2018 GMC Yukon

The 2018 GMC Yukon falls under the full-size SUV category and is offered in a choice of three trims namely SLE, SLT, and Denali. The base SLE trim starts at $49,100 and is powered by a 5.3-liter V8 engine mated to a six-speed gearbox and comes with a choice of either RWD or a single-speed transfer case 4WD. Apart from the standard features list, this trim offers an Enhanced Driver Alert package that adds a host of assistance features like lane departure warning with lane-keep assist, forward collision warning with low-speed automatic braking, and automatic high beam. One more optional package offered is the Convenience package that adds power-adjustable pedals, a power liftgate, a universal garage door opener, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror.

Next is the SLT trim with a starting price of $57,200, this trim gets all the features of the SLE trim and adds a few more driver-assist and creature comfort features. Sitting on the top is the Denali trim priced at $66,200 and comes with a bigger 6.2-liter V8 engine mated to a new 10-speed gearbox. The highlight for this trim is the adaptive suspension dampers, active noise cancellation, and bigger wheels. While the optional 4WD on the Denali trim is a two-speed transfer case. That said, the Yukon as standard offers seating for eight which can be extended to nine in the SLE trim with the optional front bench seats while the Denali trim only offers seats for seven occupants only as it replaces the second-row bench seats with bucket seats. 

We Recommend:

The GMC Yukon is a big SUV and driving it sans driver-assist features can be a daunting task so we suggest picking the mid-level SLT trim that comes with all the driver-assist features and is well equipped with creature comfort and luxury features. For a price under sixty grand, the SLT trim commands a hefty eight grand premium but if you look at the extra features that you get then the premium seems fairly justified.

“The base suspension manages sharp impacts well, but surprisingly small road imperfections tend to give the cockpit the shakes.” Edmunds

2018 GMC Yukon Engine & Transmission

The 2018 GMC Yukon as standard is powered by a 5.3-liter V8 engine that puts out 355 hp and 383 lb-ft of torque. this is comes mated to a six-speed automatic gearbox that powers either the RWD or the 4WD with a single-speed transfer case. The Yukon SLE and SLT trim are the ones that get this engine option.

Climbing up to the Denali trim gets you a bigger 6.2-liter V8 engine that churns out 420 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque and comes mated to a new and more efficient 10-speed automatic transmission. Here also you get a choice of RWD and 4WD but the Denali 4Wd gets a two-speed transfer case.

In this comparison, the GMC Yukon turns out to be a mediocre SUV as it is neither cheap nor the most powerful SUV. The Sequoia puts out the best power figures while the twin-turbo V6 powered Expedition churns out the best torque figures.

2018 GMC Yukon Acceleration

The 2018 GMC Yukon can go from 0-60 mph in 7.3 seconds while the quarter-mile comes in 15.5 seconds. While the GMC Yukon Denali goes from 0-60 mph in 5.8 seconds and covers the quarter-mile in 14.3 seconds. Even though speed has never been a forte of full-size SUVs the Yukon Denali puts out some good acceleration timings.

The most surprising part of this comparison is that the Tahoe with a similar engine is faster than the Yukon in 0-60 mph run by two-tenths of a second. While the twin-turbo V6 powered Expedition clocks the fastest 0-60 mph and quarter-mile run.

2018 GMC Yukon Braking

The 2018 GMC Yukon took 192 feet to stop from 70-0 mph while the same took 137 feet to stop from 60-0 mph. Both the figures aren't the best among the competition.

The Yukon gets a 13-inch disc at the front while at the rear it gets a 13.6-inches disc. The brake pedal and braking bite of the Yukon isn't confidence-inspiring while the pedal feels overly soft.

In this comparison, the Expedition took the least 129 feet to stop from 60-0 mph which is around 8 feet less than what the Yukon took to stop from the same speed.

2018 GMC Yukon Ride and Handling

The ride of the 2018 Yukon varies by the suspension you choose. The standard suspension setup on the Yukon makes for a bouncy ride and isn't comfortable at all. While the adaptive suspension damper equipped Yukon Denali trim blows away with a plush ride quality that isn't easily unsettled even over rough patches. 

The handling of the Yukon on the other hand remains satisfactory despite its heft and size. Although the slightly disconnected steering wheel makes it a daunting task to maneuver this mammoth SUV in tight places. 

2018 GMC Yukon Towing and Payload Capacity

When equipped properly the 201 GMC Yukon can tow up to 8,500 pounds and offers a payload capacity of 1,690 pounds.

The Ford Expedition has the highest payload (68 lbs more than the Yukon) and towing capacity (800 lbs more than the Yukon) among all.

The standard GMC Yukon with RWD has an EPA estimated gas mileage of 16 mpg in the city, 23 mpg on the highway, and 19 mpg combined. Opt for the 4WD and the gas mileage on the highway drops by 1 mpg. The Yukon Denali powered by the bigger V8 engine returns 14 mpg in the city and 23 mpg combined while the same engine with 4WD sees a drop of 1 mpg on the highway gas mileage.

The Ford Expedition due to a smaller twin-turbo V6 engine remains the most fuel-efficient and returns 1 mpg more compared to the Yukon in city/highway/combined respectively.

“Even the base Yukon comes with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and a 4G hotspot with Wi-Fi. The GMC infotainment system is also generally easy to use.” Edmunds

2018 GMC Yukon Seating and Comfort

The cabin of the 2018 GMC Yukon ranges from satisfactory to opulent as you move higher in the trim ladder. The dashboard design is pretty straightforward and has a lot of similarities with its cousin Chevrolet Suburban. Step to the Denali trim and you will see the level of luxury the Yukon is capable of offering with wooden trim, premium leather upholstery, bucket front and rear seats, etc. 

