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Why get a regular SUV when you can get a GMC Denali? The 2023 GMC Denali Trim for the Yukon turns this full-size SUV into a full-luxury people hauler that can carry you in style. But, it’s not cheap with a base price of about $76,600. So, is the 2023 GMC Denali trim worth it?

What is the Denali package?

A dark blue 2022 GMC Yukon XL with a mountainous background.
2022 GMC Yukon XL | GMC

The Denali package takes what is, at its core, a competent truck-based full-sized SUV and turns it into a luxury cruiser that can take on the best, without having to wear a Cadillac or Land Rover badge.  Though the Denali adds special wheels and grille, and some badging, it’s not until you get in (by stepping on power retractable running boards) that you can see the difference between the Denali and a lesser Yukon. Inside you’re greeted with acres of leather, wood trim that looks like an entire tree trunk on the dash, a generous 10.2-inch touchscreen and more. It doesn’t try to hide its truck roots, but is instead proud of the truck-like touches that give this seven-passenger SUV a distinctly American feel.

Lest we forget, there is also a Denali Ultimate Reserve which adds even more goodies. It gets an even more premium leather, called Alpine Umber, on its 16-way seats. It also gets an 18-speaker Bose stereo. You can spot one in the wild thanks to its darker chrome trim and unique 22-inch wheels. On either Denali, back seat passengers are catered to as well, with multiple HDMI and USB ports for the back screens, as well as temperature controls and much more.

The 2023 GMC Denali gets some small upgrades

The Denali gets a few upgrades for 2023, but the newest generation of Yukon was launched for 2021 and it’s still a new platform that has most of the stuff customers want. The 2023 GMC Yukon Denali already offers GMC Pro Safety Plus, which is GM’s suite of safety features, as well as wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa and more. GMC offers new 2023 colors, and later in the product tun, enhanced automatic parking assist will debut.

For that Ultimate package, for 2023 you’ll get four-wheel drive standard for 2023. Owners love their Yukons, too. According to J.D. Power, it has an average reliability score, but it earns a “great” in the driving experience category.

What competes with the 2023 GMC Denali trim package?

Th 2023 Toyota Sequoia mpg
2023 Toyota Sequoia | Toyota
The best full-size luxury SUVs from 2018 include the Lincoln Navigator
A 2018 Lincoln Navigator | Lincoln

The Yukon Denali is a uniquely-American SUV, based on the full-sized GMC Sierra pickup. As such, it’s only competitors really include other similar SUVs, like Chevy’s Tahoe and the luxurious Lincoln Navigator, as well as the Capstone edition of the new Toyota Sequoia SUV. The Tahoe, though nice, will always carry a Chevy badge. Chevys never get the leather and wood trim that GMC can add.

The Capstone Toyota Sequoia does offer an interesting alternative. It’s interior adds a large screen and a unique mid-century modern-inspired cabin with modern touches. The big Lincoln Navigator has one big advantage over the Denali, though: its heated and ventilated seats offer a massaging function that GMC doesn’t (yet) offer.

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Writer - Sedans & Coupes

Dan Mayfield

Dan joined MotorBiscuit in 2022 with over 20 years of experience in journalism and a lifelong passion for anything related to the automotive industry. He grew up wrenching a 1949 Ford pickup truck and an MGB with his dad, learning how not to wire a fuel pump (he inadvertently set the MGB on fire).

After earning a bachelor’s degree in photojournalism from the University of New Mexico, Dan has contributed his expertise to a range of local outlets, including the City of Albuquerque, US Eagle, and the Alliance for Local Economic Prosperity.

On weekends, Dan spends Saturdays enjoying “cars and coffee” chats and, on Sundays, he’s watching the Route 66 Cruise roll through town. He also races motorcycles, and it’s not unusual to find him elbows-deep in his latest cafe racer build.

Taking advantage of the local desert terrain, Dan also enjoys exploring and driving off-road in his trusty Ram Rebel pickup truck, which provides personal insights into his contributions to our Trucks, SUVs, & Crossovers coverage. Dan strives to give our readers unique information about the dynamic automotive market, reading anything that has to do with cars, trucks, bikes, 4X4s, and, in his words, “everything with a motor.”

Dan has earned a number of accolades from the Public Relations Society of America, and is a University of Southern California, Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism Fellow.