2024 GMC Yukon one giant step closer to Australia

US car giant General Motors is one giant step closer to introducing the GMC Yukon in local showrooms to compete with the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series and Nissan Patrol.

EXCLUSIVE

US car giant General Motors is poised to introduce the GMC Yukon seven-seat SUV in Australia – new trademark filings unearthed by Drive have revealed.

The vehicle is expected to be converted from left- to right-hand-drive by former Holden Special Vehicles firm, the Walkinshaw Automotive Group, and sold via the General Motors Specialty Vehicles (GMSV) dealer network alongside the Chevrolet Silverado pick-up and Corvette sports-car.

The GMC Yukon comes more than 20 years after the gigantic Chevrolet-sourced Holden Suburban left the local market – and would compete against the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series and Nissan Patrol.

Given GMSV Australia is yet to confirm any local plans – and dealers canvassed by Drive said they were yet to be advised of the rollout of the GMC Yukon – the new model is not expected in showrooms until some time in 2024, pending any delays.

As the Yukon is based on the same ‘T1’ vehicle architecture as the Chevrolet Silverado – which is already imported to and remanufactured in Australia for right-hand-drive by the Walkinshaw Automotive Group – the Yukon is expected share a number of key components with the locally converted pick-up.

Although GMC is a little-known brand in Australia, General Motors regards the nameplate as the more luxurious offshoot of Chevrolet – even though the vehicles share the same architecture, technology, and mechanicals.

In addition to the GMC Yukon and Chevrolet Tahoe SUVs, General Motors’ T1 vehicle chassis underpins the Chevrolet Suburban, long-wheelbase GMC Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade, the GMC Sierra pick-up, and the aforementioned Chevrolet Silverado 1500.

In its native North America, the GMC Yukon is offered with a choice of a 5.3-litre petrol V8, a 6.2-litre petrol V8, or 3.0-litre turbo-diesel six-cylinder engines.

Details for the GMC Yukon are yet to be confirmed by GMSV Australia, however given the flagship 6.2-litre V8 has already been homologated for this market in the Silverado 1500 pick-up – in which it produces 313kW and 624Nm – there’s a chance local buyers will be offered this option in the Yukon.

With Australia’s love of diesels, General Motors could also offer the 3.0-litre ‘Duramax’ turbo-diesel, which produces 207kW and 624Nm – matching the V8 for torque.

All engines in the GMC Yukon are paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission, with rear-wheel drive as standard and four-wheel drive as an option.

Buyers in North America can also option the Yukon with GMC’s ‘Max Trailering Package’, which offers a towing capacity of up to 3810kg – though Australian figures could vary based on local regulations or any changes to the weight of the vehicle after the conversion.

The GMC Yukon is 5179mm long, 2045mm wide, and up to 1958mm high (depending on the variant), with a wheelbase of 2946mm.

That makes the GMC approximately 164mm longer, 65mm wider, and up to 8mm higher than a Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series, with a 96mm longer wheelbase (the distance between the front and rear wheels).

GMC also offers an extra long-wheelbase model badged as the Yukon XL – a twin under the skin to the Chevrolet Suburban – which is 5725mm long, though there’s no indication yet whether this variant will also make its way Down Under.

Hill descent control, hill start assist, and magnetic ride control are available in the GMC Yukon range, along with an air suspension system that can increase the ride height of the vehicle by approximately 50mm for better off-road clearance.

Inside, a 12-inch digital instrument cluster is available across most model grades, while flagship variants gain a 15-inch head-up display.

In the US, a 10.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system includes wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto, Amazon Alexa Built-In, Google capability, high-definition 360-degree cameras, and an 18-speaker Bose premium sound system – with speakers built into the front-seat head rests.

While GM’s ‘Super Cruise’ semi-autonomous driving technology is eligible for use in certain jurisdictions – and specific roads – in the US and Canada, it’s unclear whether the same technology would be made available in Australia.

Other safety aids on the GMC Yukon include lane-change alert, blind-spot warning, lane-keep assist, lane departure warning, radar cruise control, autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian recognition, forward collision alert, rear cross-traffic alert, rear park assist, and automatic headlights.

The GMC Yukon also has a feature called ‘Teen Driver’, which automatically activates certain safety systems when selected, while also allowing parents to set speed limits on the vehicle – as well as providing an in-vehicle report card to help with coaching learner drivers.

In the US, the GMC Yukon is priced from approximately $US59,295 to $US96,450 – or between $AU88,150 and $AU143,400.

The last General Motors vehicle like this to be sold in Australia was the Holden (nee Chevrolet) Suburban from 1998 and 2001.

Meanwhile, GMSV also seems to be well-progressed with plans to introduce the Cadillac Lyric electric car in Australia.

Drive has previously reported on a local trademark application for the Cadillac Lyric name – two months before a right-hand-drive example of the electric SUV was spotted testing in Detroit.

The post 2024 GMC Yukon one giant step closer to Australia appeared first on Drive.