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Today GMC offers trucks and SUVs that are much more upmarket than Chevrolet’s offerings. These upmarket offerings have become so popular that, depending on how you classify them, the GMC Yukon has become the most popular full-size SUV in its class. Here is everything you need to know about the GMC Yukon’s popularity, and if it should be classified as a luxury SUV.

The GMC Yukon is leading in sales…depending on who you ask

Is the GMC Yukon a luxury full-size SUV or a regular full-size SUV? That is the million-dollar question. According to sales charts, GMC’s offerings are ranked among other mass-market, non-luxury brands.

According to GMC, the Yukon itself is a luxury full-size SUV. However, here at MotorBiscuit, we determined that the GMC brand is a mass-market truck and SUV brand with luxury offerings. This may seem a little strange on paper, but many vehicle brands have similar situations. The Jeep Grand Wagoneer, for example, can fetch prices up to $100,000 in its most luxurious forms, but Jeep itself is not a luxury brand.

However, if we did classify the GMC Yukon as a luxury SUV, it would lead its sales segment by a wide margin. According to GM Authority, the GMC Yukon currently has over 19,723 units sold for 2023. The only other full-size luxury SUVs in competition with the Yukon would be the Cadillac Escalade, with only 5,523 units sold in the first quarter of 2023. The Jeep Grand Wagoneer reported sales of 2,044 units sold and the Infiniti QX80 is currently reporting 3,183 units sold in the first quarter of 2023.

Why isn’t the GMC Yukon a luxury vehicle?

Compared to the competition, the GMC Yukon is only a luxury vehicle in its highest trim level, the GMC Yukon Denali. The base model GMC Yukon starts at around $57,400, which is only slightly more expensive than the $54,495 Tahoe that the Yukon is based on.

Other luxury full-size SUVs typically come with a much more premium experience and a heftier price tag. For example, the Jeep Grand Wagoneer starts at $88,640, the Cadillac Escalade starts at $81,090, and the Infiniti QX80 starts at $72,700.

The GMC Yukon starts at a much lower price, and honestly, only the Yukon Delani is considered a true luxury SUV when compared to other luxury SUVs. It is safe to say that the GMC Yukon is an excellent mass-market SUV with luxury offerings on the lower end and a full-blown luxury SUV with the Denali trim.

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Is the 2023 GMC Yukon More Popular Than the Ford Expedition?

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MotorBiscuit Contributing Writer

Steven Teleky

Steven Teleky holds a bachelor’s degree in education and music from Western Kentucky University and served as the educational specialist for the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky, where he published an information newsletter titled Corvette Profiles.

An expert in classic American cars earned through his restoration work, Steven also has a deep passion for analyzing automotive history. His skillset in researching and explaining why certain models were highly successful or why a new car failed to sell was fine-tuned while he served as a museum educator.

Steven is also a semi-professional rally driver. He is a member of Monterey Bay Mopars, Malaise Car Club of Oregon, the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA), SCCA Rallycross, California Rally Series, and NorCal Rallycross. He has been contributing to MotorBiscuit since 2022.