Australia’s love of big SUVs is about to be tested. As in, how big is too big, because we’ve never seen anything quite like the GMC Yukon Denali.
The latest full-size American SUV to try and win the hearts of Australian buyers was the Chevrolet Suburban in the mid-1990s, but it ended up being more popular with television companies than private buyers and quickly disappeared.
Since then, though, Australians have grown, as have our SUVs. We now love bigger and bigger SUVs and General Motors Australia is hoping the time is right to give the American-sized SUV another chance.
The GMC Yukon Denali has arrived to do battle with Australia’s biggest SUVs, from the Toyota LandCruiser and Nissan Patrol to the BMW X7 and Land Rover Defender.
In a roundabout way, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and BMW 7 Series, and heck, it could even pinch sales from the Kia Carnival and Mercedes-Benz V-Class, given its eight-seat capacity.
But GMC is an unknown quantity in the Australian market, so convincing buyers from any existing model to give it a go will be a challenge.
So, what does the Yukon Denali offer that could lure them away and push Australia’s love of SUVs even larger? Read on to find out…
GMC Yukon 2025: Denali
| Engine Type | V8, 6.2L |
|---|---|
| Fuel Type | |
| Fuel Efficiency | 14.7L/100km (combined) |
| Seating | 8 |
| Price From | $174,990 |
Price and features – Does it represent good value for the price? What features does it come with? 7/10
7 / 10
Picking the GMC brand was a deliberate choice by General Motors Australia, even though the Chevrolet brand is already established here and the more premium Cadillac is in the opening stages of its Australian expansion.
But GM wants Cadillac to focus on electric vehicles and, despite the Yukon sharing its underpinnings with the Silverado, using the Chevrolet brand would have made the value equation for a big SUV hard to add up.
By choosing GMC, and specifically the high-grade Denali, General Motors Australia is confident it has found the sweet spot for the Yukon. The asking price of $174,990, before on-road costs, is certainly not cheap, but the Yukon Denali offers a lot of vehicle for your money - and not just sheer size.
Denali is a GMC sub-brand for more premium model variants, so our local models come generously equipped with 24-inch alloy wheels, air suspension, tri-zone climate control, a dual-pane panoramic sunroof, a 16.8-inch multimedia touchscreen, rear-seat entertainment, a 14-speaker Bose surround sound audio system and leather-trimmed seats.
Obviously, the cost is impacted by the fact GM Australia has to have the Yukons built in Texas before being shipped to Melbourne where they are converted to right-hand drive alongside the Chevrolet Silverado by GM’s local partner, Walkinshaw Automotive Group.
While it certainly offers good return for your money, such a high starting price is a challenge for any new brand, so only time will tell if GM has made the right decision with GMC.
Design – Is there anything interesting about its design? 7/10
7 / 10
There’s certainly no missing the Yukon, thanks to its larger-than-average size and huge Denali-specific grille - with ‘GMC’ boldly emblazoned on the front (and it can literally be illuminated with an accessories badge option). Even by today’s up-sized SUV standards, the Yukon Denali looks big and has an imposing on-road presence.
As mentioned above, Denali is a sub-brand within the GMC portfolio, offering unique looks and more premium features compared to the rest of the range; even though we’re only getting this single Yukon Denali model in Australia, so there’s no comparison.
The Denali-specific elements include the patterned grille, front and rear fascias, liftgate badging, animated headlights and the panoramic sunroof, as well as the hard-to-miss 24-inch alloy wheels finished in chrome.
The Yukon is noticeably more premium inside than a Silverado, even if they share the same scale. There’s the huge central touchscreen, which adds a premium touch, as do some nice trim options. Namely some darker woods, which lift the cabin while looking very much ‘on brand’ for an American SUV.
Practicality – How practical is its space and tech inside? 9/10
9 / 10
When it comes to space, the Yukon excels - unsurprisingly. It measures more than 5.3m long, more than 2.0m wide and nearly 2.0m tall, which is longer and wider than the LandCruiser 300, so it’s obviously a big SUV and that translates to plenty of space inside.
Getting into the cabin is easy, too, despite how tall it is, thanks to side steps which automatically lower when you unlock or open the doors, and then retract when the doors are closed for a cleaner look and more ground clearance.
Once you’re inside there’s good room up front and you can adjust the seat up nice and high to get a view over the big bonnet and down onto the traffic around you.
That’s worthy of note, as I suspect it’s an important selling-point for many buyers, as even amid the dominance of SUVs on our roads these days, having something like the Yukon helps you feel like you’re looking down on traffic as opposed to looking up.
