GMC Has a New Off-Road King: 2023 Sierra AT4X AEV Edition
AEV works its magic to give GMC a beefier and even more off-road-capable Sierra 1500 AT4X pickup.
GMC is working with American Expedition Vehicles to make the 2023 Sierra 1500 AT4X even more capable. GMC calls it the most capable factory off-road Sierra ever thanks to the new AEV front and rear bumpers, skid plates, and upgraded wheels and tires. Plus it has more changes, both cosmetic and functional, that help make the Sierra AT4X AEV Edition stand out.
When GMC launched its AT4 trim level on the Sierra in 2019, the idea was a truck that offered some of the full-zoot Denali’s luxury appointments with less flash and more off-road capability. A truck that was better suited to gravel roads and the cottage driveway than a blinged-out, shiny chrome Denali truck.
AT4X Gets Short Run as Top Sierra
It didn’t take GMC long to outdo itself by debuting the Sierra AT4X. It’s an upgrade that gave the Sierra even more capability from the factory, including Multimatic’s magical DSSV spool-valve dampers. The AT4X was introduced just late last year along with Sierra’s 2022 facelift.
The Sierra 1500 AT4X gets a standard 6.2L V8 and 10-speed automatic. New springs with the DSSV dampers mean 2 inches more suspension travel in the front and an inch in the rear. There are electronic-locking differentials on both axles, a larger transfer case shield, and some interior upgrades like ash wood trim that you’re just going to coat with dust and mud anyway.
AEV Upgrades Reinforce Off-Road Mandate
AEV brings its more than two decades of hardcore off-road experience to the table to make the Sierra even tougher.
Stamped steel front and rear bumpers can take a beating on the trail, with heavy-duty recovery points if you need to get a little help or help someone else out of a jam. The front bumper comes with winch capability, and GMC shows the truck equipped with one.
Five new skid plates are made from boron steel. The high-strength steel plates protect the steering gear, transfer case, fuel tank, and rear differential. One hangs down behind the front bumper to protect sensitive parts of the truck exposed by the Sierra’s steep approach angle.
Laser-Engraved Wheels Leave Us Spinning
Eighteen-inch AEV Salta wheels are finished in gloss black with Salta and GMC laser-engraved in the face. The look of these wheels is more than enough to make them cool, but they are functional as well. They offer a recessed valve system that’s designed to make sure you don’t snag the sensitive stems on trail rocks.
The new wheels come wrapped with Goodyear Wrangler Territory mud-terrain tires. The 33-inch tires are a slight upgrade in diameter versus the Duratrac tires on the standard AT4X.
Fitting the new bumpers and larger tires means GMC has had to change the front grille and fascia slightly. At the same time, GMC fitted gloss-black door handles and a black inner tailgate to contrast the vehicle’s paint. There is AEV branding all over the truck, including on the bumpers and floor mats as well as headrest embroidery.
“The Sierra 1500 AT4X is an incredibly formidable platform when it comes to on- and off-road performance and capability,” said AEV CEO and founder Dave Harriton. “We took our signature approach to help elevate this truck’s inherent off-road capability to the next level. We are confident customers will love the result.”
AEV Edition Arrives Next Year
GMC is offering even more AEV upgrades as optional equipment. That list includes rocker panel protection and a bolt-on assist step that are meant to help you get in when you’re not off-roading.
The Sierra 1500 AT4X AEV Edition will be available “later in the 2023 model year,” GMC says. The pickup will offer a payload of 1,290 pounds and a max towing capacity of 8,700 pounds.
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