Category: Motoring

Mikano Motors has revealed the identity of the brand new, luxury SUV from its Geely Nigeria lineup by launching a limited time presale offer to all. The latest addition to the Geely Nigeria family is named Azkarra aka “The Gamechanger”; an embodiment of Geely’s commitment to technological advancements in the automotive industry.

The Azkarra is available in Nigeria in two trims, the Azkarra Platinum Pro and the Azkarra Titanium. For both trims, the engine, transmission, platform and suspension are co- developed with VOLVO.

The Azkarra makes a mature and elegant statement with bold, distinguished lines on the exterior and a spacious interior that boasts of the finest Italian Nappa leather on the Platinum Pro trim. The leather seats are specially crafted to provide muscular support to the waist, shoulders and thighs of driver and passengers alike, making for an incredibly comfortable ride

The luxuriousness of the Azkarra is apparent in the sensory playground that is the cockpit. 42 different colour choices of ambient lighting, the biggest skylight panoramic sunroof in its segment, smartphone wireless charging and the mirror link feature that allows you replicate your phone screen on to the large 12.3 inch infotainment panel are a few of the special details that add to the satisfying drive the Azkarra delivers. The 360 degree panoramic camera, just like the Geely Coolray, provides a bird’s- eye view of your surroundings- a great plus for better navigation.

As with the other cars in the Geely lineup, the noise and vibration from the Azkarra is virtually non- existent due to the high- quality sound insulation materials that shield the car from external noise, keeping the cabin a sanctuary for peace and isolation even when cruising at high speeds. For all those who enjoy listening to music while driving, this noise isolation emphasizes the premium sound system for a crisp, distinct audio experience. Highly responsive pedals and tactically placed controls define the fluidity of the Azkarra, while the suspension system from Borg- Warner proffers a great shock absorption effect for the enhanced comfort of the occupants.

The Geely Azkarra builds up on the Coolray’s successful entry onto the Nigerian auto scene, further highlighting Geely’s prowess for developing innovative mobility solutions. It is a true testament to Geely’s design ethos for building “refined rides for everyone”.

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo has inaugurated a Toyota-certified service centre in the Oshodi end of the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, Lagos.

The state-of-the-art facility built by Toyota Nigeria Limited (TNL) is described as a legacy project comprising a standard showroom, a collision repair centre, a general repair workshop with sophisticated equipment and a spare parts warehouse.

Osinbajo said with the level of sophistication and deployment of modern technology at the facility, the centre stands out as a milestone achievement that would contribute immensely to the development of the auto industry and the nation’s economy.

He said: “I must confess to being quite fascinated by the multiple resources and outcomes that this facility possesses and is designed to achieve.

“It is not merely a service centre for providing quality after-sale service (although we are told that is one of the objectives for establishing it); it is actually developed as a teaching, research and resource centre, to provide dealers with world-class, practical hands-on training.”

The Vice President said the capacity building aspect of the facility tallied with a number of skill acquisition and empowerment schemes of the Federal Government for young Nigerians.

He commended the TNL team led by its chairman, Chief Michael Ade-Ojo for the visionary project saying: “We must all be proud of the achievements of Toyota Nigeria in the past decades. Toyota is by far Nigeria’s favourite car. But it came to be so because of the foresight, commitment to high values and focused investments of Chief Michael Ade-Ojo, the founder and visioner of this foremost automotive enterprise, starting over 50 years ago with the establishment of Elizade Motors.”

Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo, said the centre showed the commitment of TNL towards addressing the concerns of its consumers.

“Today’s event is a manifestation of the enabling business environment created by this administration,” he said.

The minister added, “Nobody hopes for a collision or looks forward to repairing their cars but when these challenges do arise, knowing that there is a place that one can take one’s car to, and it will be operated on by the manufacturer gives consumers peace of mind.”

He reiterated the ministry’s commitment to complementing the efforts of Toyota Nigeria in reviving the auto sector.

Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mrs Folasade Jaji, said the centre was a clear statement of the TNL’s commitment to the continuous growth.

“The modern technology and equipment available within the facility will boost the capability of the  technicians and impact positively on the drive to improve our capacity as a nation in science and technology,” the governor said.

Chairman of the TNL, Chief Michael Ade.Ojo, described the event as memorable one that gave him fulfilment.

