Many full-size SUVs offer the interior space of a minivan with the capability of a pickup truck, and no vehicles embody the class like the GMC Yukon and Chevy Tahoe. The GMC is a more upscale take on the format, offering high-end finishes and a premium interior design. At the same time, the SUVs towing and hauling numbers rival those of some pickup trucks, making the Yukon and extended Yukon XL the ultimate all-around family vehicles.
2026 GMC Yukon XL Pricing, Specs, and Release Date
- What’s New for the 2026 GMC Yukon XL
- Design
- Powertrain
- Interior
- Technology
- Safety
- Pricing and Release Date
- Further Research
What’s New for the 2026 GMC Yukon XL
GMC hasn’t detailed updates for the 2026 Yukon XL, but it received a fairly substantial update in 2025, which likely means changes in 2026 are minimal.
Design
The Yukon XL hides its imposing size with clean lines and tasteful applications of chrome and exterior accents. It features a large, upright grille with a massive GMC badge, and the automaker offers a range of wheel options, depending on the trim. The beefy AT4 Ultimate configuration has black exterior trim and all-terrain tires.
Powertrain
GMC offers three powertrain options for the 2026 Yukon XL. The base engine is a 5.3-liter V8 with 355 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque. A 6.2-liter V8 is available, making 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. The Yukon is also available with a 3.0-liter turbodiesel six-cylinder engine, which produces 305 horsepower and 495 pound-feet of torque. All three engines pair with a 10-speed automatic transmission and either rear- or four-wheel drive (RWD or 4WD). Towing is strong, reaching 8,400 pounds in the most capable configuration.
Interior
The Yukon XL seats up to eight people on standard synthetic and genuine leather upholstery. Other standard features include heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and heated outboard second-row seats. Higher trims add full genuine leather upholstery, massaging front seats, ventilated first- and second-row seats, massaging second-row seats, and more.
Technology
GMC equips a massive 16.8-inch touchscreen and an 11-inch digital gauge cluster as standard. Other default tech features include wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a Bose audio system, navigation, a Wi-Fi hotspot, SiriusXM radio, three-zone automatic climate controls, and more. The Yukon XL is available with a rear entertainment system, premium Bose stereo upgrades, and a rear touchscreen system.
Safety
The 2026 GMC Yukon XL is too new to have been crash-tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), but it has a long list of standard safety equipment. Features include forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, pedestrian and cyclist detection, rear-seat alert, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, automatic parking assistance, buckle-to-drive, and GM's Teen Driver Mode. Available features include Super Cruise, a rearview mirror camera system, a head-up display, and driver-attention warning.
Pricing and Release Date
As of the time of this writing, GMC hasn’t priced the 2026 Yukon or Yukon XL, but it should receive a slight price increase over the 2025 model, which started at $70,900. The top Yukon XL Denali Ultimate trim starts at $106,595 before options. The 2026 Yukon XL will likely go on sale in late 2025.
