Why get a minivan when the 2025 GMC Yukon Denali exists

What if you needed the car. Not a car – but the one to handle all that life has to offer? You’d want room for everything (a lot of room). All-terrain ability. You’d want power, poise…precision? Yes, at least I would. And you’d want comfort. Tons of comfort. Clearly, I refer to our hero car, the 2025 GMC Yukon Denali.

This ain’t no minivan.

The 2025 GMC Yukon Denali Overview

Do you remember Mean Girls, when the mom says “I’m a cool mom, I’m not like those other moms.”? I didn’t get it back then – I was still young and thus, cool.

Now? Perhaps the coolness has faded a bit. I drop my daughter off in a Lexus RC-F, a Corvette convertible, or a matte green BMW M4, but regardless of the whip, she nicely tells me to stop at the corner and not walk her to the door like I used to do. That’s fine, I understand. But it’s the walk back to the car that always gets me. Those dads stepping into their minivans – a look of wistful sadness in their eyes. Doesn’t need to be this way guys.

But the Air Force doesn’t only have F-15s – they need C-130s too. So are the dads just waiting for me to show up in a minivan one day? Keep waiting, because this 2025 GMC Yukon Denali just makes so much more sense. It’ll tow 8,000 pounds. It’s full of tech like Super Cruise. There’s a 420 horsepower V-8, four-wheel drive. Room for seven.

But there’s more than just features. This big boy drives smaller than it is, and everything is well-thought out, including the $108,000 price tag.

Is it worth it? Time to find out if cool and utility go hand-in-hand.

Performance Score: 8. Stress test

There are moments in life when you’re in big truck, but you don’t want to be – thinking parking in New York City as an example. Can make the brow sweat.

No sweating in this Yukon.

Engine

The Yukon comes with three available engines – two gas V-8s or an inline-six diesel that pumps out 496 lb-ft of torque. The diesel can go in any model, but our Ultimate trim here comes with the top 6.2-liter naturally aspirated V-8 and 420 horsepower.

Typical of GM V-8s, it’s creamy smooth, eager to rev to its 5,800 RPM redline, and moves this 5,800-pound truck with ease. A 0–60 time of 6 seconds flat is as much speed as you need in a cargo plane such as this. No turbochargers, superchargers or batteries here – and that means no lag. Its 460 lb-ft isn’t that far behind the diesel, enough to tow 8,000 pounds.

Do you want to rev its guts out? Nah. But when you do, you’re rewarded with a deep grumble that says “I used to bench 300 for ten reps”. Walk by the back at idle, and you can hear that V-8 warble mumbling under the Yukon’s breath. Lovely.

Transmission

A ten-speed automatic comes on every Yukon, and it simply goes about its business without calling attention to itself. There’s never any hunting for gears. The column-mounted shifter matches what’s on the electric Sierra, so there’s just a D, or R. It gets in the way – just make it buttons and clear the column like on a QX80. No paddle shifters either, which is fine.

The Yukon’s four-wheel drive is a set-and-forget type deal. Press auto and let the computer figure it out in seamless fashion.

Chassis and Steering

What if I told you that GM currently makes some of the best suspension tech in the business? The Yukon finally takes advantage of it by ditching the live axle and bolting in an independent rear suspension. Though it’s still body-on-frame, the clomps and jiggles from Yukons of yore are gone.

Push hard, and the big GMC reveals its limitations – it’s not an X7, and in fact offers one of the lowest levels of grip in anything with four wheels that I’ve driven. But it also never embarrasses itself, and features the serene ride of a Mercedes thanks to Magnetic Ride Control and an air suspension. The steering provides a good amount of feedback, with a directness that old GM trucks never had. Those gigantic 24-inch wheels ever hurt ride quality either.

You can get an AT4 trim level that has more off-road themed features like a skid plate, but the Ultimate can handle itself well in any condition as well. There’s also a ton of towing aids and cameras that make placing your new boat in the correct spot, even for a fool like me. Actually, I don’t even have a new boat. Or just a boat.

Brakes

Yea, they are there. Hilariously small next to the biggest wheels on a production car that I’ve had. But they work well – no squishiness. Opt larger front Brembo brakes if you’d like, but that doesn’t feel necessary.