Managing Director of the TNL, Mr Kunle Ade-Ojo, said following the movement of the corporate headquarters of the TNL to Lekki, Lagos, in 2009, the company decided to convert the old office to a standard after-sale centre.

He said apart from providing quality maintenance service, genuine spare parts and standard showroom for Toyota vehicles, the facility would serve as a resource place “for market study to gather data on market dynamics and obtain feedback on customers experiences and expectations.”

He said the centre would help in bridging the demand/supply gap for quality after-sale service by vehicle owners in Nigeria.

Ade-Ojo stressed that the company had entered into partnerships with some of the world-leading relevant firms to ensure the service delivery at the centre would be driven by global best practice processes and well-trained certified technicians.

CIG Motors in partnership with Polaris Bank has introduced ‘Easy Buy’, an affordable vehicle finance scheme meant to make vehicle acquisition and ownership easier for its teeming customers, prospects and fleet buyers in the country.

The auto giant and the bank announced the scheme at a joint briefing in Lagos.

The ‘Easy Buy’ auto scheme offer is applicable to GAC models which include GA4, GS3, GN8, GS4 and GS8 models. They can be accessed in all CIG Motors accredited dealers nationwide.

CIG Motors’ General Manager, Sales, Mr. Jibril Arogundade said: “The partnership with Polaris Bank is in line with our strategy and direction of making vehicle acquisition, a seamless experience for Nigerians and essentially to assist prospective customers to buy brand new vehicles.

“The Polaris Bank/CIG Motors partnership is intended to ease vehicle acquisition and assist customers to take advantage of the offer. What we are simply doing, is to help prospective buyers eliminate the burden of sourcing funds in one fell-swoop to buy a new car.”

Polaris Bank’s Executive Director, Lagos Business, Mr. Segun Opeke, who signed the Easy Buy scheme MOU between Polaris Bank and CIG Motors, said the partnership will make brand new vehicle acquisition, and ownership seamless.

Polaris Bank’s Group Head, Products and Market Development, Mrs. Adebimpe Ihekuna said: “The Easy Buy scheme is a seamless plan for desiring customers – Individual and SMEs.” Leveraging our technology capability, processing time is swift, less than 24 hours.”

Mrs. Ihekuna stated that the ‘Easy Buy’ scheme is to give Polaris Bank customers the opportunity to secure low-interest bank credit for the procurement of at a hugely-discounted CIG Motors’ GAC range of vehicles.

“You can now walk into any Polaris Bank branch to apply for credit to buy your choice GAC cars and thereafter, pay conveniently. The ‘Easy Buy’ scheme has convenient monthly repayment tenor of up to 60 months,” she said.

The Nation learnt that there is a zero per cent interest freeze between six and 12 months on the GAC Motors models. This will apply from date of funds disbursement of the ‘Easy Buy’ scheme which customers would enjoy in addition of free comprehensive insurance for the first year, free vehicle registration and five years’ warranty, among other mouth-watering benefits.

As the nation’s roads grapple with the menace of unwholesome mini commercial buses bolted together by unlicensed ghost auto assemblers, a genuine and tropicalised alternative is already on sale in the country.

Known as Changan Star 9, its body language is that of a rescue mission. Characterised with safety, body strength, practicality and powerful engine with fuel efficiency, Changan Star 9 is positioned to be a game changer in the nation’s mini buses segment by Zahav Automobile Co., Nigeria’s official representative of Changan automobile brand.

In the process of making the Star 9 mini bus, Changan took the body through integrated stamping technology (a process of making sheets or plates of different thicknesses into the desired shape by mechanical stamping or ramming and does not change the thickness of the original material during the manufacturing process). As a result, the mini bus comes with an improved steel formality and body strength.

With a dimension of 4430 mm long, 1655 mm wide with a height of 1935 mm, Star 9 rolls out with a body held in place by panels made with integral stamping technology, which means an improved torsion resistance.  Practically, when driving, one can clearly feel a sense of heaviness from the inside out.

Named according to seating capacity available for sale in Nigeria, Changan Star 9 is by no means ‘mini’ inside. Rather, it is magically spacious, with versatile sitting formations.

