My local dealership text me last night to let me know of several High Country editions that arrived. I had a 2014 5.3 loaner for 10 days while the tranny in my 2011 6.2 was being repaired and had nothing but praise for motor and tranny performance. The interior and quality of ride was outstanding as well so I could not wait until I could test drive a 2014 with 6.2 to see if the engine and tranny improvements were on par with 5.3.

Immediate disappointment, definitely not the quantum leap I expected based on my 2014 5.3 experience. I was too bummed to even give my opinion back to my friend at the dealership. I'll likely go back again this week and share my experience with the dealer and likely drive another 6.2 and maybe this will be different. So disappointed that I had to double check it was indeed a 6.2. He said the LTZ 6.2's hitting his lot in January so I'll have some time to reevaluate and reserve some HOPE that another truck will be drastically improved.

I can say for certain without hesitation that my tuned 2011 6.2 would spank the vehicle I test drove. To be clear, the dealer knows that I was looking for performance so I put in 2/wd and punched from dead stop and did get wheel spin but not much. The tranny shifted 1-2 at 5400 rpm and was not inspiring at all like the 5.3 was.

Don't want to bust anyone's hopes of 6.2's but rather just a heads up to be more scrutinizing that overzealous. Remember, I want one BIG TIME but gotta have the power along with the amenities to part with $50k

 

Well that's disappointing.

I would think with the torque it makes it would have been noticably stronger than the 5.3 you tested out.

Is it possible the gears were just a lot longer than the other 2, making this one feel lazy? Maybe catching the right gear at the right speed you would have a different opinion?

I don't know, I'm just trying to look at it as half full rather than half empty.

 

About what I expected to hear lol. I am waiting for some max trailer 6.2's to show up on lots and have no expectations. I want tire melting torque which they claim they have but expect to experience what the OP felt. Doggy, kinda slow and not motivating enough to drop the money they want. If they do perform I hope they allow the cloth seated trucks to get the 6.2 next year like the transistion from 2009 to 2010 with the L9H.... oh and a permanent fix to shut off the traction control and stabilitrack at all speeds like the GMT900'S......

 

I know my dads 2014 5.3 and that 2014 6.2 me and my brother drove aren't even in the same ball field! That 6.2 will run! We couldn't take off in 2wd even from a 20 punch. It would roast the tires! I wonder if you got a reject 6.2? Ha I hope so for your sake. But I think they will run pretty good, especially when they get tuned....

 

Yeah , prob just a case of ho-hum factory tuning. All of these LS vehicles wake up / shift better with tuning , hope this is just the case .

I will say my 6.2 with stock tuning for now gets up and goes damn good for the heavy box it's in , I can't wait to tune it , mostly to get the shifting better.

 

I saw your video and it set high expectations for me. The 2014 6.2 I drove had 4 miles on the odometer and had to be fueled up. Maybe they put 87 octane in it, I was not watching. If it ran like the truck in the video you posted I would have been impressed and ready to buy. The gears were 3.42's with 20" wheels so it had the same setup as the 5.3 I drove. I will update this post after a discussion with dealership and a few more test drives of perhaps other High Country 6.2's on their lot.

 

Torque management has a lot to do with it. I think if the motor has the power and they just dont let it get to the ground maybe because they dont want mom coming out of the gas station sideways with the kids in the back.

 

"Tire shredding" is exactly the type of thing the guys at GM try very hard to eliminate. It is a very poor measure of how much power a stock engine makes.

Better test: Hook up a 10,000lb trailer to each and time 0-80mph.

 

Yeah the one we drove had 4 miles as well and lance put about 5 gallons of 93 but, it had 3.42's in it as well. I can't remember if the one we drove had 17's or 20's...I'll have to look back at my post...but I think or hope that the one you drove just was a lonely lemon! Ha

 

And like the previous generation 6.2 it struggled to get out of its own way until it was at 5000+ rpm..... yeah no. That's useless. Spinning tires doesn't necessarily gauge power but some turd that doesn't turn on until you rev the snot of it isn't useful either. Beyond this review with hopefully a dud I have read otherwise in the way of positive reviews. That said I read raves about the L9H a few years back and drove 4 myself even with some mileage on them and was told I apparently drove 4 duds.... uh huh.

Tuning should improve performance but if they don't perform stock they aren't making that power either, period.

I will try and reserve this though for myself until I can drive a couple. If I have to kill the abs and drive around with lights on in the winter... oh well.