GMC Yukon 2025 review: Still big and comfortable, but speedier and sportier


Simon Wilgress-Pipe
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GMC doesn’t do things by halves. When the US manufacturer creates a vehicle, you can bet it’ll be something with a bit of space and presence.

You know what you’re getting from the names alone – Terrain, Sierra, Canyon. These are not monikers that indicate an urban runabout. The real hefty fella in the brand’s line-up is, as most will be aware, the Hummer, but its automotive siblings are not too far behind.

Now we have the 2025 Yukon, a vehicle GMC named after the wild and sparsely populated territory in Canada. And that label gives exactly the right impression of what the car is – a big, luxury SUV, with seemingly enough space on the inside to rival your average log cabin.

The latest version, unveiled in Abu Dhabi a matter of weeks ago, still has the GMC design cues, which those familiar with previous versions would likely see as a design evolvement rather than a ground-up reworking. However, it has had an extensive cabin refresh combined with a range of technical upgrades.

The specs

AT4 Ultimate, as tested

Engine: 6.2-litre V8

Power: 420hp

Torque: 623Nm

Transmission: 10-speed automatic

Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)

On sale: Now

Predictably, to power such a beast, you need, well … a lot of power – the new Yukon comes with either a 5.3-litre or 6.2-litre engine, both V8s.

Equally predictably, they each offer plenty of grunt. While cars like these aren’t about flatline speed, the fact the new Yukons are not underpowered is particularly welcome when you’re needing a bit of pace to join the motorway from a slip road, say. For such a fulsome car, the Yukon gives a decent sensation of speed when you get it moving.

This is unusual and evidence that the brand has made efforts to keep it a driver’s car, rather than one just geared towards carting a lot of people around or, indeed, shifting furniture from a big-time shopping session.

The key improvement in the car is the way you’re cosseted as you go around corners. Previous versions of the Yukon could sometimes feel a bit like you were driving the vehicle from your living room sofa – sliding around whenever you had to turn the steering wheel more than a few degrees – but the 2025 car has addressed this issue nicely.

Upgraded tech comes in the form of a 16.8-inch infotainment centre with a vertical interface, plus an 8-inch rear climate control touchscreen on select trim lines. GMC has also made available its first night-vision system, allowing early object detection and upping the car’s level of after-dark safety.

The AT4 Ultimate comes with a 16.8-inch portrait-orientation infotainment touchscreen. Photo: GMC
The AT4 Ultimate comes with a 16.8-inch portrait-orientation infotainment touchscreen. Photo: GMC

There are four trim lines available in the new Yukon: Elevation, AT4, AT4 Ultimate (which is new to the region) and Denali.

With the onset of electric cars, traditional vehicles have had to up their game. GMC has evidently spent some time refining the 2025 Yukon to take note of this.

The car sits as the brand’s premium heavyweight petrol-powered offering and is clearly being aimed at those who still need some persuasion with regards to electric vehicles. It will also suit buyers who find a vehicle like the Hummer slightly out of their price range – the highest-spec Yukon is a considerably less expensive choice than the cheapest Hummer.

The manufacturer has done a credible job in improving the 2025 Yukon, and it remains a steady and attractive option in the big, petrol-powered SUV market.

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About Karol Nawrocki

• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.

• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.

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16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side

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There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.

5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls

Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership

Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.

Zones

A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs

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Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs

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THE BIO: Mohammed Ashiq Ali

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Family: six sons in Dubai and a daughter in Faisalabad

 

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Innotech Profile

Date started: 2013

Founder/CEO: Othman Al Mandhari

Based: Muscat, Oman

Sector: Additive manufacturing, 3D printing technologies

Size: 15 full-time employees

Stage: Seed stage and seeking Series A round of financing 

Investors: Oman Technology Fund from 2017 to 2019, exited through an agreement with a new investor to secure new funding that it under negotiation right now. 

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The specs

AT4 Ultimate, as tested

Engine: 6.2-litre V8

Power: 420hp

Torque: 623Nm

Transmission: 10-speed automatic

Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)

On sale: Now

Updated: January 21, 2025, 2:00 AM`