A spacious multiple-seater, Changan Star 9 is not only roomier than its peers; it offers multiple seating arrangements for 2, 5, 7, 9, 11 passengers, thereby maximising space efficiency.

For instance, its middle row of seats, which comes with simple adjuster, can be completely flattened.

Its rear seats also come with flexible and simple adjuster, thereby making it easy to adjust the load space according to the needs of passenger or load.

Positioned as a leader for business passengers and urban logistics, the Star 9 mini bus is powered by the highly reliable 1.5L I4, MPI gasoline, 14G15S engine mated to a traditional 5-speed manual gearbox. The engine produces a maximum output of 82 kW at 6000 rpm and maximum torque of 130 Nm at 5000 rpm. Therefore, in addition to excellent power performance, Star 9 also combines reliability and efficiency into one clever package.

And when on the road, Star 9’s mid-mounted rear -drive results in a flexible and minimum turning radius. That added to its electronic assist system, the Changan Star 9 is fun to drive.

Star 9 comes with two-colour central control panel, which gives occupants a comfortable visual experience. It is also equipped with front row electric window, classic round knob air conditioner adjustment, storage compartments, lockers, and two user-friendly cup holders, among others.

Aside from being powered by a highly reliable and efficient 1.5L I4, MPI gasoline, 14G15S engine, the Star 9 parades a strong body and ruggedness combined with affordability, all of which make it the best choice for the nation’s small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and logistic concerns.

Also, the said qualities position the bus as an excellent alternative for the nation’s commercial transporters, especially those who had over the years invested their hard earned money on unsafe buses amateurishly knitted together by the unlicensed ghost auto assemblers.

Stallion NMN Limited, Nigeria’s exclusive representative of Nissan brand, has officially revealed the new Navara pickup truck to its Nigerian customers.

Held on Friday evening at the Oriental Hotel, Lekki, Lagos, the Navara Customer launch attracted corporate, government and individual customers from across the country.

In his keynote address at the occasion, the General Manager of Stallion NMN Limited, Mr. Amit Sharma, described the launch of the new Navara as a continuation of his company’s journey towards transforming Nigeria into a notable hub for manufacturing and distribution of Nissan vehicles.

According to him, Stallion-Nissan is ever conscious of what he described as Nigeria’s incredibly huge potential, hence its resolve to keep investing in the nation’s automobile industry.

He recalled: “In 2013, Stallion NMN Limited, a subsidiary of Stallion Group, partnered with Nissan Motor Corporation with the aim of transforming Nigeria into a notable hub for manufacturing and distribution of Nissan vehicles.

“Barely a year after the Stallion-Nissan agreement, Nigeria’s then newly revived auto policy received a boost of a Nissan Assembly plant located at our VON Automobiles complex in Lagos.

“From the plant, the first locally assembled Nissan Patrol was rolled out in 2014. Since then, we have significantly invested in local production of other vehicles, including Nissan Almera, NP300 Pickups and Urvan NV350.

“The foregoing have meant enormous economic benefits to Nigeria and Nigerians, especially in terms of 100s of direct and indirect jobs and enhanced technical skill for a good number of Nigerian workers via provision of world class training.

“As a result, Nissan brand recorded a significant boost in market share. And, in 2015, Stallion NMN won prestigious Nissan Global Sales Award for exceptionally growing the market share by 18 per cent.

“That’s not all. Stallion-Nissan Alliance also yielded vast Corporate Social Responsibility benefits for Nigerians. These include supporting the government’s efforts to reduce the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on citizens as well as far-reaching donations towards government’s efforts at tackling insecurity in the country, chiefly government security agencies in Lagos and its surroundings.”

Notwithstanding the prevailing global economic set-back occasioned by the pandemic, Amit assured Nigerians that Nissan would not relent in its efforts to bring the best of the auto innovation and affordable tropically modified vehicles to Nigerians.

“With our esteemed customers, we are ready to take the brand to the next level,” he assured.

To this end, Stallion-Nissan, according to Sharma, has embarked on new model introductions, covering a range of passenger, commercial and other specialized vehicles for the benefit of individuals, government departments and businesses in Nigeria.

“One of them,” he stated further, “is the all-new Nissan Navara, which we are launching this evening.

“Interestingly, the new Navara, which is now available for sale in the country, comes with capability to withstand even the toughest tropical terrains of Nigeria.

