2024 GMC Yukon

The 2024 GMC Yukon is a full-size SUV that can suit a broad range of desires and needs. It can be everything from a rather basic but capable 3-row family hauler with seating for up to nine to a luxury-laden utility vehicle with features to rival a Cadillac Escalade and the ability for drivers to commute hands-free via its Super Cruise feature.

The standard GMC Yukon is a big vehicle, and the sibling to the Chevrolet Tahoe. The Yukon XL is the longer, extra-large variant with more third-row legroom and cargo space, and the sibling to the Chevy Suburban. Like its kin, the GMC offers a choice of three engines, one of which is a turbodiesel that delivers impressive torque and even more impressive fuel economy.

Among rivals such as the Ford Expedition, Jeep Wagoneer, and Toyota Sequoia, the GMC stands out with its work hard, play hard attitude and its tough yet handsome design.

We’ve spent hundreds of hours driving and evaluating this generation of full-size SUVs, including the GMC Yukon.

The GMC Yukon rolls into 2024 with few changes. OnStar services now include three years of remote access on SLE, SLT, and AT4 trims, while Denali and Denali Ultimate models get three years of OnStar Premium.

The 2024 Yukon starts slightly below a 3-row Ford Expedition ($59,590) and Toyota Sequoia ($60,875) and above the Nissan Armada (estimated $51K). The Yukon’s corporate sibling, the Chevy Tahoe, starts a bit lower at $56,200. The Jeep Wagoneer is higher at nearly $62K. If you don’t need all the truck-like capability of the Yukon, the all-new 3-row 2024 GMC Acadia is expected to start around $40K.

Before buying, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to see what others in your area are paying for their new Yukon.

Class-leading resale value

The GMC Yukon’s resale value leads the segment, topping that of its Chevy siblings as well as the Expedition, Sequoia, and Armada.

Big SUV, big power. Yes, it’s appropriate that GMC’s full-size 3-row SUV is imbued with a husky powertrain. A choice of three, in fact. Standard is GM’s tried and true 5.3-liter V8 pushing out 355 horsepower. Available on the AT4 and standard in the Denali models is the even more robust 6.2-liter V8, making 420 horses. And available on all but the AT4 is something that’s becoming rare but is still welcome: a 6-cylinder turbodiesel. It makes as much torque as the big V8 (460 lb-ft) yet enables fuel economy of up to 27 mpg on the highway.

We’ve tested them all and found that each is easily up to the task of moving this big lug and has the reserve power needed to tow, too. There’s no denying the Yukon can be unwieldy in tight confines, but this generation is the most comfortable yet. Thanks to its independent rear suspension, the Yukon feels less truck-like despite being built on a truck frame. The story only gets better with the magnetic ride control and air suspension.

Fuel economy

With the standard 5.3-liter V8 and either rear- or 4-wheel drive, the Yukon returns 17 mpg in mixed city/highway driving. With the 6.2-liter V8, that number is 16 mpg. Those numbers make it less efficient than the Ford Expedition, Toyota Sequoia, and Jeep Wagoneer, which come with a 6-cylinder engine. However, if you opt for the turbodiesel 6-cylinder, you leapfrog all of them, with fuel economy of 23 mpg with rear-wheel drive and 22 with 4WD.

More fuel economy information can be found at the EPA’s website.

Along with its Chevy twins, the GMC Yukon and Yukon XL are among the few mainstream vehicles that can seat up to nine passengers. That setup comes via a front bench seat only available on the base SLE trim. Most Yukon models have front bucket seats and either a second-row bench and seating for eight total or two captain’s chairs in the center row and seating for seven, which is the only configuration in upper trims.

Unless you need a Yukon to move the most people for the lowest cost, we’d skip the base SLE model and step up to at least an SLT. It has a better set of features you’ll want, like a hands-free power tailgate, heated and ventilated front seats, a Bose audio system, and a broader suite of safety systems. At the other end of the Yukon spectrum, the Denali Ultimate ensconces with massaging front seats, supple leather upholstery, wood trim, rear-seat entertainment system, and much more.

Unsurprisingly, the Yukon, as the behemoth SUV that it is, offers copious interior space, and the Yukon XL even more. The most significant difference between the two comes in third-row legroom and cargo room. At 34.9 inches, even the standard Yukon offers good legroom in that last row. The Yukon XL increases that to 36.7.

Class-leading cargo room

The standard Yukon has 25.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, 72.6 with it folded, and an enormous 122.9 with both rear rows folded. But like its Chevy Suburban kin, the Yukon XL leads the class in this regard. Its numbers are 41.5/93.8/144.7.

The Yukon comes in two sizes: Big (standard Yukon) and bigger (Yukon XL). To be exact, the Yukon measures 210 inches in length, and the XL is 225.2. If you plan to park it in the garage, measure first. Beyond the numbers, we like this GMC’s big yet handsome design. It can’t help but have presence, and each trim brings its own aesthetics, like the off-road-oriented AT4 with its red tow hooks, all-terrain tires, and skid plate. Denali models wear the kind of bling you expect from a top-line model.

Three powertrains are available for the 2024 GMC Yukon. The standard engine is a 5.3-liter V8, making 355 horsepower and 383 lb-ft of torque. Standard in the Denali models and optional in AT4 is a 6.2-liter V8 making 420 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque. Optional on all but the AT4 is GM’s Duramax 3.0-liter inline-6 turbodiesel that makes 277 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque. All powertrains are connected to a 10-speed automatic transmission. Rear-wheel drive is standard, and 4-wheel drive is available for all three engines (and standard on the AT4 and Denali Ultimate models). The 2024 Yukon can tow between 7,500 and 8,400 pounds (or 7,400-8,300 for Yukon XL). That max figure is attained with the 5.3-liter V8 and rear-wheel drive. The Ford Expedition is rated to tow up to 9,300 pounds, the Toyota Sequoia can lug up to 9,520 pounds, and the Jeep Wagoneer can pull up to 10,000.

3-year/36,000-mile Warranty

The GMC Yukon has a new-vehicle warranty of three years/36,000 miles, while the powertrain is covered for five years/60,000 miles. These are typical for the segment.

Safety

This generation of the GMC Yukon has not yet been tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The Yukon and Yukon XL have received a 4-Star score (out of five) from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).