The 2025 GMC Yukon has arrived, raising the bar for full-size SUVs with its bold design, advanced technology, and luxurious interior. As GMC’s flagship model, the 2025 Yukon elevates the brand’s premium offerings to new heights. While it shares its platform with the Cadillac Escalade (and Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban), the Yukon carves out its distinct identity, offering a rugged yet refined alternative to its opulent corporate cousin.
The 2025 GMC Yukon commands attention with its refreshed exterior, characterized by unique grille patterns, animated headlamps and taillamps, and an available panoramic sunroof that enhances the cabin’s open-air feel. While the Escalade emphasizes a more glamorous and imposing presence with its iconic vertical lighting and expansive front fascia, the Yukon exudes a muscular yet understated confidence, appealing to those who favor a more rugged aesthetic.
Also, don’t forget that you can get discounted new car pricing with a free quote through qualified local dealer partners.
Inside, the Yukon’s cabin blends luxury with advanced technology. The new 16.8-inch diagonal Premium GMC Infotainment Center takes center stage, featuring a vertically oriented interface that allows for customized access to maps, audio inputs, and vehicle diagnostics. Rear passengers also benefit from an available 8-inch diagonal climate control touchscreen, ensuring comfort throughout the journey. In contrast, the Escalade’s interior is dominated by its industry-first curved OLED display, spanning a remarkable 38 inches across the dashboard, which offers a more immersive, tech-centric experience. The Yukon’s interior, while advanced, offers a more traditional luxury feel, with a focus on practicality and ruggedness.
For the first time, GMC introduces the AT4 Ultimate trim, blending off-road capability with high-end luxury. This trim includes a front skid plate, 20-inch wheels with all-terrain tires, and the Four-corner Air Ride Adaptive Suspension, which can raise the vehicle by two inches for improved ground clearance during off-road adventures. Inside, the AT4 Ultimate trim features an Obsidian Rush interior with three rows of full-grain leather seating and Ash Burl wood accents, presenting a luxurious yet durable environment that’s ready for any terrain.
While the Escalade also offers impressive brand cachet and a dash of bling, it leans more toward luxury, particularly in its high-end trims like the Escalade-V, which focuses on delivering high performance and comfort. The Yukon AT4 Ultimate, on the other hand, is designed for those who seek adventure without compromising on luxury, offering a balance between rugged off-road ability and upscale comfort. Moreover, the new Yukon may offer buyers a slight savings and more of a conservative view having the GMC badge over Cadillac.
GMC’s Denali trim has long been a symbol of luxury, but the 2025 Yukon Denali Ultimate takes it to an entirely new level. This trim features exclusive 24-inch 8-spoke machined wheels, 16-way powered massaging front seats, and the introduction of second-row Executive Seating, complete with luxury captain’s chairs. The interior is further enhanced with new wood décor featuring open-pore laser-etched topographical patterns, chrome accents, and a leather-rimmed steering wheel. The Bose Performance Series sound system with up to 22 speakers, including stainless-steel head restraint speakers, ensures a premium, personalized acoustic experience.
While the Escalade offers similarly luxurious appointments, including available 36-speaker AKG Studio Reference sound systems and quilted leather seating, the Denali Ultimate focuses on a blend of rugged craftsmanship and refinement, providing a slightly different take on luxury. The Yukon Denali Ultimate is for those who want top-tier comfort and luxury without stepping into the more overtly opulent territory that the Escalade represents.
The 2025 Yukon is packed with advanced technology aimed at enhancing safety and convenience. One of the standout features is the introduction of Night Vision, a first for the GMC portfolio. This system uses thermal object detection to help identify pedestrians and animals in low-light environments, alerting the driver via the head-up display and driver information center. Additionally, the Yukon comes with a suite of new standard safety features, such as Front Pedestrian and Bicyclist Braking, Rear Cross Traffic Braking, and Intersection Automatic Emergency Braking.
While both the Yukon and the Escalade offer Super Cruise, the industry’s first true hands-free advanced driver assistance system, the Yukon integrates this technology into its unique blend of rugged functionality and luxury. Super Cruise in the Yukon also includes trailering capabilities, allowing for hands-free driving even when towing. The Escalade, on the other hand, offers a broader suite of autonomous driving technologies, reflecting its focus on innovation and luxury.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration comes as standard with the new availability of utilizing the mapping function to be displayed in the digital gauge cluster and the typical display in a rather large display-format for smartphone projection.
The 2025 Yukon is designed with trailering in mind, offering a towing capacity of up to 8,400 lbs. It includes advanced trailering technologies, such as Blind Zone Steering Assist, which helps avoid collisions with vehicles in the side blind zone by automatically adjusting the steering. The Transparent Trailer View feature uses cameras to give a clear view behind the trailer, while additional features like Trailer Reverse Trajectory, Trailer Tire Health, and Jackknife Alert make towing safer and more manageable.
The Escalade also offers impressive trailering capabilities, but the Yukon’s suite of technologies is specifically tailored for those who prioritize utility and ruggedness in their luxury SUV. The Yukon is designed for those who need their vehicle to perform both on and off the road, while the Escalade focuses more on providing a smooth, luxurious driving experience with high-end features.
Set to be produced at the Arlington Assembly in Texas, the 2025 GMC Yukon is expected to be available by the end of 2024. Pricing details will be announced closer to the start of production, but one thing is clear—the 2025 Yukon is poised to redefine the standards of luxury, technology, and capability in the full-size SUV segment, offering a compelling alternative to the Cadillac Escalade for those who seek a blend of ruggedness and refinement.
Stay tuned to GMC.com for more information on this exciting new model, and get ready to experience the future of SUVs with the 2025 GMC Yukon.