“Do you know why? It is made in Africa for Africa. It is tough and smart. In fact, it is the toughest Navara Nissan has ever built.

“It offers premium comfort, all at a price that provides customers great value for money.

“As our eyes and ears across the country, we have no doubt that you our loyal customers, will play your part and take the good news to the end users.”

Leading ride-hailing platform, Bolt, and pan-african autotech platform, Fixit45 have announced partnership to enable ride-hailing drivers access autocare, vehicle repair and maintenance services.

This, the duo said, would reduce mobility disruption and drive income optimisation.

The partnership is premised on Bolt’s dedication to redefining urban mobility by helping people move seamlessly and empowering partners to improve their earnings and Fixit45’s avowed commitment to building a seamless autocare and auto-repair, maintenance services, fleet management and so much more.

This subscription-based service plan for drivers on the Bolt platform guarantees unfettered access to quality auto services that include autocare, vehicle repair and maintenance from Fixit45’s service network across the country. Other benefits include access to repair financing, discounts on spare parts, unlimited diagnosis, periodic car wash and tire services.

Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, Fixit45, Justus Obaoye said it is imperative that concerted efforts are made towards mitigating disruptions in that space.

“As a platform that enhances mobility experiences, Fixit45 has collaboration in its DNA. As such, we are excited to partner with a market leader in the ride-hailing space in oiling the wheels of progress. This service plan ensures that drivers’ inactivity often occasioned by vehicle operational downtime is minimised while increased earnings, improved vehicle reliability, and quick service turnaround time are some of the perks that come with this partnership. This partnership with Bolt is poised to keep the lights of the Nigerian economy on,” Obaoye said.

Bolt’s Country Manager Femi Akin-Laguda said: “At Bolt, our promise of improving the experience of our drivers has been central to our continued success in Nigeria. Our commitment is reflected in our constant effort to build new avenues that help make our drivers and fleet partners more profitable. This partnership will improve the access of our partners to cost-effective autocare, repair financing and so much more. We do not select our partners or partnerships frivolously; working with Fixit45 on this project will help our drivers keep their cars in great conditions and save them a lot of time and money in maintaining their vehicles leading to better experiences for all our customers, be they drivers or passengers.”

Fixit45 co-founder/Chief Technical Officer Abdulazeez Ogunjobi said: “With technology increasingly contributing to the development of mobility, strategic engagements like this will help make life easier and put both firms at the forefront of driving change.

‘’We are driven by our overarching purpose which is to facilitate the exchange of goods and services, thereby enabling value creation for all participants and this partnership bolsters our mandate. It is heart-warming to note that we are helping stakeholders see that we are not here to compete but here to facilitate and enable the fix that makes every car owner happy.”

Lanre Shittu Motors said it has taken many dropouts and area boys out of the streets through its auto skill training and employment scheme for school leavers.

The auto firm has also extended similar but advanced training skills to young graduates interested in pursuing career in automotive industry. In total, the frontline auto industry player stated that over 450 of such Nigerians have benefitted from the schemes.

Executive Director of Lanre Shittu Motors, Taiwo Shittu,  said part of the empowerment scheme of the auto company was to help beneficiaries secure decent jobs with good salaries.

He said: “The company has contributed a lot to the economy especially when it comes to manpower, training and empowerment of young Nigerians. We have an empowerment scheme for school leavers who have passion for automotive development. They are trained for a period of four years and get paid even while on training.

“After the training, we send them to our customers across the country to service them. We ask them to be employed, accommodated and paid well. In some cases, they are given a car and placed on a good salary that we dictate. We are getting good testimonies from those we sent to Kano, Bauchi, Ondo and Cross River states, among others.

“These are people that would have been bus conductors, touts or motor boys, now heading a facility of 300 to 500 trucks.”

Shittu added: “We have some people sending interested young graduates and school leavers to us for training. For instance, Desmond Elliot, a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, sent 10 people from his Surulere constituency to us for the scheme.”

He called on the government at various levels to invest and utilise the abundant, but untapped local skills, especially among the youth to develop the automotive assembly industry.

According to him, Nigerians have the skills; they just need the support of the government; this is what will make the industry to develop.

