GMC has unveiled the 2025 Yukon, a major update to the brand's flagship SUV, and one that is heading our way next year as part of the local GMSV (General Motors Specialty Vehicles) line up.
Like the Chevrolet Silverado pickup, the Yukon will be built in left-hand drive form in the USA (in this case at GM’s Arlington Assembly plant in Texas) before being shipped to Australia for “remanufacturing” into RHD for local sale.
Along with significant technology upgrades, a striking new exterior design, and a refreshed interior, one of the most notable additions to the Yukon is the introduction of the first-ever AT4 Ultimate trim, marking a milestone for GMC’s AT4 label, which celebrates its fifth anniversary.
"Following the all-new GMC Acadia and next-gen GMC Terrain, the addition of the updated 2025 GMC Yukon completes GMC’s reimagined SUV lineup," said Duncan Aldred, Global Vice President of Buick and GMC.
“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.”
The refreshed Yukon offers a pair of powertrain options, with the Yukon being available with the choice of a 308kW/625Nm 6.2-litre petrol V8 or a 3.0-litre turbo diesel option, both paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission.
While GMSV will offer the V8 in New Zealand, the diesel won’t be making it our way.
GMC says the Yukon’s design is “a harmonious blend of luxury and ruggedness”, with the exterior characterised by its bold grille patterns, as well as animated headlamps and taillamps.
Inside, the centerpiece of the Yukon’s cabin is a 16.8-inch “Premium GMC Infotainment Centre”, which features a vertical interface that allows users to customise their interaction with maps, audio, vehicle diagnostics, and more. Additionally, there is also an 8-inch touchscreen in the rear for climate control functions.
GMC has expanded the Yukon range for 2025 with the introduction of the Denali Ultimate and AT4 Ultimate trims.
The Denali Ultimate is a road-oriented luxury offering that features exclusive 24-inch 8-spoke machined wheels with laser etching, 16-way powered heated and ventilated massaging front seats, and luxury captain’s chairs in the second row. The interior is adorned with new wood décor featuring open pore laser etched topographical patterns, chrome accents, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and a 22-speaker Bose audio system.
The AT4 Ultimate trim, on the other hand, is aimed at buyers who want both luxury and off-road capability in their massive SUV. It comes equipped with a front skid plate, 20-inch wheels with all-terrain tires, and adaptive suspension that can raise the vehicle by up to 50mm to improve ground clearance. Alas, we won’t be seeing the AT4 in this part of the world, however, as GMSV has opted to offer only the Denali here.
Safety technology also plays a big role in the Yukon, with advanced technology, safety, and driver assistance features, including a night vision system that uses thermal object detection to help drivers identify pedestrians and animals in low-light environments.
The Yukon also includes a range of new standard safety features, such as Front Pedestrian and Bicyclist Braking, Rear Cross Traffic Braking, and Intersection Automatic Emergency Braking, and also gets GM’s Super Cruise hands-free advanced driver assistance system.
The system is expected to cover approximately 750,000 miles of roads in the U.S. and Canada by the end of 2025, but seeing as it hasn’t expanded beyond North America at this stage we won’t be likely to see that on Yukons sold here.
The Yukon has a towing capacity of 3.8 tonnes and also features plenty of safety features and assists for hauling a load, including Blind Zone Steering Assist which takes the length of the trailer length account, as well as Trailer Reverse Trajectory that adds extra guidelines to the backing camera image to track the path of the trailer.
Full local spec and pricing for the RHD Yukon are expected to be revealed closer to its local launch next year.
