2024 GMC Yukon Denali Ultimate
Price: $130,389 CAD
Colour: Titanium Rush Metallic
I have less than conventional tastes when it comes to cars. Over the last few years, the market has continued to shift and, in a lot of ways, shrink to only include SUV’s that are largely homogenous boxes designed to tick legislation requirements rather than satisfying a vision of its designer. As a result, I’ve become more and more insistent on only testing things like sedans, sports cars and other vehicle categories that are falling increasingly out of fashion. Before you praise for my noble railing against the dying of the light, this shift in focus of the cars I’m interested in has come to include full-sized American SUV’s. I can’t explain my reborn love for these obnoxious, over-sized luxury sleds, but it’s very real. As I’ve moved toward driving more and more of them in recent months, I’ve become evermore a victim of sticker shock. No matter how good they are and how much better they get generation by generation, the cost seems to be ever more out of control. The 2024 GMC Yukon is just such an example.
I’m going to put it on front street, I love how this latest generation Yukon looks. It’s a handsome brute with nice lines. Despite its size it carries itself with dignity, like a retired football player who may overindulge from time to time but can still get it done when it counts. It would be easy for a vehicle like the Yukon to just be a big, swollen mess barely able to walk, but it’s enjoying its retirement and taking care of itself.
GM interiors have truly come a long way in recent years and with each new iteration of their more premium vehicles they make constant improvements. The 2024 Yukon features a top shelf interior with all the latest tech GM has to offer. While I will forever fight the resurgence of brown as a favoured interior colour, it doesn’t take away from the good quality of the materials used. The all-digital dash cluster is clean, customizable and easy to use. The fully integrated infotainment system is equally easy to use and can be customized as you see fit. One curious aspect of the dash is the placement of the shift toggles for the transmission. They are placed high up on the dash to the left of the infotainment screen. It’s a curious place to put them and while it was strange at first, I adapted quickly. Given my unfortunate body proportions I did find that hitting the park button could be challenging from time to time.
The second-row captain’s chairs are, as always in these big boats, fabulous. Given that the cars are really just limos with big boots, they make total sense. This tester also featured the built-in entertainment system behind the front row. I wouldn’t pay for this as my regular passengers need Instagram on their phones more than a movie but if your kids are younger or you like to road trip, they work very well.
Third row access is pretty solid given what’s needed to get into the back. Once you’re back there, adults would be quite comfortable. You have cupholders and power which is all one really needs. I was amazed at the amount of useful headroom in that third row. It was a pleasant surprise.
GM’s ubiquitous 6.2L V8 is on display in the 2024 Yukon Denali. It’s a decent engine that delivers 420hp and 460lb/ft. While these numbers are respectable, they are diminished considerably when required to fight the effects of hauling around a small moon on a daily basis. This impacts fuel economy and performance in a significant fashion. Even with a light foot and a healthy driving mix, I struggled to get the Yukon under 17L/100kms. This can all be fixed by springing for the 3.0L Duramax diesel which will cure all these ills and is what I would do if I were buying one.
I know what you’re thinking. Based on what I’ve said here you’re going to put your deposit down right away and begin your life as a Yukon driver. Well, hold your horses friend. There is that one little item we need to circle back to that I mentioned earlier – the cost. The Yukon starts around $80,000 CAD. I might be able to delude myself into thinking this is a reasonable value proposition for the base model. If however, you like toys and status and want this Denali Ultimate trim, be prepared to shell out north of $130,000 CAD. I’ll say it again. As tested this car costs $130,389 CAD. That’s a lot of dough. There are cheaper full-sized SUV’s out there from the likes of Ford and I’d play hell trying to justify the price difference between the Yukon and the Expedition in similar trims. Either way though, here’s the thing. They’re both way too expensive. There have never been more 6-figure cars you can buy than the current offering. Like so many other things, the affordability crisis at play in the car world will soon come back to bite the industry hard. It saddens me that vehicles like the Yukon will be the first to take it on the chin when it happens. I love this big silly car, it’s just too bad nobody (myself very much included) can afford to buy it. It will instead be relegated to use by shady government organizations and rental fleets. What a shame.
