GMC Yukon Denali 2024 Review

Pricing for the 2024 GMC Yukon Denali is yet to be announced for Australia in due course but carsales understands the big American SUV will start around the $160,000 mark.

That will slot it above and beyond the current, range-topping versions of the both the Toyota LandCruiser (Sahara ZX from $145,791 plus ORCs), Nissan Patrol (Warrior from $105,160 plus ORCs), and well into the territory of the uber-luxe Lexus LX 600 (from $156-$217k plus ORCs) and other luxury off-roaders from the likes of BMW and Land Rover.

What’s more, the flagship Denali 4x4 guise is the only flavour Yukon you’ll be able to buy Down Under; more affordable two-wheel drive versions sold in the US won’t be offered here.

But its whopping price tag means you can expect loads of standard equipment, including the Silverado pick-up truck’s 6.2-litre petrol V8, proper off-road capability, big 22-inch alloys, seating for eight people, and plenty of tech, including a huge 16.8-inch tablet-style central touch-screen.

Full specification details and pricing will be revealed in the coming months but here’s what we learned from our short time with a US-spec, left-hand drive Yukon Denali.

For starters, the space.

The interior of the 2024 GMC Yukon Denali is cavernous, to say the very least. But that’s a given when you consider it’s a whopping 5334mm long, 2057mm wide, and sits on a (very generous) 3071mm wheelbase.

Those numbers exceed the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series in all key dimensions, except for height: the Yukon is a smidge (7mm) lower, at 1943mm from ground to roof.

There’s no roaring V8 on start-up (roughly 40 per cent of our readers will be crestfallen) but the steering is incredibly light, offering surprising manoeuvrability for such a big rig. There are also 13 camera view options so if you’re worried about parking, don’t be.

Because the GMC Yukon Denali on test was an unregistered LHD model, we were subject to a very small circuit, marked out with witches' hats, in the pit lane/carpark area of a racetrack. And only for a brief stint.

But it's enough to reveal the Yukon’s charming character, a big barge that’s a lot easier to drive than you’d expect. It’s also wonderfully refined and remarkably quiet inside the cabin and oh-so comfortable.

Short of driving over a cone, a small drain grate was about the only thing we could throw at the Yukon and sure enough, it was barely noticeable from within the cab.

It is clear GM has built the GMC Yukon Denali for passenger comfort.

It should haul (both people and equipment) with ease too – from horse floats, to caravans and car trailers – and although we didn’t get much of a chance to test its performance, a quick hit of the throttle provided a very welcome shove. To be clear, it's no slow poke.

Although it’s not quite as large as a full-size pick-up truck, the cabin offers similar levels of passenger comfort, thanks to that huge wheelbase.

A massive centre console acts a large divider between the driver and passenger… whether you like that or not will depend on who you’re travelling with.

The Yukon also delivers loads of stowage options within the lovely leather-clad cabin – it's choc-o-block with storage bins, door pockets, and lidded trays.

In the second row, you could easily go three-up with average-sized adults and the third row is best left to a pair of adults or three smaller people. But no matter which seat you’re in, there’s a tonne of head room and leg room is decent for most, depending on the configuration.

A quick poke around the third row of the left-hand drive Yukon on test reveals good amenity – air vents, USB-C ports, and cup holders – but accessing the rear-most row requires some muscle.

There’s a button inside the C-pillar that’ll electrically recline the second row’s back-rest but sliding the 60:40-split bench forward – allowing you to walk through to the third row – is done manually and will be tough for kids that haven’t had their Weet-Bix.

Elsewhere, the Yukon Denali is anticipated to offer 'best-in-class' towing and while General Motors local managing director Jess Bala wouldn’t reveal exact figures, we’re tipping it’ll get the same 3.8-tonne braked towing capacity as overseas models, bettering the 3500kg ratings offered by LandCruiser and Patrol.

Again, exact specs are yet to be confirmed but GM has quoted a massive 3480 litres of boot space with the second and third rows folded flat, which is tonnes of real estate if you can get away with just two passengers.

Combine all the above with a menacing exterior, not to mention the promise of a full suite of safety and driver assistance aids, and there’s plenty to like here.

The 2024 GMC Yukon Denali won’t come cheap and, for many, its $160,000-plus price tag could be the biggest barrier to entry. A more affordable variant would be nice for those that want the capabilities without the Denali luxuries.

Another thing to consider is whether a vehicle this size is really a ‘need’ as opposed to a ‘want’.

Many Aussies argue that big American pick-ups like GM’s own Chevrolet Silverado and the top-selling RAM 1500 are just too big for our roads and the Yukon is getting up there in size.

To put it bluntly, it feels unnecessarily large for what many require.

But who are we to judge?

For others, the sheer size and mass of the vehicle will be very appealing and, if we’re honest, the intimidation factor of sitting in the driver’s seat fades almost immediately after you roll away.

The 2024 GMC Yukon Denali won’t make sense to a lot of Aussies.

It’s very big, bound to be very expensive to buy, and will, without a doubt, cost a lot to run thanks to its petrol-guzzling V8. But the popularity of full-size pick-ups in Oz would suggest none of that matters much to those that want (or genuinely need) the space and capabilities the GMC Yukon will offer.

But only time will tell if this circa-$170k SUV is enough to steer Australians away from favourites like the Nissan Patrol or Toyota LandCruiser.

2024 GMC Yukon Denali at a glance:
Price: Approximately $170,000 (TBC)
Available: Mid-2025
Engine: 6.2-litre petrol V8
Output: 313kW/624Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Fuel: 14.7/100km (WLTP)
CO2: TBC
Safety rating: Not tested

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