GMC Yukon touches down in Australia

The forthcoming 2025 GMC Yukon Denali has touched down in Australia ahead of its local showroom debut early next year.

carsales has learned two examples of the US-built full-size luxury SUV, which could cost about $150,000 once imported and remanufactured by Walkinshaw Automotive, have landed in Melbourne as local General Motors Specialty vehicles (GMSV) begins its right-hand drive validation work.

The heavily-disguised prototypes are both facelifted versions of the GMC Yukon Denali, which is yet to be formally unveiled in North America but will be teased in the coming weeks before its expected mid-year reveal.

Sharing its ladder-frame architecture with the Chevrolet Silverado pick-up, the GMC Yukon Denali will effectively give GMSV a direct competitor to premium Japanese rivals like the Lexus LX, Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series and the upcoming Nissan Y63 Patrol, as well as a slew of German rivals.

GM Australia and New Zealand managing director Jess Bala confirmed the Yukon’s Aussie arrival and believes it has huge potential.

“We have got Yukons on the ground in Australia. It will be out next year and will be available in the GMC Yukon Denali grade – one of the top trims,” Bala explained.

“We’ve got a couple of units on the ground doing the conversion. The [GMSV] team has regularly been in looking at it and are very impressed with it how it’s going.

“This has been in the works for some time and we have been in touch with the US to get access to CAD drawings so that we can then produce the right parts to do the conversion.

“The Denali is produced in the plant in left-hand drive and then converted here in Australia, similar to the Silverado.”

The Yukon will be the first full-size SUV to be locally remanufactured to RHD by an officially-backed program. Walkinshaw also converts RAM Trucks Australia’s top-selling RAM 1500 and has produced 300 Toyota Tundra development vehicles ahead the US-built pick-up’s expected release by the local market leader in 2025, while Ford Australia’s F-150 is now being RMA recently started rolling out RHD F-150s for Ford Australia.

The facelifted, fifth-generation Yukon will be available in Australia only in high-end Denali specification, with V8 power and seating for up to eight.

“I think people here will just love the Yukon. You think how well a Silverado drives, well the GMC is all about refined capability, so that just takes it to the next level,” Bala said.

“There is a very particular group of customers that will just fall in love with that car. Once you get in, you won’t want to get out.”

A GM spokesperson confirmed more details around the facelifted Yukon will be revealed in the coming weeks.

“Some teaser images of that car will be coming out next month ahead of a full US reveal in our [Australia’s] winter,” she told carsales.

“We won’t see the mid-cycle enhancement in the US until mid-year, so we’ll have more images and information of that model once it has been properly launched in the US.”

The Yukon measures a big 5334mm long, 2057mm wide, 1943mm high and rides on a long 3071mm wheelbase. There is also an extended Yukon XL that’s a mammoth 5720mm long.

The Yukon also shares the same basic platform with the GMC Sierra, Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban, and the Cadillac Escalade, but those large American SUVs aren’t in GMSV’s plans for Australia.

This month, GMSV officials watered down speculation it would also offer the smaller Ford Ranger-baiting GMC Canyon locally, arguing its market share wouldn’t be big enough to justify the investment.

“That’s not in our plans at the moment,” said Bala.

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