He stressed the need for the generation of leaders to invest and make sacrifice for the development of the next generation just like the Chinese did.

‘’In those days, many people looked down on the Chinese and derided them for looking haggard and wretched. What they did not know was that, they were making sacrifice for the current generation. Today, the China’s story has changed. Nigeria also needs to do same,” he said.

The new Mercedes-Benz S-Class is automotive luxury experienced in a new way. Built on the legendary and traditional engineering expertise that has defined the luxury segment in the automobile industry for decades, the S-Class is the top tier model for Mercedes-Benz saloon cars.

With a handful of world’s first and innovations, the S-Class can be indulged with all the senses – seeing, feeling, hearing and smelling. This heightens the pleasure of driving with innovations that focus on people and respond to the needs of its driver and passengers.

The S-Class premieres the second generation of the MBUX (Mercedes-Benz User Experience). Since its introduction, MBUX has continued to revolutionise the cockpit in Mercedes-Benz cars. With MBUX, the S-Class is even more digital and intelligent, as both the hardware and software make great strides with brilliant displays on up to five large screens, in part with OLED technology. This makes the control of the vehicle and comfort functions even easier in comparism to its predecessor. The voice assistant “Hey Mercedes” has increased its capabilities in intuitive learning and with dialogue. “Hey Mercedes” now also explains vehicle functions and answers general knowledge questions. In the S-Class, the voice assistant can also be controlled from the rear.

The MBUX Interior Assist is another new addition to the all-new S-Class, one can now enjoy contactless ease of operation, as this innovative system detects and interprets the hand and arm movements. As such driver can activate selected functions in a matter of seconds. As part of this, the system is able to differentiate between driver and front passenger. The S-Class highlights a digital-analogue revolution in the interior, which has fully evolved into a “third place”, a refuge between home and workplace. The sculptured look of the dashboard, centre  console and armrests appear to float above an expansive interior landscape. The systematic reduction in the number of controls underscores the minimalist appearance of the interior. The desired harmony between digital and analogue luxury results in a revolutionary interior design, including associations with interior architecture and yacht design elements. The driver display and media display offer a comprehensive aesthetic experience. The appearance of the screens can be individualised with a choice of four display styles (Discreet, Sporty, Exclusive, Classic) and three modes (Navigation, Assistance, Service).

The seats literally invite the occupants to sit down and relax. The flowing, three-dimensional layer design theme gives an impression of lightness. Ten different massage programmes are available in the new S-Class. These use the vibration motors, and can enhance the effect of a relaxing massage with warmth on the hot-stone principle. The Burmester sound system provides multi-dimensional surround sound. 3D Surround Sound is created with the help of special Burmester algorithms and two loudspeakers integrated into the headlining. Mercedes-Benz has now realised interactive interior lighting for the first time. The active ambient lighting is now integrated into the driving assistance systems, and is able to reinforce alerts visually.

The exterior design of the S-Class illustrates modern luxury in its most desirable form. With a short front overhang, a long wheelbase and a balanced rear overhang, the S-Class is designed as a classical saloon with perfect proportions. Other unmistakable exterior features include the stretched bonnet, the upright front end with the mounted star, the long passenger cell and the flowing C-pillar with its sculptured shoulder. The Multibeam Led headlamps characterise the front aspect of the car. They have the three-point daytime driving light signature that is typical of the S-Class, but this is flatter and somewhat smaller overall. The flush-mounted door handles are a completely new development. They are electrically extended when the driver approaches, or the outer surface of the door handle is stroked. The sophisticated wheel designs (size 18 to 21 inches) also accentuate the side aspect of the exterior.

In the S-Class, the powertrain comes with more electrification and more efficiency. The S-Class saloon is currently powered by systematically electrified six-cylinder in-line petrol engines in various output classes and the V8 engine returns in the 580 4MATIC model. The 500 4MATIC is powered by a 6 in-line, M 256 engine, running on an output of 320kW/435hp and a peak torque of 520nm. EQ Boost provides a further 250 Nm of torque as well as 16 kW (22 hp) for a short period. While the 580 Airmatic’s V8 M 176 engine runs on an output of 370kW/503hp and a peak torque of 700 nm. The powertrain in the new S-Class is coupled with the 9G-Tronic automatic transmission. It also comes with Airmatic air suspension with continuously adjustable damping ADS+ as standard equipment.

