You can’t go down a single highway in Texas without passing at least one GMC Yukon Denali; they are as ubiquitous as deer on the side of the road and pick-up trucks. There’s a reason for this: The Yukon Denali (or simply Denali, as we call them) is the vehicle of choice for anyone with a family.
While the price tag on the newest Yukon Denali models is what stops a lot of people from buying the current version, it’s still fun to see the improvements and upgrades that inevitably roll out.
Before I say anything more, I should mention that while the Denali badging is now on quite a few GMC vehicles — including the Terrain, Acadia, and their trucks — where I live, Denali pretty much means one thing: a tricked out GMC Yukon. This perception may make GMC execs crazy, but that’s how strong (and recognized) the Denali branding is here in Texas.
I just returned from Beaver Creek, Colorado, where I had the opportunity to drive the 2018 GMC Yukon Denali and Yukon XL Denali. I should mention that Kev and I own a 2008 Yukon XL Denali (and we owned a 2003 Yukon XL Denali before that), so I knew going into this drive that I was going to likely come out of it with a serious case of upgrade envy. While that absolutely did happen, I also returned with a new appreciation for the model we already own.
Let’s start with an assessment of who the Denali is made for. Where I live, it’s common for the man of the house to own a pick-up truck or some other larger car as his daily driver. Since mom is usually the one playing taxi driver to the kids, it is inevitable to see a line-up of them at the school drop-off and any after-school activities. On family vacations, the Denali is the vehicle everyone loads into.
The 2018 GMC Yukon Denali can trailer 8400 pounds (2WD) or 8100 (4WD). The Yukon XL Denali can trailer 8100 pounds (2WD) or 7900 pounds (4WD).
The GMC Yukon Denali can seat up to seven people comfortably with plenty of room for their gear. There are two ridiculously comfortable and adjustable seats up front (both are heated and vented, standard), two single middle seats (heated, standard) with a walk space in between them, and a 60/40 third-row seat.
Most of the time, Kev and I keep our manual third-row seats folded up for the extra cargo space; of course, the 2018 GMC Yukon Denali has a one-press button that folds the third-row seats up or down. Depending on whether you have the XL or not, this makes the available cargo space even more massive.
Even with the third-row seats up and two people’s luggage loaded, there is still plenty of room.
New features for the 2018 models include a 10-speed transmission, a new architectural sculpted chrome grill (the iconic honeycomb grille is gone), a new satin steel metallic color, and a tire pressure monitor that includes a tire fill alert. There’s also an option to get the Denali Ultimate Package, which includes the Open Road Package, nine additional months of SirusXM Radio and NavTraffic service, a power sunroof, an enhanced security package, power-retractable assist steps, adaptive cruise control with Automatic Collision Preparation, 22″ aluminum ultra-bright wheels with midnight silver premium paint inserts.
No more honeycomb grill; I’ll miss it, but this one is equally stunning.
You can buy the 2018 Denali in 2WD or 4WD; we’ve always had the 4WD models, so if I were getting a new one, we’d likely stay with that configuration. We’ve never got stuck in ours; that includes driving it extensively through mountainous states and various national parks — on and off-road.
The interior of the GMC Yukon Denali is a combination of spaciousness, luxury, and convenience. Everything the driver might need to see or control is easily within reach or view — either on the wheel, on the dashboard, on the heads-up display (HUD), or in the center dash. Speaking of the center of the dash, there is an 8″ diagonal infotainment system with navigation, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto capability. I have to admit that I was surprised the infotainment screen wasn’t a bit larger; this is a big vehicle, and the trend in other vehicles I’ve driven (even cars) has been going toward a larger touchscreen. Even so, the screen is big enough to get the job done.
One quibble I had with the navigation system was that it didn’t give me quite enough direction. I suppose that people take issue when their navigatrix is barking orders at them every five seconds, but when I am in an unfamiliar area, I rely on that (sometimes overbearing) guidance.
The dash is a combination of leather, matte machined aluminum, and satiny real wood — so no two Denali vehicles will have the same wood grain pattern. The driver’s doors also have real wood trim …
Both the Yukon Denali and the Yukon XL Denali have multiple USB ports, accessory power outlets, and a 110V three-prong outlet. They also have a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot that comes with a 3GB 3-month data trial. There is active noise cancellation for a quieter ride, wireless phone charging on the top of the center console (so handy with my Samsung Galaxy Note8!), and remote vehicle start.
Both vehicles have a 10-speaker Bose Centerpoint surround sound audio system and an HD radio. They also have HID projector headlamps, LED daytime running lamps, front fog lamps, power heated outside mirrors, and a passive entry system which includes a remote keyless entry. They both are push-button keyless start, have heated steering wheels, controls on the steering wheel, and a customizable driver display. They also come with a 5-year basic plus OnStar plan with a limited trial of their guidance plan with automatic crash response and navigation.
The trim is all aluminum, not metal-colored plastic.
