2022 GMC Yukon Reviews, Pricing & Specs

If you like chrome, you'll probably like the GMC Yukon. Even the base SLE model has enough shiny stuff to give it a premium look as only chrome can. By the time you climb the trim level ladder up to the Denali, though, it's evident that GMC is doing this on purpose. After all, when you have large SUVs from three brands sharing the same general body style, you need to do something to stand out. GMC's approach? Chrome, and lots of it.

Indeed, the front of the Denali is constructed almost entirely of chrome, dominated by the vast, multi-dimensional grille that, to our eyes, resembles an industrial-sized cheese grater. But on the Denali, at least, it works. It gives the vehicle a unique look, not to mention a commanding presence—something a full-size luxury SUV should have in spades. GMC's signature C-shaped headlights flank the oversized chrome grille.

Our test vehicle's 22-inch bright machined aluminum wheels—part of the optional Ultimate package—also popped against the dark Redwood Metallic paint.

Like the Denali, the off-road-oriented AT4 also has a look all its own with unique front styling, including a dark grille, a skid plate, and horizontal red recovery hooks.

Inside the Yukon, you'll find a tastefully crafted, spacious cabin with plenty of room and standard seating for eight (nine on the SLE with optional front beach seat). Second-row captain's chairs are available on the SLT and AT4 (and standard on the Denali), reducing passenger capacity to seven but making access to the third row significantly easier. Cloth seats are standard on SLE; all other trims come with perforated leather. The AT4 and Denali come with heated and cooled front seats.

All three rows in the Yukon are comfortable, even for six-footers. The Denali also gets four interior designs that aren't available on any other trim level. Our test vehicle had the Teak/Light Shale color combo, arguably the nicest of the four interior combinations. The contrasting light and dark colors, unique stitching, and natural wood details add layers and textures, giving the interior a premium look.

For its part, the Yukon AT4 features a Jet Black interior with AT4-exclusive Brandy accents and dark brushed aluminum details. Front-seat head restraints include embroidered AT4 badging for a custom look.

The 2022 GMC Yukon is available with a choice of three engines, including an economical diesel option.

Standard on all trims except the Denali is a 5.3-liter V8 engine making 355 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque. Standard on the Denali and available on the AT4 is a 6.2-liter V8 producing 420 hp and 460 pound-feet. Both engines employ direct injection and feature fuel-saving cylinder-deactivation technology.

New to the 2022 GMC Yukon lineup is a 3.0-liter turbodiesel four-cylinder engine, available on all trims except the AT4 (presumably due to packaging constraints owing to the AT4's unique off-road equipment). Horsepower measures 277, but the torque figure is the number to pay attention to as it's a diesel. The "Baby Duramax," as it's affectionately known, produces 460 pound-feet of torque. In addition to gobs of torque, the turbodiesel also delivers excellent fuel economy. GMC says that, with the diesel engine, the Yukon can travel up to 648 miles on a tank. To allay any fears about smaller engines being less durable than larger ones, GM provides a five-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty for its 3.0-liter diesel.

All three engines work with a 10-speed automatic transmission. Most versions get standard rear-wheel drive (RWD), with four-wheel drive (4WD) an extra-cost option. The AT4 is only available with 4WD, however.

A single-speed transfer case is standard on 4WD SLE and SLT models, while a two-speed unit is standard on AT4 and Denali (available on SLE and SLT). The main benefit of the two-speed transfer case is that it allows you to switch to a lower 4WD gear for better control on particularly challenging terrain. The off-road-focused AT4's unique front styling bestows this version with an approach angle of nearly 32 degrees, and a front skid plate helps to protect against rocks and other obstacles.

The Yukon's maximum towing capacity is 8,400 pounds, but there are caveats. To pull that amount of weight, the SUV must have RWD, the 5.3-liter engine, and the available Max Trailering Package. The trailering package includes Hitch Guidance with Hitch View, an in-vehicle trailering app, and trailer side blind-spot warning (not available on SLE).

As our test vehicle was a Yukon Denali, it came equipped with the 6.2-liter V8 and an 8,200-pound tow rating. We found power to be more than adequate. But while the exhaust note has a hearty growl, it doesn't quite measure up to the sonorous sound that emanates from the Infiniti QX80's Endurance V8. But we're talking about different flavors of awesome sauce—you really can't go wrong with either one.

