If you’re looking for a premium utility vehicle, then the GMC lineup is teeming with options, offering a wealth of aspirational sub-brands packed to the gills with high-end features. Among these are Denali, Denali Ultimate, AT4, and AT4X. Now, GM says that these four sub-brands made up more than half of GMC sales so far in 2023.
For those readers who may be unaware, the AT4 and AT4X sub-brands are focused on off-roading capability, with the AT4X offered as the top-level off-roading trim, while the Denali and Denali Ultimate sub-brands are focused on luxury, with the Denali Ultimate offered as the top-level luxury trim.
Several GMC models offer two, three, even all four of these sub-brands as individual trim levels, as laid out in the table below:
| Acadia | Canyon | Hummer EV Pickup | Hummer EV SUV | Savana | Sierra 1500 | Sierra HD | Terrain | Yukon | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elevation Edition Package | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | X | - |
| Elevation Trim Level | X | X | - | - | - | X | - | - | - |
| AT4 | X | X | - | - | - | X | X | X | X |
| AT4X | - | X | - | - | - | X | X | - | - |
| Denali | X | X | - | - | - | X | X | X | X |
| Denali Ultimate | - | - | - | - | - | X | X | - | X |
| Hummer | - | - | X | X | - | - | - | - | - |
Now, according to GM, these four sub-brands made up 51 percent of all GMC sales in 2023 as of August, making for the highest premium trim level penetration ever.
Notably, the 51-percent penetration figure is a significant increase compared to the 46-percent penetration for AT4 and Denali sub-brands recorded for all GMC sales in the U.S. during the 2022 calendar year. The ratio was even higher in Canada during 2022, where AT4 and Denali sales accounted for 55 percent of all GMC brand sales.
“Now, we’ve been in the market for a couple of decades on Denali, and sold over a million Denalis in our lifetime,” said Buick GMC Global Vice President Duncan Aldred during a presentation earlier this year. “AT4 came along a lot later when we launched the new version of the Sierra four years ago, and really that was an insight of customer trends changing a little bit, and mostly just wanted a more rugged look and more capability as well.”
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Comments
Until we get that long overdue economic correction.
People buy gmc over chevy because of the denali trim. the numbers simply reflect that.
not sure what the purpose of the at4 trim is tho. but that’s a new one. denali been around for a looong time
They are the nicest looking but this just tells GM keep prices high
Chrome bumpers!
What is. Canyon Denali Ultimate?
Well I hope the 2025 Terrain AT4 looks more “ready” than the current one. It needs a little lift like the Bronco Sport Badlands and Compass Trailhawk. Current one looks like a low-rye-duh, but I like the trim details.
I’ve been selling GMC vehicles since 1998. It amazes me how we will sell MORE 75k and up GMC Sierra 1500 Pick Ups than we would sell 60k and below.