Slotted between the Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban and the Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV, the GMC Yukon and its long-wheelbase sibling have finally entered the 2025 model year as well. Changes over the pre-facelift spec include a boldly refreshed exterior, which commands attention with animated lamps.
Building on its predecessor's truck-inspired styling, the revised Yukon and Yukon XL further sweeten the deal with unique liftgate badging, grille patterns, and their available panoramic sunroof. Stepping inside reveals a much techier cabin than before, with the centerpiece of the interior being a 16.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system dubbed Premium GMC Infotainment Center.
The vertically-oriented touchscreen infotainment system is all about customization, with Premium GMC Infotainment Center allowing the user to customize maps integration, vehicle diagnostics, audio inputs, and more. Speaking of more, customers are presented with an optional 8.0-inch rear climate control display.
Night Vision also needs to be mentioned, along with safety features that include Intersection Automatic Emergency Braking, Side Bicyclist Alert, Front Pedestrian and Bicyclist Braking, as well as Rear Cross Traffic Braking. The cream of the crop is – of course – Super Cruise. Still advertised as the industry's first proper hands-free advanced driver assistance system, the General Motors-developed system is actually designated Level 2 in SAE vernacular. Indeed, that's anything but true hands-free driving.
Every fine print regarding Level 2 systems reads something along the lines of "the driver must remain engaged with the driving task and monitor the environment at all times." In any case, let's move to trailering technology. Transparent Trailer View, Blind Zone Steering Assist, Trailer Reverse Trajectory, Jackknife Alert, and Trailer Tire Health will make trailering that much easier, with the Sierra 1500-based Yukon offering a max towing capacity of 8,400 pounds (3,810 kilograms).
Photo: GMC
To reach dealers by the end of 2024, the facelifted Yukon celebrates the fifth anniversary of the AT4 sub-brand with the introduction of the AT4 Ultimate. This grade is a rugged specification with all-terrain tires mounted on 20-inch wheels, a front skid plate, air-type adaptive suspension that can raise the full-size utility vehicle up to 2 inches, open-pore wood veneer, and full-grain leather.
Also new for 2025 is the latest version of the Duramax 3.0-liter turbo diesel inline-six engine, a torquey son of a gun that Cadillac does not offer in the Escalade for model year 2025. Available in the Chevy Tahoe and Suburban, the six-pot diesel produces 305 horsepower and 495 pound-feet (671 Nm) of low-down torque. By comparison, the 6.2-liter small block is good for 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet (624 Nm).
As ever, the 5.3-liter small block is the least powerful mill available in the Yukon. It outputs a respectable 355 horses and 383 pound-feet (519 Nm). All three lumps are connected to 10-speed automatic transmissions, while GMC lists the axle ratio at 3.23:1 across the board.
No fuel economy ratings have been released thus far, and pricing details are lacking from the attached press release as well. Be that as it may, we're utmost certain that GMC will charge a few more bucks from the outgoing 2024 models. At press time, the regular-wheelbase Yukon starts at $58,200 as opposed to $61,200 for the roomier Yukon XL.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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