As part of its the redesign last year, the GMC Yukon got independent rear suspension. Not only does this allow for more passenger and cargo space due to a lower floor, but it also provides better handling and a smoother ride, especially for third-row passengers.

Although the ride is more composed compared to the previous-generation Yukon, our test vehicle still exhibited some unwelcome bouncing in back, losing its composure a bit over rutted pavement under acceleration. Still, over most surfaces, the Yukon delivered a smooth, quiet ride, mile after mile, no doubt thanks in part to the optional air ride adaptive suspension. It was especially pleasing on Interstate highways, where the miles seemed to melt away.

Aside from the obvious ride quality benefits, the optional air suspension also comes in handy while off-roading, as you can raise the vehicle two full inches to improve ground clearance.

The three-row GMC Yukon (and its larger Yukon XL sibling) has always provided ample first- and second-row passenger space, but things haven't always been that pleasant for third-row passengers. Before the 2021 redesign, accessing the third row was a chore, and, once seated, the limited knee room and legroom made the third row a penalty box. GMC addressed this deficiency with the recent redesign, increasing third-row legroom by more than 10 inches, from 24.8 inches to 34.9 inches.

Fortunately, the extra space didn't come at the expense of cargo volume. Indeed, cargo space behind the third row also increased, from a relatively small 15.3 cubic feet to a much more reasonable 25.5 cubic feet.

From where did all this extra space come? A nearly five-inch wheelbase stretch and six inches of additional length are primarily responsible, but the move to an independent rear suspension also resulted in a lower floor and thus more usable space.

The second-row seats fold flat, and power fold-and-tumble bucket seats are available to ease ingress and egress to and from the third row. Our test vehicle was equipped with the power-folding second-row buckets, which, coupled with the seats' ability to slide forward, made loading and unloading third-row occupants quick and easy. Our test Yukon also had the available power fold-flat third-row seats, which is always appreciated.

We discovered another handy feature on our Denali test vehicle by accident. When checking out the various cubbies, bins, and storage areas in the Yukon, we pressed the release button for the center console and, lo and behold, the entire console slid rearward 10 inches to reveal additional storage space for personal items. Not only that, but the power-sliding center console also features a hidden storage drawer for stashing valuables, convenient for when you're about to hand over your SUV to a valet.

Our test Yukon also had power-retractable, illuminated assist steps, part of the Denali Ultimate Package. They're not only fun to watch go up and down by themselves, they really do make it easier to get in and out of the vehicle. However, the downside to running boards on any vehicle is that it's nearly impossible to keep your pant legs clean and dry should you try to avoid stepping on them when getting out of the vehicle in the rain.

Though relatively new to the auto industry, pushbutton transmission controls were present in our Yukon. That's right, there's no more giant wand on the steering column or console-mounted gear shifter to row up and down. Now, you simply press a button, and off you go (or stay if you press "P"). No muss, no fuss. In the Denali, the gear-selector buttons are located to the left of the infotainment touchscreen that sits atop the center stack. If you're not used to this arrangement, it takes a bit of time to acclimate yourself. But, like most modern automotive technology, a few reps and it becomes second nature.

As is expected of any modern vehicle, the GMC Yukon comes standard with a respectable level of technology. Front and center, positioned between the vehicle's primary gauges, is a 12-inch reconfigurable driver information center that provides access to phone, audio, and navigation functions (if so equipped) that are controlled via the steering wheel. Drivers can select one of four themes. Having this information in a convenient location helps drivers to keep their attention focused on the road. Although we weren't huge fans of having to scroll through menus using the small roller control on the steering wheel while driving, the information was presented clearly and in a logical manner.

Standard on our Denali test vehicle (and optional on the AT4) was a 15-inch multi-color head-up display, which GMC says is the biggest in the class. It was so large, in fact, that it seemed to stretch across the entirety of the instrument cluster hood. The display provided the usual driving speed, speed limit, and audio information, as well as helpful safety aids such as lane-departure warning and forward-collision alert. It even featured an off-road inclinometer to provide critical body tilt and tire-angle information.

Sitting atop the Yukon's center stack is a 10.2-inch touchscreen. The standard infotainment system has Google Built-In, which includes Google Maps, Google Assistant, Google Play Store access, third-party apps, vehicle data sharing, and three years of connected services on AT4 and Denali. The Yukon's standard system also comes with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a trial subscription to SiriusXM satellite radio, wireless phone charging on all but the SLE, and an available WiFi hotspot, among other items.