As for the second row, there’s plenty of space, which can be traded off between it and the third row as the seats slide backwards and forwards. You’d comfortably fit two adults in the back (dare I say, in luxury) and three kids, even teenagers, would easily be accommodated.
As mentioned earlier, the Yukon Denali comes equipped as standard with rear seat entertainment, so there are two screens (one on the back of each front seat headrest) that can be used for watching media or even playing games, as there are individual HDMi ports for the pair. This would make for an ideal road trip car for the family, as the kids could sit in the second row and entertain themselves for hours.
And last, but not least, the third row is pretty roomy for an SUV, as it should be in a vehicle this size. With some modest compromise for the second row, you’ll comfortably fit two adults in the back and there are three seats, so you can fit up to eight people in the Yukon.
In terms of accessing the seats, the second row tilts and folds forward with a manual lever, and the aforementioned step makes climbing up and in relatively easy. The third row can raise and lower at the push of a button, to liberate more boot space if you need it.
There’s a decent amount of room, enough for several shopping bags or some small suitcases, with the third row in use, but you can expand it up to a claimed 2053L with the third row stowed into the floor. And if you need to turn your Yukon into a delivery van, GMC claims you can literate up to 3480L of cargo capacity with the second row seats folded down.
Unsurprisingly, plenty of small item storage spaces are littered around the cabin. The door pockets are huge, with multiple shelves, there’s loads of cup and bottle holders and larger storage spaces like the big lidded box between the front seats.
All this space and flexibility makes me think there’s a golden opportunity for GMC to tap into the limousine market, getting fleet operators to ditch the S-Class, 7 Series or similar in favour of a big, black American SUV, just like you see in the movies.
As for the multimedia system, the massive 16.8-inch touchscreen looks great and this reviewer found it paired well with Android Auto, although there were reports from our initial drive event that some Apple iPhone users had difficulty.
Having your smartphone pair is important, as despite the high level of equipment for the Denali there is no in-built navigation system.
But that quibble aside, the media system is good and, importantly, there’s a sensible amount of physical buttons and dials for things like the air-conditioning and stereo, so the balance between technology and usability feels right.
Under the bonnet – What are the key stats for its engine and transmission? 7/10
7 / 10
The Yukon gets GM’s tried and tested 6.2-litre petrol V8, which was recently recalled around the world, but GM Australia claims 2025 model year examples of the Yukon already received the fix for the engine.
Like the Chevy Silverado, in the Yukon it makes 313kW/624Nm which is enough to pull this big unit along with relative ease.
The engine is paired to a 10-speed automatic transmission and the Yukon is also fitted with GM’s 'Active Response 4WD System' with an electronic limited-slip rear differential and a two-speed transfer case, so it does have some off-road ability despite its big, shiny wheels.
This system includes '2WD HI', '4WD Auto', '4WD HI' and '4WD LOW' for enhanced off-road capabilities, even if you wouldn’t call a $175k premium SUV on 24-inch chrome wheels a true off-roader (at least not in the same way you’d consider a LandCruiser, Patrol or Defender).
Instead, GM Australia is leaning on its strength, literally. With pulling caravans and horse trailers a priority for many modern SUV buyers, towing capacity is a big priority and GMC is proudly declaring the Yukon Denali has the highest braked towing capacity of any SUV on sale in Australia today at 3628kg.
That’s a 167kg advantage of the LandCruiser 300 Series, and should enhance its appeal to those looking to regularly haul heavy loads.
Efficiency – What is its fuel consumption? What is its driving range? 6/10
6 / 10
In news about as surprising as ‘water is wet’ and ‘teenager stares at screen’, the V8-powered, pick-up-based, GMC Yukon Denali uses a lot of fuel.
Our initial test drive was on almost entirely open roads and even then the trip computer had us using 13.1L/100km, which is not too far off the official claim of 12.8L/100km.
However, that’s a combined urban/highway cycle figure and given we spent very little time in what could be considered an urban environment, it’s fair to say if you spend all your time running around the city and suburbs you’ll be filling up the 91L fuel tank more often than you’d like.
We’ll have to wait until we’ve driven it in more representative conditions, but based on this experience, returns in the high teens are likely, even with a light right foot. Obviously you can also expect higher consumption if you’re towing.
That’s not to say the Yukon Denali is bad, 12.8L/100km is reasonable for an SUV this size with such a big engine, but if you want to buy one, you need to be eyes wide open about the realities.