Safety features on both models include standard front and side-impact airbags for the driver and front passenger, and front-center airbag and head curtain side-impact airbags for all rows. There is a standard enhanced driver alert package that includes forward collision alert, safety alert seat, IntelliBeam headlamps with automatic high-beam control (cool feature — no more accidentally bright lighting oncoming traffic), lane keep assist with lane departure warning, and low-speed forward automatic braking. There is also a standard rear vision camera, rear cross traffic alert and lane change alert with side blind zone alert. Adaptive Cruise Control is also available.
In other words, this full-size SUV is loaded with safety features.
Both the Yukon Denali and the Yukon XL Denali have a 6.2L V8 engine and the new 10-speed automatic transmission; they also have 420 horsepower at 5600 rpm, and 460 lb.-ft. torque at 4100 rpm.
I enjoyed driving both of the Yukon models — you want to talk about a vehicle that rides like a dream while comfortably carrying the entire family and all of our luggage? This is it. It handled the ups and downs on the road through the Colorado Rockies with no problem — even though we were dealing with snow and ice. The same descending hill outside of Vail that had caused our 2008 Denali to make a faint “duh-duh-duh-duh-duh” sounds while shifting (making me think there was an issue with our transmission or our brakes when I inevitably touched them) caused some hesitance in shifting on the 2018 model, but no other issues. Important and worth noting was that I had no issues maintaining my set cruise-control speed both on steep inclines and declines; the new 10-speed transmission is smooth and responsive overall.
Photo courtesy of GMC – it was taken on our trip, but that’s not me driving. 😉
Kev and I call our 2008 Yukon XL Denali “the family wagon” or “the trip-mobile”, and there’s a reason for that. When faced with more than a 3-hour drive anywhere (or when more than just the two of us are going somewhere), the Denali is the vehicle we always chose over my 2016 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon. Even though the Jeep is newer, gets better gas mileage, and is easier to get around in and park, it’s also noisy, a bit crowded, and nowhere near as comfortable for our passengers.
GMC Yukon Denali
Let’s take a look at the 2018 GMC Yukon Denali first. This is the model for those who want a slightly more compact vehicle. Granted, the Denali is full-size SUV no matter how you look at it, so compact is a relative term. The Yukon Denali is 80.5″ wide and 74.4″ tall; its wheelbase is 116″ long, and the vehicle is 203.9″ (almost 17′) long.
The interior offers 42.8″ headroom and 45.3″ legroom in the front; the second row has 38.7″ headroom and 39″ legroom, while the third-row seats offer 38.1″ headroom and 24.8″ legroom. If you have the middle and third-row seats folded down, you can get as much as 94.7 cubic feet of cargo space; if just the third-row seats are down, you’ll have 51.7″ cubic feet of space. With all the seats raised, you’ll have 15.3 cubic feet of space in the back.
You’ll need to prepare yourself for the sticker shock if you are looking at the 2018 GMC Yukon Denali; the standard vehicle price is $69,165, and a fully loaded Denali like the one we tested — one that includes the Denali Ultimate package with the power retractable running boards, 22″ wheels, sunroof, enhanced security package, and the adaptive cruise control with forward automatic braking will set you back $77,390 (including the $1295 destination charge).
The GMC Yukon Denali is rated at 14 in town and 22 on the highway, with a combined mpg of 17.
GMC Yukon XL Denali
If you need a little more space, the 2018 GMC Yukon XL Denali is definitely MOAR. It’s 80.5″ wide and 74.4″ tall; its wheelbase is 130″ long, and the vehicle is 224.4″ (about 18.7′) long.
The interior offers 42.8″ headroom and 45.3″ legroom in the front; the second row has 39.1″ headroom and 39.7″ legroom, while the third-row seats offer 38.5″ headroom and 34.5″ legroom. If you have the middle and third-row seats folded down, you can get as much as 121.7 cubic feet of cargo space; if just the third-row seats are down, you’ll have 76.7″ cubic feet of space. With all the seats raised, you’ll have 39.3 cubic feet of space in the back.
I’m used to driving the XL, but I really didn’t notice that much of a difference when driving the Yukon Denali versus the Yukon XL Denali. Both have a wide turning radius that you need to take into consideration for those times when you’ve got to work yourself out of the wrong spot; in parking lots, you’ll need a little extra maneuvering room for either. I’m super proficient at driving such a large vehicle, but I’ve been driving large pick-up trucks since I had a driver’s license. It’s just a matter of whether you want the extra legroom in the back as well as the extra cargo space that will drive your purchase.
Once again, prepare for sticker shock if you are looking at the 2018 GMC Yukon XL Denali; the standard vehicle price is $71,865, and a fully loaded Denali like the one we tested — one that includes the Denali Ultimate package with the power retractable running boards, 22″ wheels, sunroof, enhanced security package, and the adaptive cruise control with forward automatic braking will set you back $80,190 (including the $1295 destination charge).
The GMC Yukon XL Denali is rated at 14 in town and 21 on the highway, with a combined mpg of 16.
You can learn more about the 2018 GMC Yukon Denali and Yukon XL Denali here.
Disclosure: GMC paid for my room and meals; there were no conditions or expectations made regarding what I chose to write about regarding my experience.