2025 GMC Yukon Denali – The Only Yank You Need – 5 min review

The 2025 GMC Yukon Denali is a tuxedoed tank—equal parts brute force and high-society swagger. It’s an off-roader dressed for the opera, with enough V8 grunt to pull a moon out of orbit and enough digital wizardry to make Elon jealous. This is the only proper, full-sized American SUV you can buy in Australia, and it’s a revelation in chrome and leather.

Inside, it’s a five-star suite on wheels. The 16.8” portrait infotainment screen towers over a 15” HUD and 11” digital driver’s cluster. Second-row passengers? They get dual 12.6” touchscreens with wireless headsets (though AirPods work just fine, darling). Seating for eight is promised, but access to the third row requires Olympic-level flexibility—best reserved for sprightly twinks or people you’re passive-aggressively punishing. Fold those pews flat and suddenly you’ve got room for enough Louis Vuitton luggage to escape civilisation entirely.

Specifications HERE:GMSV-MY25-GMC-Yukon-Denali-Features-and-Specifications-Guide_AU

Video Review to follow

The Yukon Denali doesn’t whisper presence—it shouts it through a megaphone made of machismo. Electric side steps deploy to welcome you aboard like a red carpet, while grab handles await your next off-piste adventure. And yes, it can go off-road. It’s bristling with all the brawn of Bear Grylls armed with a Swiss Army Knife factory. But let’s be honest—its natural habitat is more Toorak than Tanami. Off-piste for most owners will mean venturing beyond the sealed bitumen of the carpark at Westfield.

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ABOVE: 2025 GMC Yukon Denali

Under that chiselled bonnet lies a glorious, old-school 6.2L pushrod V8, delivering 313kW and 624Nm through a buttery 10-speed auto. It’s a refreshingly honest engine—no turbos, no electrification, just big-lunged, naturally aspirated muscle the way nature and NASCAR intended. Yes, it guzzles petrol like a drag brunch downs mimosas, but if you’re spending $174,990 on a 2.6-tonne leather-lined behemoth, odds are you’re not counting litres. Still, one wonders how GM gets so little power from so much capacity—when Lexus wrings more kilowatts from 5.0 litres with a twin-cam setup. But power isn’t the point here—presence is.

The Air Ride Adaptive Suspension with Magnetic Ride Control adjusts height to match the mood. It squats politely for easier entry (especially for those in heels) and rises up for gravel, dirt, or whatever off-piste dreams your weekend holds. During our test—smack in the middle of a winter “weather bomb”—the Yukon Denali ploughed through sideways rain like it was nothing more than a mildly inconvenient spritz. It glided through flood puddles and backroad craters with unflappable grace, and the cabin remained as serene as a meditation app read by RuPaul.

The steering is nicely weighted, and the ride is never anything less than creamy. Instead of screaming alerts and electronic nagging, safety systems deliver gentle seat vibrations that feel more like a flirty tap than a scolding. It’s very Denali: confident, composed, and just cheeky enough.

City driving? Well, you’re going to need a big parking spot and a decent sense of humour. The Yukon takes up the entire bay and part of the one next to it. But from the high throne of the driver’s seat, urban chaos fades into background static. The Denali doesn’t just handle traffic—it floats through it, turning gridlock into glide mode.

And yes, that pushrod V8 had a few teething issues up to the 2024 model year, but GMC assures us those gremlins have been ironed out. The 2025 version feels solid, responsive, and finally ready for prime time.

Final thoughts?

The 2025 GMC Yukon Denali is absurd, excessive, and gloriously unapologetic on 24″ wheels. It’s not cutting-edge, and that’s precisely the point. There’s no hybrid, no downsizing, no minimalist design here. It’s big, bold, and brilliant—a Range Rover alternative for those who prefer their luxury served with a side of steak, not salad. There’s nothing else quite like it on Australian roads. So if you’re even mildly tempted, give in. Drive one. Or beg someone to let you sit in theirs. Just make sure you do it at least once. Like skydiving or dating a lifeguard—it’s one of life’s great experiences.

2025 GMC Yukon Denali is a tuxedoed off-roader with digital toys galore, plush space for seven, and V8 bravado to make any Range Rover blush.

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