Slotted between the Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban and Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV, the GMC Yukon and its long-wheelbase sibling have finally entered the 2025 model year. Changes from pre-facelift specs include a boldly revamped exterior that grabs attention with animated headlights.
Building on the truck-inspired styling of its predecessor, the revised Yukon and Yukon XL further sweeten the offerings with unique tailgate badging, grille patterns and their available panoramic sunroof. Step inside and you’ll discover a cabin that’s far more high-tech than before, with the centerpiece of the interior being a 16.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system dubbed the Premium GMC Infotainment Center.
The vertically oriented touchscreen infotainment system is all about customization, with the Premium GMC Infotainment Center allowing the user to customize map integration, vehicle diagnostics, audio inputs and more. Speaking of which, 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 automatic emergency braking at intersections, side cyclist alert, front braking for pedestrians and cyclists, and rear braking for cross-traffic. The crown jewel is, of course, Super Cruise. Still billed as the industry’s first true hands-free advanced driver assistance system, the system developed by General Motors is actually designated Level 2 in SAE parlance. In fact, this is anything but true hands-free driving.
Every little text regarding Level 2 systems reads something like: “the driver must remain concentrated on the driving task and constantly monitor the surrounding environment.” Anyway, let’s get to the towing tech. Transparent Trailer View, Blind Zone Steering Assist, Trailer Reverse Trajectory, Jackknife Alert, and Trailer Tire Health will make towing a whole lot easier, with the Sierra 1500-based Yukon offering a maximum towing capacity of 8,400 pounds (3,810 kilograms).
Photo: GMC
Due to hit dealerships by the end of 2024, the refreshed Yukon celebrates the AT4 sub-brand’s fifth anniversary with the introduction of the AT4 Ultimate. This version is a rugged spec with all-terrain tires mounted on 20-inch wheels, a front skid plate, adaptive air-assisted suspension that can lift 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 3.0-liter Duramax inline-six turbodiesel engine, a torquey son of a bitch that Cadillac isn’t offering in the Escalade for the 2025 model year. Available in the Chevy Tahoe and Suburban, the six-cylinder diesel makes 305 horsepower and 495 pound-feet (671 Nm) of low-end torque. By comparison, the 6.2-liter small-block makes 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet (624 Nm).
As always, the 5.3-liter small-block is the least powerful mill available in the Yukon. It makes a respectable 355 horsepower and 383 pound-feet (519 Nm). All three blocks 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 so far, and pricing details are also missing from the accompanying press release. Regardless, we’re pretty sure GMC will be charging a few bucks more on the outgoing 2024 models. At press time, the standard-wheelbase Yukon starts at $58,200 compared to $61,200 for the roomier Yukon XL.