GMC Yukon vs Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid

The 2022 GMC Yukon was a chrome lover's dream, with even the base SLE model featuring enough shiny accents to give it a premium appearance. As one moved up the trim levels to the Denali, the chrome became even more pronounced, with the front of the Denali almost entirely constructed of chrome. The oversized, multi-dimensional grille resembled an industrial-sized cheese grater, giving the vehicle a unique and commanding presence. The Denali's 22-inch bright machined aluminum wheels, part of the optional Ultimate package, stood out against the dark Redwood Metallic paint. Inside, the Yukon offered a spacious and tastefully crafted cabin with standard seating for eight, or seven with the available second-row captain's chairs. The Denali trim featured four exclusive interior designs, with the Teak/Light Shale color combo providing a premium look with contrasting colors, unique stitching, and natural wood details.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid pursued a conservative and familiar design, drawing inspiration from the previous-generation RAV4. This approach resulted in a vehicle that looked and felt like a larger RAV4, with seating for up to eight and ample cargo space. The interior emphasized function over form, with a layer of luxury in the Platinum trim. The climate system was simple and user-friendly, but the infotainment interface had a tiny volume knob and lacked a tuning knob. The Grand Highlander Hybrid Max Platinum, with its Storm Cloud paint, offered a smart and upscale interior with leather and artificial suede upholstery. The second-row captain's chairs provided easy access to the third row, and the vehicle offered nearly 100 cubic feet of maximum cargo space.

The 2022 GMC Yukon offered a choice of three engines, including a 5.3-liter V8 with 355 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque, standard on all trims except the Denali. The Denali and AT4 trims featured a 6.2-liter V8 producing 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. A 3.0-liter turbodiesel engine, known as the "Baby Duramax," was available on all trims except the AT4, delivering 277 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. The Yukon had a maximum towing capacity of 8,400 pounds with the 5.3-liter engine and the Max Trailering Package. The Denali trim, with its 6.2-liter V8, had an 8,200-pound tow rating. The Yukon featured independent rear suspension for improved handling and ride quality, with the optional air ride adaptive suspension providing a smooth and quiet ride.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Max focused on performance with a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine and electronic full-time AWD, producing 362 net horsepower. The Hybrid Max offered a satisfying acceleration experience, with a traditional six-speed automatic transmission avoiding the droning common in CVTs. The Grand Highlander Hybrid Max had a towing capacity of 5,000 pounds and achieved up to 27 mpg. During testing, it averaged 23.3 mpg on a mountainous route and 26 mpg on a city-highway route. The Hybrid Max provided a soft, isolating ride quality, with secure handling up to a modest point. The vehicle's outward visibility was excellent, aided by front, rear, and top-down cameras.

The 2022 GMC Yukon provided ample passenger space in all three rows, with the recent redesign increasing third-row legroom by more than 10 inches. Cargo space behind the third row increased to 25.5 cubic feet, thanks to a longer wheelbase and independent rear suspension. The second-row seats folded flat, and power fold-and-tumble bucket seats were available for easy access to the third row. The Denali trim featured a power-sliding center console with hidden storage, and power-retractable assist steps made entry and exit easier. The Yukon also had pushbutton transmission controls, located to the left of the infotainment touchscreen.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid offered comfortable seating in all three rows, with nearly 100 cubic feet of maximum cargo space. The Platinum trim featured a Portobello interior with leather and artificial suede upholstery. The second-row captain's chairs provided a pass-through to the third row, and the vehicle offered 20.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row. Folding the second and third rows increased cargo capacity to 97.5 cubic feet. The Grand Highlander's rear doors were long and required ample space to open, which could be challenging when buckling a child into a safety seat.

The 2022 GMC Yukon came standard with a 12-inch reconfigurable driver information center and a 10.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Google Built-In, wireless Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The Denali trim featured a 15-inch multi-color head-up display and a Bose 14-speaker audio system. The rear-seat media system included dual 12.6-inch LCD HD touchscreens, compatible with various media formats.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid featured a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and SiriusXM satellite radio. The system offered access to Toyota Connected Services, including a Wi-Fi hotspot and a digital voice assistant. The Platinum trim included a color head-up display, a camera-based digital rear-view mirror, and a JBL premium audio system.

The 2022 GMC Yukon came with GMC's Pro Safety suite, including automatic emergency braking, forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, and more. The Pro Safety Plus package added lane-change alert, blind-spot warning, and rear cross-traffic alert. The Yukon received a four-star overall rating from the NHTSA, with four stars for front crash protection, five stars for side crash protection, and three stars for rollover resistance.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid featured Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, with lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, and Proactive Driving Assist. The Grand Highlander received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA but did not achieve the IIHS Top Safety Pick rating due to "Acceptable" ratings for headlight performance and small overlap frontal-impact protection.