Theoretical range (based on the official consumption number) is around 700km, but in the real world something closer to 500km is more likely.
Driving – What's it like to drive? 7/10
7 / 10
Before driving the GMC it was hard to know quite what to expect. Would it be just like the Chevy Silverado, a big, heavy and lumbering American beast? Or would the GMC treatment provide a more pampering and luxurious experience?
The answer is somewhere in the middle. It’s certainly big and you notice its size and weight when you accelerate, brake or turn a corner - there’s simply no escaping it.
But GM’s decision to make the 'Adaptive Air Ride Suspension' system standard was a masterstroke. Featuring variable rate springs, which replace conventional coil springs, this not only allows the Yukon to be raised or lowered, depending on the circumstances, it can also adjust the stiffness of the ride based on the conditions as you drive along.
Because of this the ride is quite comfortable for such a big SUV on such big wheels. We even tackled dirt roads, complete with potholes and corrugations and the Yukon felt comfortable getting dirt on its chromed rims.
This more composed ride, compared to the Silverado, helps compensate for the Yukon's sheer size and makes it feel manageable for families to live with around the city and suburbs (although parking and navigating tight areas will still take some adjustment for new owners).
As for the engine, the V8 does a good job given the enormity of its task. It pulls strongly without shoving you back in your seat, and while the 10-speed auto smoothly taps into the best of the engine’s torque, we noticed the rolling acceleration can sometimes take a moment to really get going with so many gears to choose from.
Warranty & Safety Rating
Safety – What safety equipment is fitted? What is its safety rating? 8/10
8 / 10
In a moment of awkward timing, ANCAP publicly questioned the pedestrian safety of the American pick-ups like the Silverado at the same time GM confirmed the Yukon Denali was coming Down Under.
However, despite this, ANCAP has not tested the Silverado, nor any of the US-sourced full-size pick-ups, and there are no public plans for the Yukon Denali to be assessed locally.
ANCAP’s view, aside from ignoring the fact these big vehicles should protect the occupants very well, seemingly overlooks the number of trucks and buses that are much bigger than a Yukon, Silverado, etc that are already on our roads and even more pedestrian unfriendly. So, it feels like an unfair argument, at least in this reviewer’s opinion.
For its part, General Motors Australia has made it clear the Yukon Denali is loaded with every piece of safety equipment available to it for our market.
Importantly, that includes airbag coverage across all three rows, as well as a suite of advanced safety systems. These include 'Enhanced Automatic Emergency Park Assist', 'Front Pedestrian and Cyclist Braking', 'Rear Cross Traffic Braking', 'Rear Pedestrian Alert', adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist (with lane departure warning) and 'Reverse Automatic Braking'.
There’s also an on-board camera system which offers 11 viewing angles around the Yukon, so you can see exactly what - or who - is around you.
Ownership – What warranty is offered? What are its service intervals? What are its running costs? 5/10
5 / 10
Ownership is one area where GM Australia’s much smaller presence, compared to its rivals like Toyota and Nissan, becomes noticeable. The three-year/100,000km warranty is well behind most other big brands in the large SUV segment, such as the five-year/unlimited kay warranty Toyota offers or the 10-year warranty Nissan has just introduced ahead of the new Patrol's arrival.
There’s also no capped price servicing available. So every 12-months/12,000km (whichever comes first), when the Yukon needs a check-up, servicing costs will likely vary depending on which of the 62 GMSV dealers/service outlets you visit.
Verdict
The GMC Yukon Denali certainly makes its presence felt on Australian roads. It cuts an imposing figure, whether it’s sitting still or rolling down the road with its big V8 rumbling. But for $175K, it needs to do more than just look good.
While it’s certainly not as off-road capable as a LandCruiser or Patrol, it can compete with both on space. GMC may not have the luxury image (or any image in Australia) of a premium brand like BMW or Land Rover, but the Yukon will be a rare and special sight on local roads. And from a pure size point-of-view, it will undoubtedly appeal to those otherwise considering a van-based people mover, who want something more visually appealing.
So, while it may not be a stand out in any particular area, the breadth of capability the Yukon offers is what makes it special. It has a huge bandwidth and will have appeal across so many different market segments it will undoubtedly find an audience here with more ease than the Chevy Suburban did decades ago.
Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.
Pricing Guides
Range and Specs
| Vehicle | Specs | Price* |
|---|---|---|
| Denali | 6.2L, 10 SPEED AUTOMATIC | $174,990 |
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