2022 GMC Sierra 3500HD Diesel Double cab vs 2021 RAM 3500 Mega cab

Opting for a diesel engine in the Dodge does take its price well above the competition. Also, the fact that the RAM here is the least economical, least powerful, and has the smallest cargo bed makes it even more undesirable. You could get a GMC Sierra 3500 Diesel, add in all the options, and still manage to keep the prices under what Dodge asks as the base price for the diesel Ram 3500.

2022 GMC Sierra 3500HD Diesel Double cab vs 2021 Ford F-350 Super cab

The Ford F-350 SuperDuty does start at a lower price tag but for an extra 2 grand, you are getting a whole lot of truck more. The Sierra does come out with better space, performance, and equipment than the base F-350. The Ford does manage better fuel economy here, but that doesn’t count when you consider the whole thing as an entire package. If you want to get the best bang for your buck, chances are that the GMC would make you happier.

The new GMC Sierra 3500HD Diesel Double cab is undoubtedly the coolest looking full-size heavy-duty truck in the market, hands down. Moreover, for a price not that high from its competition, you are getting a reasonably equipped truck from the factory with no obvious points of cost cutting. Also, minding the fact that it is the most practical, spacious, and one of the most powerful trucks of its segment, the choice of going with the GMC Sierra 3500HD diesel, just makes the best sense.