William Maley

GMC's Denali lineup is going to get bigger with the introduction of two new models. First up is the 2017 GMC Canyon Denali. Like other Denali models, the Canyon version gets a number of chrome exterior pieces, polished exhaust tip, spray-in bedliner, and twenty-inch alloy wheels. The interior comes wrapped in Jet Black leather with heated and ventilated seats, wood trim, and a new instrument cluster. Now the Denali trim will only be available on the Canyon crew cab and come with the choice of either the 3.6L V6 or 2.8L Duramax Diesel. The Canyon Denali will go on sale late next year. Second is the Sierra Denali Ultimate, which GMC claims is the most luxurious pickup it has ever built. This version takes the standard Sierra Denali and layers on more equipment. The exterior boasts LED headlights, twenty-two inch chrome wheels, chrome tow hooks on both ends, and Tri-Mode Power Steps that make it easier to get in and out of the bed. GMC added more soft-touch materials and contrast stitching for the Denali Ultimate's interior. Base power will come from a 5.3L V8 with 355 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque. Optional with the 6.2L V8 with 420 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque. Four-wheel drive is standard regardless of which engine is chosen. GMC says the Sierra Denali Ultimate will go on sale sometime in the first quarter of 2016. Source: GMC Press Release is on Page 2 GMC Introduces 2017 Canyon Denali Exclusive design cues, content elevate industry’s first premium midsize truck DETROIT – Denali is the ultimate expression of GMC’s professional grade style, luxury and capability – and it is coming to the Canyon midsize truck. The 2017 Canyon Denali is being introduced today, ahead of its public debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show. It goes on sale in late 2016. “Canyon is the segment’s first and only premium midsize truck, offering unparalleled capability and efficiency matched with maneuverability and refinement,” said Duncan Aldred, vice president of GMC Sales and Marketing. “The all-new Canyon Denali builds on that award-winning combination with the distinctive styling, luxurious interior and elevated content that has defined the Denali nameplate since its introduction nearly 17 years ago.” Like all Denali models, the new Canyon Denali is distinguished with a unique chrome grille and unique wheels – 20-inch ultra-bright-machined aluminum wheels with painted accents. Exterior cues include chrome fog lamp bezels, five-inch-diameter rectangular chrome assist steps, a polished exhaust tip and a standard spray-in bed liner. The Canyon Denali will be offered in six exterior colors. Inside, a Jet Black interior features Mulan leather-appointed seats with perforated, heated-and-ventilated front seats – exclusive content in the Canyon lineup – along with unique instrument panel and console trim; and Denali-logo sill plates and floor mats. Standard technologies include Forward Collision Alert and Lane Departure Warning. Additional standard features include: Heated steering wheel GMC IntelliLink with Navigation, an eight-inch-diagonal color touchscreen and phone integration with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto OnStar 4G LTE connectivity with a Wi-Fi hotspot Automatic climate control Full-color driver information center Remote vehicle starter system Two USB charging ports on the rear of the center console ad another USB port inside the console. The Canyon Denali is offered on crew cab models and in two-wheel drive or four-wheel drive configurations. Powertrains include a standard 3.6L V-6 that tops competitors’ V-6 offerings with up to 7,000 pounds (3,175 kg) of maximum trailering and an Environmental Protection Agency-estimated 26 mpg highway on 2WD models. Also available is the all-new 2.8L Duramax turbo-diesel, which includes a maximum trailering rating of up to 7,700 pounds (3,493 kg) and EPA-estimated fuel economy of 31 mpg highway (2WD). It is the cleanest diesel truck engine ever produced by General Motors and meets some of the toughest U.S. emissions standards, thanks in part to a cooled exhaust gas recirculation system. The engine is paired with the Hydra-Matic 6L50 six-speed automatic transmission, which uses a unique Centrifugal Pendulum Vibration Absorber in the torque converter to reduce powertrain noise and vibration. Diesel models also feature smart diesel exhaust braking and an integrated trailer brake controller. Smart diesel exhaust braking enhances vehicle control and reduces brake wear by varying the amount of brakes needed for the vehicle, load and grade. The integrated trailer brake controller system works with the anti-lock brake system to provide immediate and measured brake force with the electronically controlled trailer brake system. GMC Sierra Denali Ultimate: The Pinnacle of Premium Unique 22-inch wheels, expanded package of standard content drives exclusivity DETROIT – GMC is taking the range-topping style, craftsmanship and capability of the Sierra Denali even higher with the 2016 Sierra Denali Ultimate. It builds on the Sierra Denali’s already class-leading attributes with a package of precision-crafted features designed to elevate its comfort, design and capability in the growing premium niche of the full-size truck market. GMC introduces the Sierra