In the new S-Class, Mercedes-Benz takes another big step closer to its vision of accident-free driving as the driver is supported by numerous new and/or extended driving assistance systems.  The driver thereby has a reduced workload in day-to-day situations, and is able to drive comfortably and safely. The following are the key new features of the systems in the S-Class: Active Lane Keeping Assist, Active Distance Assist Distronic, Pre-Safe Impulse Side and Active Parking Assist with Parktronic. Another major innovation in the new S-Class is the introduction of frontal airbags for both rear occupants for the first time. During severe frontal collisions, the rear airbag can considerably reduce the loads acting on the heads and necks of occupants on the outer rear seats.

Chief Executive Officer of Weststar Associates Limited Mirko Plath, said: “Mercedes-Benz has upped the game with regards to technology and luxury in the automotive industry with the introduction of the all-new S-Class, not compromising on the philosophy of this historic Mercedes-Benz brand they have managed to yet again create an envy for all. The interior with the new MBUX is a particular highlight our clients will enjoy, as well as the introduction of the electric powered EQ Boost, we hope to serve as many who wish to acquire the new S-Class which is now available at our authorised showrooms nationwide.”

Hyundai’s fast start in the year continues at pace with a third major awards success in January.

The Hyundai Santa Fe has been hailed ‘Large SUV of the Year’ in the prestigious 2022 What Car? Car of the Year Awards. The What Car? judges also named the Hyundai i10 ‘Best Small Car for the City’ and the Hyundai TUCSON ‘Best Family SUV for Practicality’ in the magazine’s ‘Best Buy’ categories, in which Santa Fe also won ‘Best Plug-in Hybrid for Big Families’.

The new Hyundai Santa Fe, provides ample seating for a family of seven, drew praise from the What Car? judges for a raft of improvements, which have elevated the elegantly styled, high-technology SUV to another level.

What Car? Editor, Steve Huntingford, said: “Hyundai has proven that small changes can make all the difference, with the addition of hybrid and plug-in hybrid power options turning this already good large SUV into a great one. Running costs are reduced and refinement improved. Plus, you still get a well-controlled ride, outstanding value for money and a nicely finished interior with seating for seven.”

Offered with a range of highly efficient petrol engines that ensure impressively low running costs, the Hyundai i10 benefits from the same sophisticated technology and intelligent safety systems found on the marque’s larger models. Backed by a five-year unlimited mileage warranty, like every Hyundai, the i10 is designed and engineered to meet whatever challenges the road throws at it, a fact that was clearly not lost on the What Car? road test team when putting the car through its paces.

What Car? Editor, Steve Huntingford, added: “Living in the urban sprawl demands specific attributes from a car. These include light controls to take the effort out of manoeuvring, for example, as well as a peppy engine and a ride that’s comfortable enough to soak up potholes with ease. And the Hyundai i10 excels in all these areas. However, don’t go thinking that it’s only good at low speeds – once the road opens up, it impresses with nicely weighted steering and plenty of grip.”

Before being hailed, What Car? ‘Best Family SUV for Practicality,’ the Hyundai TUCSON’s industry accolades included Car Buyer ‘Car of the Year’, Auto Express ‘Mid-Size SUV of the Year’ and Scottish Car of the Year ‘Best Family SUV’, the Hyundai Tucson offers a broad range of cutting-edge petrol, mild hybrid, hybrid and plug-in-hybrid drivetrains, combined with, as What Car? highlighted, unmatched family appeal.

Ashley Andrew, Managing Director of Hyundai Motor UK, said: “Hyundai’s success in the 2022 What Car? Car of the Year Awards is especially gratifying as it highlights the appeal of our vehicles, from our smallest car, the i10, to our largest SUV, the Hyundai Santa Fe. It really reinforces the strength of our current range which offers customers a wide range of choice to suit their individual needs.”

• With additional reports from What Car? Magazine

The Sierra 2500HD’s design isn’t quite as impressive. It is roomy and comfortable, but the quality of materials and attention to detail can’t match the competition. But overall, Sierra’s approachable infotainment interface, impressive trailering tech, and available safety features help to keep it in the hunt.

