Review: 2021 GMC Yukon XL 4WD Denali Duramax Diesel

The GMC Yukon is a full-size SUV from truck maker GMC which is a division of General Motors. The Yukon SUV comes from a long line of Suburbans that dates back to 1934. This makes the Suburban nameplate the longest running vehicle in production today. The Suburban line of utility vehicles has traditionally been one of General Motors' most profitable vehicles and one of its most popular too. In December 2019, the Suburban received a star on the world famous Hollywood Walk of Fame for being a part of 1,750 films and TV shows dating back to 1952.

Denali Nameplate

The Denali nameplate and styling package was first released for the GMC Yukon in 1999 as a way to compete for the private buyers that were now looking at the recently released Navigator without losing their loyal commercial business buyers. The top-of-the-line premium luxury and performance of the Denali line was also shared with the GM upstart Cadillac Escalade as well.

2021 Yukon

When GMC first introduced the Yukon SUV in 1992, it was as a two-door model that sat on the GMT400 truck chassis platform that was being utilized by the Chevrolet Silverado at the time. Over the decades, the Yukon Denali has been the pinnacle of GMC craftsmanship with a refined and comfortable interior complementing the premium materials that are used. But today, the upgrades for 2021 will take the Yukon Denali to the next level giving an owner a truly first-class experience with its bold design outside, refined interior appointments, and high-tech features.

For the first time, the 2021 Denali models will be uniquely styled by model.

• Complete new model-exclusive instrument panel
• Unique seats with premium leather and coordinating authentic wood
• Choice of four unique color themes with a style of its own
• Bold new exterior design that projects a more confident stance
• Longer wheelbase and new chassis for an even smoother ride
• First-in-class, available, four-corner air ride adaptive suspension
• Class-leading available 15-inch-diagonal multicolor head-up display
• Class-leading nine camera views
• And—I saved the best for last—for the first time, a Yukon Denali can be purchased with a diesel engine.

Yukon First | Diesel Engine

The fifth generation Yukon will offer a diesel engine for the first time. It's hard to believe the Yukon has never had a diesel engine available up to now; but with many buyers looking for weekend adventure, why not go all in and now provide buyers a far superior fuel efficient and towing option that now has the capability to tow some of the biggest weekend fun available? The Yukon will offer the Duramax 3.0L turbo-diesel engine which will produce 277 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque. The fuel is released by a direct high-pressure fuel injection system with Dynamic Fuel Management and administered by an electronic throttle valve. When you couple that with the significant weight reduction because of the aluminum block and cylinder heads, you will easily see at a minimum of the EPA rated 20 mpgs in the city and a whopping 26 mpgs on the highway.

The Yukon comes with a 28 gallon fuel tank; so to put the total fuel range of the extended Yukon XL 4WD SUV in perspective for my Texas readers, you can drive from Dallas to Galveston Island and back to Dallas on a single tank of gas. That is roughly a 10 hour round trip on one tank of gas. Or another way to look at it, you can make a one way trip from Dallas to Des Moines on a single tank of gas in the style and comfort of a high end luxury sedan. The Yukon also received a vehicle platform upgrade for 2021 thereby moving to the GMT1 vehicle platform that has been used with great success since 2018 by all GM pickup trucks. This platform upgrade will allow the Yukon to have a towing capacity of 8,100lbs without losing one bit of its ride comfort. When you purchase the upgraded swanky Denali package, those long trips that require towing a camper, boat, jet skis or off road vehicles will get a little nicer and a lot shorter.

Longer Wheel Base

With the GMT1 truck platform, the XL Yukon version still retains the crown as the roomiest SUV. This new platform adds an additional 4.1" to the wheelbase while providing only a less than 1% change to the XL's overall length. That translates to an additional 10" of third-row leg room and now the third row is easier to access because the second row seats slide forward by 5.5 inches. This is a first for Yukon passengers. Also, 66% more cargo space behind the third-row seating area makes it easier to load and unload packages because there is a flatter cargo-loading floor. The dual-pane panoramic sunroof with tilt feature provides fresh air that gives passengers a sense of unlimited boundaries on long adventurous trips, I'm assuming there will be some amazing views captured from the third row as well. For those summer days when the sun is too hot for the views, the power sunshade can quickly diminish the suns rays and heat.

Yukon was the model in which Denali originated in 1999, and now more than 20 years later, we're introducing the quintessential Denali. It delivers a first-class experience with an all-new, exclusive interior and a bolder, more distinctive exterior design.

Helen Emsley, Executive Director, Global Buick and GMC Design

Interior

The Denali upgrades the driving experience with an all-new interior design including a unique instrument panel and a choice of four exclusive interior themes that feature authentic wood details and premium perforated leather seats with Denali-Exclusive fractal stitching.

• Teal / Light shale perforated leather seats
• Dark Walnut / Very dark ash gray perforated leather seats
• Brownstone / Jet black perforated leather seats
• Jet Black / Jest Black

There is also included with the Denali-Exclusive package a Bose® audio system with Centerpoint® surround sound and 14 speakers strategically placed throughout the cabin that creates amazing sound no matter where you sit. And for those long trips, there is something for the kids too. An all-new rear-seat media system features dual 12.6" diagonal high-definition touch-screens that tilt to keep sun glare at a minimum.

My press loan test model was the 2021 Yukon Denali XL 4WD with the Duramax 3.0L Inline-6 Turbo-Diesel. The interior was the teak wood grain with light shale leather seats. A good friend of mine asked if I have to stop at railroad crossings like other school buses. We both got a good laugh at the size of this XL SUV, but I had no problem getting around the suburban scene to run many of the errands I had for the week. When I did have a tight parking scenario, I could always count on one of the nine cameras to help me out. The turning radius was quite remarkable for a vehicle of its length, but it's worth remembering that it does sit on a truck chassis and not a bus chassis.

I did get a chance to utilize the cavernous cargo space the XL has when you fold down both rows of seats. I loaded and transported a number of boxes containing personal or breakable items as well as a handmade circa 1913 family heirloom pie cooling table that is the size of a typical home desk, but significantly taller. Everything fit with ease and road really well. I also had to make a round trip highway run to North Texas of over two hours to visit a friend, and the Yukon's mileage is everything they bill it to be. I can easily see how this vehicle could spoil someone and make them a bit soft for traveling with all of the convenience and comfort the engineers have painstakingly put into his vehicle. The highway mpgs are EPA rated at 26 mpg, but I was able to beat that number by a tic. No matter which color themes or wood details you choose, I believe you will find this new and updated Yukon with its refined interior, advanced technologies, and great looking exterior creating a premium driving experience whether you are driving your daily commuter route or looking to travel long distances in the style and comfort of a high end luxury sedan.

Specifications

MSRP (Yukon XL 4WD starts): $74,100
MSRP (Yukon XL Denali 4WD shown): $84,945

Learn More

For more information or to test drive this vehicle for yourself, stop by a local dealer or visit online at:
GMC | Yukon

About GMC

With a strong foundation of manufacturing trucks since 1902 and now selling in a dozen countries across the world, GMC offers purpose-built vehicles designed and engineered to the highest standard. From the all-new compact SUV Terrain to the Sierra HD, our trucks and crossovers deliver GMC's signature combination of intuitive technologies and premium execution, with the popular Denali representing the pinnacle of GMC design, performance and amenities. Details on all GMC models are available at www.gmc.com, on Twitter at @GMC or at www.facebook.com/gmc.