GMC first created the Yukon in 1992 as its own version of the Chevrolet Tahoe. While the Yukon is still the Chevy’s middle-class cousin, GMC has given the SUV its own personality over time, with more luxurious appointments inside and glitzier styling outside.

While at first glance the Tahoe and Yukon still seem very similar, the GMC is generally a more luxurious vehicle with a wider array of permutations. Its mission is to bridge the gap between the commoners’ Tahoe and the poshest member of GMs’ big SUV brigade, Cadillac’s Escalade.

2021 gmc yukon denali right
The 2021 GMC Yukon shows off its new, longer, but squatter profile. More of its footprint is devoted to cargo and passenger space than before. Outside, there’s more flash, including shiny upsized 22” wheels and additional chrome jewelry that comes with the upmarket Denali trim. GMC

Like the Tahoe and the Escalade, the 2021 GMC Yukon is all new, riding the latest iteration of GM’s T1XX large SUV platform.  The pricier GMC and Cadillac trucks generate lots of profit for GM, which gives the General an incentive to make them feel materially better. There are four Yukon trims, the base SLE, mid-range SLT, off-road themed AT4, and top-spec Denali.

The Yukon competes with other three-row luxury SUVs like the Mercedes-Benz GLS and BMW X7, which offer a much more car-like, less Titanic-like driving experience, but also against the Infiniti QX80 and its lower-end sibling, the Nissan Armada. But for apartment-like interior space, acceptably luxurious fitments, and NASA Moon Rover-like on- and off-road capability, the Yukon Denali is a wise choice.

 Easy to read gauges and easy to use climate control knobs are complimented by an intuitive infotainment system, despite the fact that the graphics fail to look premium.  GMC

Like its core domestic competition, the Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator, the Yukon is available in two sizes: large (standard), and gargantuan (Yukon XL, sister to Chevy’s Suburban).

The GMC has a little less room in the third row than its Ford competitors, but cargo room is best in class. The regular-wheelbase model has 25.5 cubic-feet of space behind the third row, 76.2 cubic-feet with the third row folded, and 122.9 cubic feet with all seats folded, which is more than the Expedition Max. The Yukon XL, the Max’s opposite number, has a van-like 144.7 cubic-feet with the seats folded.

There are three engine choices. SLE, SLT, and AT4 trims come standard with a 5.3-liter V8 making 335 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque. A 3.0-liter turbodiesel inline six-cylinder engine that returns 277 horsepower and a beefy 460 pound-feet of torque is a $995 option on SLE and SLT.

A 6.2-liter V8 making 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque is standard on the Denali, with the diesel an option that shaves $1,500 off the bill. All use a 10-speed automatic transmission driving the rear wheels. Four-wheel drive is a $3,000 option, and standard on the AT4.

These rear entertainment screens look cool but are costly. They make excellent hangars for winter jackets on long trips, so the passengers don’t overheat while watching content and playing games on the personal phones or tablets that could easily fit the bill instead. GMC

A three-ton vehicle, the Yukon’s gas engines are guzzlers. The four-wheel drive V8 Denali manages EPA ratings of just 14 mpg city, 19 highway, and 16 combined. Rear-drive 5.3-liter versions can get up to 18 mpg combined. That’s below the Expedition and significantly worse than the Genesis GV80, but actually similar to Nissan’s smaller Armada. The diesel returns a much better 21 mpg city, 27 highway, and 23 combined in regular-wheelbase rear-drive form, losing 1-2 mpg in other configurations. 

We sampled a 6.2-liter Denali, but Forbes Wheels has evaluated the diesel in the Chevrolet Suburban. The big V8 is potent, and the Yukon Denali feels confident and fast, with strong brakes that pull it to a stop quickly.

All Yukons get plenty of standard safety gear. Forward automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, forward collision warnings, and front and rear parking assist are standard. Blind spot warnings, rear cross-traffic alerts and lane departure warnings are a $690 extra on the SLE, but standard on higher trims. 

According to GMC, 63% of Yukons sold in the first nine months of 2020 were Denalis, so most Yukon buyers are looking for luxury. The truck delivers, for a price. The full-tilt Denali starts at $69,695, including destination fees. This includes a leather and wood-trimmed cabin, navigation, a head-up display, ride-enhancing magnetic suspension dampers and a grumbly four-outlet exhaust. 

The 2021 GMC Yukon can trailer up to 8,200 pounds in rear-wheel drive, 6.2-liter V8 Denali form. Other versions have lower ratings, and the Yukon’s trailer-towing prowess trails rivals from Ford and Nissan.  GMC

Choosing the Denali allows buyers to select adaptive cruise control and enhanced emergency braking, and there are multiple lily-gilding packages. A $9,410 Denali Ultimate package adds the additional safety gear, powered running boards, a panoramic sunroof, 22-inch wheels and a rear media system. It’s possible to load up a Denali to well over $80,000.

Fortunately, there are other cheaper options. The base SLE ($51,995) comes with cloth seats and relatively few frills. The next-level SLT ($59,095) adds luxuries like heated and cooled leather seats, a power tailgate, 20-inch wheels, as well as added driver assist features. A large array of customization packages can add more features.

The off-road themed AT4 ($66,095) adds butch drag like tougher tires, skid plates, and red tow hooks, along with standard all-wheel-drive and magnetic ride control. The AT4’s adaptive suspension can add two additional inches of ground clearance.

The third row has lots of room, but it isn’t necessarily easy to get to. One alternate route to getting back there is to climb in from the rear hatch and then power-unfold the adjacent seat.  GMC

The Yukon, particularly the Denali, stacks up pretty well against its competitors, though it has some quirks. The pushbutton transmission selector seems like a solution in search of a problem. The seat and steering wheel heaters turn in cold weather with remote starting, but then turn off when the driver gets in, which seems counterproductive. The V8s are a little old. The styling is bold, but with more attention paid to adding space in the rear, the front looks a little stubby, with a huge cowcatcher of a grill. But those are minor quibbles.

Tahoes are a little cheaper, but feel it. The Expedition and other trucks like the Nissan Armada, require quite a bit of optioning to achieve the Yukon’s level of luxury, but don’t match it in refinement.