Denali Ultimate today, ahead of its public debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show. It goes on sale late in the first quarter of 2016. “The Sierra Denali has helped drive the growth of premium portion of the light-duty crew cab segment,” said Duncan Aldred, vice president of GMC Sales and Marketing. “This truck is the ultimate expression of the Sierra Denali with greater emphasis on the bold and refined presence and advanced features that make Denali models synonymous with precision and exclusivity.” Thanks in large part to Sierra Denali, which was redesigned in 2014, GMC commands 15.5 percent of the premium full-size truck segment, where average transaction prices exceed $55,000. The segment has nearly doubled in 2015 and grown tenfold since 2013, when GMC had zero percent of the market. In fact, Sierra Denali has helped GMC earn a higher share of the premium portion of the light-duty crew cab segment than of the overall full-size pickup segment. Unique features and more standard technologies The Sierra Denali Ultimate is offered exclusively on four-wheel drive 1500 crew cab models with either a 5’ 8” or 6’ 6” cargo bed. It is distinguished with 22-inch wheels with chrome or black insert), a standard sunroof, chrome tow hooks and standard technologies, including Tri-Mode Power Steps – that move rearward to serve as a step into the forward section of the cargo bed. Lane Keep Assist and IntelliBeam automatic headlamp control are also standard. Sierra’s 6.2L V-8/eight-speed automatic powertrain combination offers the light-duty segment’s highest output: 420 horsepower (313 kW) and 460 lb-ft of torque (623 Nm). Active noise cancelation technology contributes to a quieter driving experience and is featured with the 6.2L engine. A 5.3L V-8 with the new Hydra-Matic 8L90 eight-speed automatic transmission is the standard powertrain. An integrated trailer brake controller is standard on the Sierra Denali Ultimate and allows the driver to adjust the amount of output available to the electric trailer brake and to manually apply the brakes. Additionally, Sierra Denali’s standard, segment-exclusive magnetic ride control delivers more precise body motion control, for a greater feeling of responsiveness to the driver and a smoother ride for passengers. Its sensors “read” the road every millisecond, triggering damping changes in as little as five milliseconds in electronically controlled shock absorbers that replace conventional mechanical-valve shocks. Professional grade style and crafted interior In addition to the special content, the Sierra Denali Ultimate includes all of the crafted interior, advanced features and design elements of other Denali models, including body-color bumpers, chrome exhaust tip, unique interior decorative trim, a polished stainless steel exhaust outlet and a factory-installed spray-on bed liner with a three-dimensional Denali logo. It also wears new front-end styling introduced for 2016, including high-performance LED headlamps with GMC LED signature lighting, an all-new Denali grille and LED taillamps. The high-tech interior features an eight-inch-diagonal Customizable Driver Display – with Denali-themed screen graphics at start-up – that can show relevant settings, audio and navigation information in the instrument panel. Sierra Denali’s standard eight-inch-diagonal Color Touch navigation radio with IntelliLink, located above the center console, is the hub for Bluetooth-connected phones and portable devices connected through four standard USB ports. IntelliLink also features Apple CarPlay capability, with Android Auto capability coming later in the model year. Additional standard technologies and convenience features include: OnStar 4G LTE connectivity with a Wi-Fi hotspot Bose premium sound system Wireless phone charging – new for 2016 Remote vehicle starter system Remote keyless entry with new remote locking tailgate Power-adjustable pedals Power-sliding rear window with defogger Rear-vision camera with dynamic guidelines. The Denali Ultimate features premium soft-touch interior materials, aluminum trim and contrast stitching on the standard leather-trimmed interior – including 12-way power adjustable heated and vented front leather bucket and a heated, leather-wrapped steering wheel. 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Ahead of a November 20th deadline where Volkswagen must submit a plan to EPA about how they are planning to fix the nearly 500,000 vehicles with illegal emission software, Reuters has learned about a meeting between the EPA and officials from Volkswagen. According to sources, Volkswagen's powertrain development chief Friedrich Eichler will meet officials from the EPA and California Air Resources Board (CARB) to talk about the efforts being put forth by Volkswagen to fix the illegal vehicles. Sources go to say that officials from Audi will meet with the EPA and CARB in a separate meeting. Volkswagen and the EPA declined to comment about the meetings. Source: Reuters View full article

