Sometimes you want to be showy. And sometimes you want to fly below the radar. The GMC Yukon Denali Ultimate offers Escalade levels of luxury while remaining a close relative of the General at General Motors. GMC Global Vice President Jacklyn McQuaid notes, “Denali represents the pinnacle of GMC’s ‘Professional Grade’ ethos. GMC and Denali’s unique combination of premium design, luxurious appointments, advanced tech and true capability continues to resonate with customers in the U.S. and around the world. No one does trucks and SUVs like GMC, and the proof is in the performance, with record sales and growth for GMC at home and abroad.” The Denali package is very cool, but my tester showed up with the Ultimate package. According to Duncan Aldred, VP at GMC, “Following the all-new GMC Acadia and next-gen GMC Terrain, the addition of the updated GMC Yukon completes GMC’s reimagined SUV lineup. We’re raising the bar on what our customers expect from GMC’s flagship, and the addition of the AT4 Ultimate trim fuses ruggedness and capability with craftsmanship and refinement.”
Powerful Engine and Transmission
The Denali is propelled by an available 6.2L V8 that offers 420 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque. It is paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. The units work well together to propel the large SUV down the highway like a locomotive. Everything was great during my test week except for a Service Transmission message that popped up in the instrument cluster display. I clicked “OK” to make it disappear and was worried that reaching highway speed might be a problem for my ride home or a trip to the dealership. Luckily, the error went away and did not come back. It was a minor software glitch but a minor annoyance. Also available across the lineup, including on AT4 and AT4 Ultimate for the first time, a 3.0L Duramax Turbo-Diesel engine option offers customers 305 horsepower and 495 lb-ft of torque. That would be a cool engine to compare, especially with its better fuel economy, but the current high cost of diesel makes it a tough call.
Massive Infotainment
When I first hopped into the GMC Yukon Denali, I thought to myself, “Is this a Tesla?” The centerpiece of the cabin is a 16.8-inch-diagonal Premium GMC Infotainment Center with a vertical interface, which allows users to customize the integration of maps, audio inputs, vehicle diagnostics and more into a diagonal screen display. The addition of an available 8-inch-diagonal rear climate control touchscreen also helps ensure a comfortable cabin environment for passengers. My daughter was enthralled with the rear seat entertainment system, which would look at home in business class on an expensive airline. She was able to easily link her Apple wireless noise-canceling headphones and browse YouTube videos without having to delve deep into the apps. With an active OnStar data plan, you can watch Disney+, Hulu, Tubi and other services from the factory if you are a subscriber. Netflix isn’t here yet but would be a cool addition. You can access it by going to Netflix on the built-in browser.
Wheeling
My tester showed up wearing massive 24-inch, eight-spoke machined wheels with laser etching – a first-ever for Yukon. They look really cool. They are wrapped in Goodyear Assurance tires and hopefully will last a long time because 24-inch tires are not inexpensive. Inside, the luxury continues with the Obsidian Rush interior. There are three rows of full-grain leather seating and Ash Burl open-pore wood accents.
I really liked how the leather on the doors and the dashboard fit – it looks like it came from a custom upholstery shop. Up front, you are spoiled with 16-way power heated and ventilated massaging front seats. Pressing a button on the side of the seat brings up the massage choices on the infotainment screen. However, you can’t use the touchscreen to select the massage you want. Instead, you must use the button on the side of the seat and scroll to your choice. Next time, it would be great to choose on the screen itself. Since this is the first time a GMC has this level of luxury, we’ll give them a pass.
Bose Sound
There are 16 speakers in the great-sounding Bose system. It features 5.1 surround sound, and the large infotainment display makes changing settings easy. We were able to skew the sound to the front while my daughter used noise-canceling headphones in the rear. There is a subwoofer underneath the cargo hold where a spare tire may reside. It can make the side view mirrors rattle a little bit, but if you want it to rattle a lot, go for an aftermarket sub!
Trailering
The towing technology built into the Yukon makes it a trailering workhorse. With the Max Trailering Package, it can pull 8,000 pounds. But the tech makes it easy. Transparent Trailer View uses a tailgate-mounted camera and a customer-installed auxiliary camera available on the rear of a compatible trailer to help virtually see through a compatible trailer to view objects or vehicles behind it.
Trailer Reverse Trajectory adds rearward guidelines to track the path of the trailer when backing up.
Trailer Tire Health enhances the Trailer Tire Pressure Monitoring System by adding leak detection, tire life monitoring and over-speed warning. Jackknife Alert tracks the position of the compatible trailer in relation to the vehicle to notify the driver if there is a potential jackknife situation. With the surround cameras, a large boat can be in your future!
The 2026 GMC Yukon Denali Ultimate delivers luxury, technology and the ability to be a trailering workhorse. It can carpool during the week and go to the fancy steakhouse on Saturday night. The only downside of this versatility is the price, which starts around $103k. It really compares with the Escalade Platinum or Lincoln Navigator, both of which start around $10k more. But for some, the luxury nameplate can be a turnoff. Visit a local GMC retailer to experience the Yukon Denali Ultimate for yourself, save some money and get all the luxury with none of the guilt!
