CALGARY, Alta. – It is not a stretch to say that Western Canada is a vital market for all automakers who sell trucks, particularly the full-size variety. 

This is especially true for the Detroit Three – Ford, GM and Stellantis – whose full-size pick-ups accounted for four of the ten bestselling new vehicles in Canada in 2025. 

Take GMC, for instance. The Sierra pick-up was not only the bestselling GMC vehicle in Canada in 2025, but it was also the top-selling GM vehicle overall, besting the Chevy Silverado. And its top sales market was Western Canada, which GM defines as Manitoba west to British Columbia. This territory is also GMC’s best sales region for its SUVs. 

In short, Western Canada matters a lot to GMC. The value of this market to the brand is exemplified in its relationship with the Calgary Stampede, the annual rodeo, exhibition, and festival that began in 1912, and attracts more than one million attendees each year. 

GMC has been a Stampede partner since 1986, and its presence is everywhere at Stampede Park, which includes GMC Stadium, a 17,000-seat grandstand. 

AutoGuide was recently invited to Calgary to sample several GMC products-listed below in the order we drove them- followed by a day at the Stampede. So, we strapped on our best cowboy hat and boots and hit the Rocky Mountain roads.

Here’s what we learned. 

GMC Sierra 2500 HD AT4X AEV

This truck is monstrous. Climbing in and out felt like a mountaineering exercise. At more than 20 feet (six meters) long, almost seven feet (two meters) wide, and six-plus feet (two meters) tall, the Sierra 2500 HD AT4X AEV, is one of the biggest trucks we’ve recently driven. 

Powered by a 6.6-liter Duramax diesel V8 engine that produces 470 horsepower and an eye-watering 975 pounds-feet of torque, this truck is ready for pretty much anything. We didn’t tow or haul, but rest assured, this thing can do both. Its payload rating is 3,411 pounds (1,547 kilograms), and it can tow up to 20,000 pounds (9,072 kg.) with a trailering package. 

We didn’t do any off-roading either, but the AEV edition – courtesy of American Expedition Vehicles – is capable of some serious overlanding. This is due to the presence of stamped steel, powder-coated front and rear bumpers, stamped-steel skid plates, and 18-inch AEV Salta wheels. This kit is layered on top of a standard 1.5-inch factory suspension lift, Multimatic DSSV dampers, rear electronic-locking differential, and 35-inch all-terrain tires.

On the road, this truck delivers a comfortable ride on smoother tarmac, but its heavy off-road spec can deliver a bouncy ride over rougher pavement. Our drive delivered smooth and not-so-smooth roads, and our Volcanic Red Tintcoat Sierra 2500 handled it well. We are quite impressed also with its luxurious, well-finished interior, and by relatively low noise volumes from the Duramax diesel.  

GMC Sierra 1500 Denali Ultimate

There were several Sierra 1500s to sample, so we chose one that involved towing. The Denali Ultimate pictured here was towing a 26-foot (7.9-meter) trailer that weighed 10,000 pounds (4,535 kg). Towing the trailer through a mountainous pass from the Calgary foothills to the village of Kananaskis, which sits at an elevation of 5,217 feet (1,590 meters) above sea level, proved to be a good test of the truck’s towing capabilities. 

Powering our Downpour Metallic Blue tester is GM’s venerable 6.2-liter V8, which produces 420 hp and 460 lb-ft. of torque. Paired with the V8 is a 10-speed automatic transmission. The truck can tow up to 13,200 pounds (5,987 kg.), so we figured it could handle the load without too much trouble. But we wanted to see how the truck would feel to drive carrying so much weight.

As it turns out, it handled the task quite well. We noticed some jerkiness under acceleration, but once up to speed at about 55 to 62 mph (100 – 110 km/h), our tester felt smooth and steady. In addition to coming loaded with premium features, like a wood and leather-trimmed interior, 13.4-inch infotainment touchscreen, and 12-speaker Bose audio system, our tester also has Super Cruise, GM’s hands-free driving aid.

GM has been steadily increasing the number of roads across North America that are compliant with Super Cruise, and we were pleased to see most of our drive route to Kananaskis is hands-free enabled. Despite the heavy load we were carrying, Super Cruise worked well to keep the truck and trailer at consistent speeds and did well to keep us in our lane. 

GM is currently the only automaker to offer hands-free trailering, a factor that makes the Sierra and Silverado more appealing. 

GMC Terrain AT4

Our final vehicle was the Terrain AT4. The Terrain is GMC’s entry-level SUV, and our Volcanic Red Tintcoat tester lands in the middle of the lineup, with Elevation at the bottom and Denali at the top. 

Powering all Terrains is a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine which puts out 175 hp and 203 lb-ft. of torque. Of note, the FWD Elevation produces 175 lb-ft., while horsepower remains the same. There are two transmissions available; a CVT for FWD Elevation, and an eight-speed automatic for AWD grades.

The Terrain was all-new for a third generation in 2025, which brought several changes that go well beyond a design refresh. Among the more noticeable ones to us are the digital displays. Standard on all trims is an 11-inch instrument cluster, and a 15-inch portrait-style infotainment touchscreen. Both offer pin-sharp resolution and are easy to configure for common tasks, such as phone-pairing and navigation.

Unique features for the AT4 include driver-selectable terrain mode, lifted ride height with front recover hooks, front skid plate with steel underbody shield, and 17-inch dark machined wheels with all-terrain tires. These are all standard, while a two-tone roof, and panoramic sunroof, are optional.  

On the road, the Terrain accelerates well and feels secure in normal driving conditions. We were strictly on pavement, so we can’t vouch for our tester’s off-road capabilities, but with its higher ride height, terrain mode and all-terrain tires, it appears capable. 

The Terrain’s cabin is quite impressive. Apart from the digital screens, our tester also comes with standard heated front seats and a heated steering wheel. Its touch points feel just as premium as those in the trucks we drove, which is impressive given the Terrain costs less than half as much as the pick-ups. 

The Calgary Stampede

The Calgary Stampede is a real feast for the senses, and is quite a spectacle to behold, even if you’re not a cowboy or cowgirl person. We’re not, yet we still had a great time watching chuckwagon and relay racing (the latter is simply wild), and an incredible grandstand show which featured a diverse lineup of bands, entertainers, acrobats, and other performers. Plus, there were more fireworks than you’re likely to see on the 4th of July.

GMC’s presence is hard to miss, as its name is all over the grandstand, and there is a big auto show-level display in the midway area. The brand really pulls out all the stops for this event, but given how important Alberta and Western Canada are to GMC’s business, it makes sense. 

After four decades of partnering with the Stampede, it appears to us that they’re looking to stick around for another 40 years or more.

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