Truck buyers upgrade to a heavy-duty pickup primarily for extra towing and hauling capability, and the 2022 GMC Sierra 2500HD delivers when compared to its light-duty Sierra 1500 sibling. The 2500HD’s maximum towing capacity measures 18,500 pounds, which is 5,500 pounds more than the Sierra 1500.

However, when drivers stack the GMC up against rivals from Ford and Ram, it can’t quite match the F-250 Super Duty or the Ram 2500 for outright capability.

That means the Sierra 2500HD must rely on customer loyalty and design to entice buyers. Styling is subjective, but the 2500HD has the chrome-dipped big-rig look down thanks to a massive grille, a bulging hood, shiny bumpers and huge side mirrors. Steps carved into the cargo bed and bumpers emphasise the utilitarian appearance, and GMC says the Sierra 2500HD’s deep cargo box offers best-in-class volume. The available MultiPro tailgate, which has segmented parts that open in a few different ways, is useful too.

Unless drivers prefer to drive a Sierra 2500HD regular cab, which comes only in the Pro and SLE trims, the Sierra SLT is recommended in either double-cab or crew-cab configuration.

A heavy-duty full-size pickup truck, the Sierra 2500HD is available in five trim levels, three cab styles and two-bed lengths. Additionally, GMC offers a choice between two engines, one gas and one diesel.

Drivers will choose from regular-cab, double-cab (a four-door crew cab but with a smaller rear seating area) and crew-cab configurations paired with a 6.8-foot or 8.1-foot cargo bed. The Sierra Pro is the basic work truck, while the SLE adds appearance and equipment upgrades. The leather-lined SLT is next, followed by the off-road-ready AT4 and the plush Denali.

A 6.6-litre gasoline V8 engine (401 horsepower, 464 lb-ft of torque) is standard, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. A turbocharged 6.6-liter diesel V8 engine (445 hp, 910 lb-ft) is optional and uses a 10-speed automatic. Four-wheel drive is optional for the Pro, SLE and SLT, and it comes standard on the AT4 and Denali.

Highlights of the base Pro trim include 17-inch steel wheels; Trailering hitch;  Manually adjustable trailering mirrors; Locking tailgate and spare tire carrier;   40/20/40-split front bench seat; Vinyl seats and floor coverings; Manual windows and door locks; 7-inch touchscreen infotainment display; Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration

The SLE adds more convenience features, such as: 17-inch alloy wheels; Upgraded exterior trim; Power-adjustable, heated trailering mirrors; MultiPro configurable tailgate; Integrated brake trailer controller (allows adjustment of a trailer’s brakes from the cab); Cloth seats and carpeted floors; Front under seat storage; Cruise control; Power door locks and windows; Remote keyless entry; 8-inch touchscreen infotainment display and Connected services including a Wi-Fi hotspot

But the SLT added styling, comfort and convenience features, including: 18-inch alloy wheels; All-terrain tires; LED foglights; Power-folding and -extending trailering mirrors; Cargo bed lighting; 120-volt power outlets on dashboard and in cargo bed; Keyless access with push-button engine start; Remote engine start; Dual-zone automatic climate control; Leather seats; Power-adjustable front seats with driver’s seat memory; Heated front seats and heated steering wheel and High-definition backup camera with Hitch View angle

GMC also equips the Sierra 2500HD Denali with numerous safety features, many of which are also available on other versions of the truck: Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios);   Lane departure warning (alerts you if the vehicle begins to drift out of its lane);   Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert (warns you if a vehicle is in your blind spot during a lane change or while reversing); Surround-view camera system (gives you a top-down view of the Sierra 2500HD and its surroundings for tight parking situations); Parking sensors (alert you to obstacles that may not be visible in front of or behind the vehicle when parking) and Safety alert seat (vibrates to bring added driver attention to safety alerts).

Similarly, many of the standard features on the upper trim levels are available on the lower trims as options. Other major extra-cost upgrades, depending on the trim level, include: Head-up display (displays important information in your sight line onto the windshield); Trailering camera system (can display multiple trailer-based camera views on the touchscreen to aid with towing); Digital rearview mirror (allows you to see out the back even with a fully loaded cargo area); X31 off-road package (upgraded suspension, skid plates, hill descent control) and Power-retractable assist steps with LED perimeter lighting.