The Yukon boasts a seating capacity of eight passengers with second-row bench seats. The base SLE trim can be had with a nine-passenger capacity and the front row seats are substituted with bench-type seats here. While the Denali trim offers only seating for seven as the second-row bucket seats replace the bench seats. The space and comfort inside the cabin are aplenty while the third row seats are best suited for small kids as the floor is high and the legroom is almost negligent.

Being the one with the longest length and wheelbase the Ford Expedition leaps ahead in offering the best-in-class head, shoulder, and legroom in all but the first row. In the first row, it is the Yukon and the Tahoe that offers the best head and legroom.

Interior Features::

• Cloth upholstery
• Three-zone automatic climate control
• Power-adjustable front seats
• Available leather upholstery
• Available power-adjustable pedals
• Available heated and ventilated seat
• Available heated steering wheel

2018 GMC Yukon Infotainment System

The 2018 GMC Yukon comes with an 8-inch touchscreen as standard which runs on the GMC’s IntelliLink infotainment system. The infotainment offers a crisp display with large size icons and a wide touch area thus making it a child's play using it even on the move. As standard, you get a nine-speaker Bose premium sound system and GM's OnStar communications services.

Standard infotainment feature includes:

• Bose nine-speaker audio system
• 4G LTE Wi-Fi Hotspot
• CD player and satellite radio
• Bluetooth
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Available 10-speaker surround sound system
• Available rear entertainment system

2018 GMC Yukon Cargo Capacity

The 2018 GMC Yukon offers a standard 15.3 cubic feet of cargo space with all the seats up. Fold-down the third-row seats and you will have 51.7 cubic feet of space. Folding the third and second-row seats liberates a maximum of 94.7 cubic feet of cargo space. 

The eight-seat configuration of the Yukon offers 60/40-split folding seats for both the third and second row. That said, the cargo floor is placed high and loading heavy luggage is a task. The self-leveling suspension on the Denali trim is a saving grace as it lowers the ride height for easy loading and unloading.

Lengthwise longer Expedition offers the best cargo space with all the seats up while the Toyota Sequoia beats all with a class-leading 120.1 cubic feet of maximum cargo space with the rear two rows down.

2018 GMC Yukon Dimension and Weight

The design of the 2018 GMC Yukon is simple yet bold. The new large chrome grille upfront with active aero shutters is the new update for the 2018 model while the rest of the things remain more or less the same. Dimension wise you won't feel like Yukon is some big SUV if parked alongside the likes of Expedition and Sequoia as both the rival SUVs offer longer length and wheelbase compared to the Yukon.

Based on a truck there is not much the designers could do with the Yukon's side and rear profile which in turn makes it look like a boxy SUV or we would rather say a breadbox. Still, we will give it to the designers for making the Yukon look a bit more extravagant than the mundane Tahoe and not too opulent to threaten the Cadillac Escalade.

Except for its 80.5-inches of width, there is nothing where the Yukon can beat the bigger Expedition and Sequoia. The Chevrolet Tahoe is based on the same underpinning as the Yukon so both measure neck-to-neck.

Exterior Features:

• 18-inch alloy wheels
• Automatic wipers
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Side steps
• Available sunroof
• Available 20-inch alloy wheels
• Available power liftgate
• Available xenon headlights

The 2018 GMC Yukon has to date only been crash-tested by the NHTSA and where it got an overall safety rating of four out of five stars. The front and side crash tests in the Yukon were rated a perfect five out of five stars while in the rollover mitigation test the Yukon got a low score of three out of five stars. The IIHS is yet to crash-test the 2018 Yukon as of this writing and as and when it does it we will update this section. 

Safety features:

• Traction Control
• High-strength side-door guard beams
• Tire Pressure Monitoring System
• Available blind-spot monitor w/ rear cross-traffic alert
• Available forward-collision warning w/ slow speed automatic braking
• Available adaptive cruise control
• Available lane-departure warning w/ lane-keep assist

2018 GMC Yukon Vs 2018 Ford Expedition

The Ford Expedition with the latest updates beaten the Yukon in many crucial areas. The Expedition can tow more, offers better cabin and cargo space, is more fuel-efficient, and lastly more powerful and quicker than the Yukon. 

Although the Expedition charges a higher premium than the Yukon, the premium seems justified. Although the price-conscious customers would favor the Yukon as it has a lower base price and is better equipped in the base trim compared to the Expedition.

2018 GMC Yukon Vs 2018 Toyota Sequoia

The Toyota Sequoia has a few things in its favor like a powerful engine, better cargo space, and a better reliability rating. But since Toyota has been lousy in updating the Sequoia it feels very outdated in front of the Yukon. Even the powertrain of the Sequoia hasn't been updated and the result is that it sips gas like anything compared to the Yukon.

Move inside and the gap between the two widens further. The Yukon has an upscale and comfortable cabin while the Sequoia's cabin looks plebian in front of it. If you are spending upwards of fifty grand then these things do play a significant role. Thus except for its unmatched reliability and track record, the Sequoia has little to offer against the Yukon.

The 2018 GMC Yukon fulfills all the parameters and expectations of a typical full-size SUV buyer. It can tow above 8,000 pounds, returns decent fuel-economy figures, offers a luxurious and spacious cabin, and remains easy to drive and handle for its size. Despite all this the harsh ride quality and large size making it difficult to maneuver remain its sore point. Being based on a truck the premium it commands especially in higher trims doesn't make it a financially prudent decision. So if you are impressed by the Yukon and looking to buy the lowers trims then it's completely worth the money but spending upwards of seventy grand on a Yukon isn't worth and you can get better SUVs for the same kind of money.