In a person’s life, there will be an event that happens on a rare occurrence. Seeing a comet streak across the sky or watching the Detroit Lions have a winning season. For those who care about the automobile, seeing a new Bentley or Rolls-Royce model being introduced counts as one of these events. Similarly, seeing an automaker introduce a new minivan can be put on that list. Very few automakers compete in the minivan class as it's dominated by the stalwarts such as Dodge Grand Caravan, Honda Odyssey, and Toyota Sienna. But once in a blue moon, a new minivan comes around to challenge them. Case in point is the 2015 Kia Sedona. Kia’s minivan underwent a massive revision and came back last year to try and take a nice chunk of the minivan marketplace. We spent a week in the Sedona SXL to see if Kia has a chance. Kia’s designers must have been impressed when Nissan launched the current Quest minivan a few years back. We mention that because that’s what the Sedona’s overall look reminds us of. Both vans feature a cargo van look with flat sides and a large area of glass. Where the Sedona differs from the Quest is the front end. There is a distinctive grille insert surrounded by chrome. A set of trapezoidal headlights flank either side with a strand of LEDs splitting the middle and running towards the outer edge. The Sedona’s interior follows the same template as Kia’s larger sedans, the Cadenza and K900, with a modern design and quality materials used throughout. Stepping inside our SXL tester and for a moment, we thought this was a luxury sedan, not a minivan. From the two-tone Nappa leather used on the seats to the solid feeling controls for the infotainment system, the Sedona oozes a lot of class. The Sedona can seat up to eight people through our SXL tester was equipped for seven due to the second row having the optional captain chairs. No matter which row you find yourself in, there is more than enough head and legroom for even the tallest of passengers. Those sitting in the second row of the SXL will be pleased as they can recline and bring up a footrest for that extra level of comfort. But much like the Toyota Sienna which had this feature, there isn’t enough space to pull this off for most passengers. In terms of cargo space, the Sedona isn’t quite as big as the Sienna. With all three rows up, the Sedona offers 33.9 cubic feet of space. Fold the third row down and space increases to 78.4. With the second row down, space measures 142 cubic feet. For comparison, the Sienna offers about eight more cubic feet of space. There’s also one specific problem for the Sedona SXL. The second-row seats cannot do the Slide-n-Stow (Kia’s name for the folding seat system) or be removed from the van because they are locked into place. This means you will lose a bit more cargo space. If you do want the maximum cargo space in your Sedona, stick with one of the lower trims. The Sedona SXL also came equipped with the latest version of Kia’s UVO infotainment system. As we have written in previous Kia reviews, this system is one of the best in terms of overall usability and performance. A simple interface with large touchpoints and redundant buttons is paired with quick performance in terms of moving from various functions to figuring our directions for the navigation. A number of OEMs would be wise to study Kia’s system. For power, the Sedona uses the 3.3L V6 found in the Cadenza and Sorento crossover. This V6 produces 276 horsepower and 248 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed automatic transmission gets power to the front wheels. The V6 moves the Sedona without any complaints. The automatic transmission provided smooth shifts and was quick to downshift whenever more power was needed, such as making a pass. In terms of fuel economy, the Sedona SXL is rated at 17 City/22 Highway/19 Combined. Our average for the week landed around 20.3 MPG. Now it should be noted that lower trims of the Sedona return better fuel economy numbers of 18 City/24 Highway/20 Combined thanks to lower curb weights. The Sedona’s ride quality is comfortable on most road surfaces, although the nineteen-inch wheels on our SXL tester did let in a few bumps. Road and wind noise were kept to a minimum. Despite the large size of the Sedona, we found it to be quite maneuverable thanks to light steering and an around-view camera system that provided different views to help us to get into tight parking spaces. Handling characteristics are what you would expect in a minivan, a fair amount of lean and not that much feel from the steering. If you want a little bit of sport in a minivan, then look at the Dodge Grand Caravan or Honda Odyssey. The Kia Sedona comes as a bit of surprise in the minivan marketplace. While the likes Dodge, Honda, and Toyota have a tight grasp on the class, Kia uses the formula that has propelled it to the spotlight time and time again; offering a sleek design with loads of equipment that won’t break the bank. Whether that makes a difference in the sales chart remains to be seen. But if you are considering a minivan and want to stand out from the usual suspects, the Sedona is very much worth your consideration. Disclaimer: Kia provided the Sedona SXL, Insurance, and One Tank of Gas Year: 2015 Make: Kia Model: Sedona Trim: SXL Engine: 3.3L DOHC GDI CVVT V6 Driveline: Six-Speed Automatic, Front-Wheel Drive Horsepower @ RPM: 276 @ 6,000 Torque @ RPM: 248 @ 5,200 Fuel Economy: City/Highway/Combined - 17/22/19 Curb Weight: 4,720 lbs Location of Manufacture: South Korea Base Price: $39,700 As Tested Price: $43,295 (Includes $985.00 Destination Charge) Options: SXL Technology Package - $2,700.00 View full article