Our test vehicle featured a Bose 14-speaker audio system. Generally speaking, we're big fans of Bose audio, but for some reason, the sound quality of this particular system didn't quite live up to our expectations. Volume wasn't the issue. Rather, the richness of the sound didn't seem to permeate the vehicle as it does with most other Bose systems. Still, the overall audio experience was merely adequate rather than epic.

Also included in the Denali Ultimate Package was GMC's rear-seat media system, featuring dual 12.6-inch LCD HD touchscreens. Accessed via HDMI ports on the back of the center console, the system is compatible with various media formats, including laptop computers, PlayStation consoles, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Firestick, and Sling TV, among others. However, make sure you have a lightning to HDMI adapter if you want to access audio or video files on your phone or tablet, as it doesn't come with the vehicle.

Every 2022 Yukon comes with GMC's Pro Safety suite of driver aids. It includes automatic emergency braking with front pedestrian detection, forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, following distance indicator, automatic high-beam headlights. Available on SLE and standard on SLT and above, GMC Pro Safety Plus enhances safety even further by adding lane-change alert with blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, and rear park assist.

Other safety features on our test Yukon included a Safety Alert Seat that vibrates when a potentially dangerous situation is detected, such as an unintended lane change, and an adjustable rear camera mirror that greatly enhances rearward visibility by providing a wide-angle view behind the vehicle. During our time with the Yukon, all of the various safety systems behaved and never interfered with our drive by sounding false alarms or being oversensitive.

In safety tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the 2022 GMC Yukon received an overall rating of four out of five stars. The SUV scored four stars for front crash protection, five stars for side crash protection, and three stars for rollover resistance in the individual crash tests. The ratings were the same for RWD and 4WD Yukons.

As of this writing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) hasn't tested the current-generation (beginning with the 2021 model year) GMC Yukon, which is somewhat surprising considering the vehicle's popularity.

Pricing starts at $53,795 (including a $1,695 destination charge) for the base Yukon SLE, while the Yukon SLT starts at $60,595. The off-road-oriented AT4 begins at $68,295, and the top-of-the-line Yukon Denali has an MSRP of $70,095. As mentioned above, the AT4 gets standard 4WD. It's a $3,000 option on other trim levels.

Our test vehicle, a 2022 GMC Yukon Denali 4WD in Redwood Metallic (a $495 option) with Teak/Light Shale interior with leather seats, had a base price of $72,500. Options included the Denali Ultimate package ($10,355), the aforementioned extra-cost paint, and two credits of $50 each—one for the SUV not having an automatic stop/start system and another for not coming with a steering column lock. The credits are undoubtedly a result of GM, like many other automakers, having to make rolling content adjustments due to the ongoing global microchip shortage. After all the math exercises, the total price of our tester was $84,945, including destination.

While that may sound like a heckuva lot of money to spend on a luxury SUV, the price is competitive when you look at the Denali's competition. Indeed, the base price of the Chevrolet Tahoe High Country is virtually identical, and we think the GMC has better styling inside and out. Prices for the Lincoln Navigator range from $76,705 for the base model to $98,655 for the Black Label version. The ultimate GM luxury SUV, the Cadillac Escalade, starts at $77,890 for the base model and can reach six figures once you get into the top trims. And while the Infiniti QX80 has a slightly lower starting price at $71,995, a top-spec QX80 Sensory 4WD equipped similarly to our test vehicle retails for $85,335—about $400 more than the Denali.

While filling up a GMC Yukon at the gas station surely won't bring a smile to your face, again, compared to its main competition, the SUV's fuel economy splits the difference between the best and worst in the class. According to the EPA, the 2022 GMC Yukon returns combined city/highway fuel economy of 16-17 mpg with either V8 engine, while 3.0-liter diesel versions average 22-23 mpg combined. If you do a lot of towing or hauling with your SUV, you'll want to consider the diesel seriously.

During our week of testing, we averaged an indicated 14.9 mpg in mostly city driving, right in line with our test vehicle's 14/19/16 (city/highway/combined) EPA rating. With a fuel tank capacity of 24 gallons and using the EPA's 19-mpg highway rating, the maximum travel range for our test vehicle would be approximately 456 miles.