Lifestyle Score: 10. Yu-can

In SUVs like the Lexus GX that offer a third row, you pay for it with a lack of trunk space – you can’t fit anything back there unless you fold the seats down. But the Yukon is packaged better because it’s not based on a mid-size platform. There’s a large trunk and a third row meant for adults. My wife and daughter sat back there while I played chauffeur, and no complaints were heard.

The middle row features two captains chairs that could use a bit more support, but also offer room between them to get to the third row without the need to fold them forward.

Up front are what I can best describe as soft leather couches. Drive in them. Nap in them. Live in them. I do prefer more lateral support, but they are chairs meant for big boys and I always got out of the car feeling refreshed. The Yukon will lower itself for boarding as well, so it’s easy to get in and out of.

Fuel Economy: 4. Full belly

The Yukon will get a combined 16 MPG when optioned with four-wheel drive and the 6.2-liter, which sounds bad but isn’t bad for a house with wheels. I actually averaged closer to 20 during its stay with me (with over 400 miles of range), so aside from the pain of filling up a 24-gallon tank with premium fuel, the Yukon was great.

The diesel can do up to 27 on the highway, offering reprieve if you have fuel-oil in your area.

Features and Comfort: 10. Super Cruising USA

I suppose part of what makes a luxury brand is the amount of technology in a car. Not just screens, but larger screens. Higher res. How about self-driving? Speakers in the head rests? There’s a lot here.

Hands-off

I have to start with GM’s Super Cruise. Engage it on a highway, and you can pretty much sit back and relax. It’ll maintain an appropriate distance from cars, and even change lanes on its own. Meanwhile unlike in a Tesla, you never need to touch the steering wheel (cameras on the dash monitor if you’re paying attention). The system worked flawlessly with me, and though I’d probably use it sparingly because I like driving, I can see how it would be a nice feature on longer road trips. Bravo.

GM’s pretty much killed all that cheap plastic feel from the days of old, though their leather still isn’t on the same level as the Germans. Check out the off-road details in the cushions, and on the real wood on the dash. A digital dash is plagued only by a limited line of site – I can’t see it all because of how I prefer to sit. I should mention the newly available night vision too – it works, especially if you’re in a very dark area. Could give you an extra second of reaction time.

There’s a big sunroof, speakers everywhere, screens in Coach Class for the kids, and storage galore. The portrait-oriented giant iPad in the middle makes use of real HVAC controls, but I still can’t figure out how to turn the stereo off.

I can’t fault this Yukon. If it’s expensive, as least it’s justifiably so.

Blue steel

GM updated the 2025 Yukon’s styling with new front and rear lights – not something you’d notice unless you lined this up against the old car. It’s nice enough, especially in this Downpour Metallic blue paint. Polished wheels and trim give the car a classic feel. For me, classic is early 2000s style.

Aside from 24-inch wheels and some blacked-out trim, there’s really not much of a hint that you’re in a six-figure car. But that’s what the Cadillac Escalade is for.

Other large SUVs to consider

• Lexus GX 550
• Infiniti QX80
• Rivian R1S
• Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat
• Cadillac Escalade V

The 2025 GMC Yukon Denali provides an excellent reason to enlarge your family

It’s true – this Yukon is essentially a clone of a Chevrolet Tahoe. There’s also the Cadillac Escalade. All three offer the same basic components with appropriate amounts of power and luxury.

The 2025 GMC Yukon Denali is a sweet spot in that expanded lineup. At an as-tested fully-loaded price of $108,995, it isn’t cheap, and GMC doesn’t offer the same sort of brand cache that an X7 or Mercedes GLS might (both of which can be had for cheaper). But I think you’d be better off in one of these. No large SUV is going to make you pine for back roads, so you might as well take advantage of the room.

Older versions may have been plagued by bad rides and questionable quality, but GM’s taken great care to fix those things, from a new suspension to that baseball glove stitching. The logo may not bring prestige, but no one told the Yukon that.

So go ahead. Be a cool mom or dad. You don’t have to let anyone know how this GMC makes it so easy.