What Happens When You Drive Australia’s Biggest New SUV Through Bondi

• The Yukon Denali is GMC’s biggest and boldest SUV ever released in Australia.
• Despite its huge frame, the GMC Yukon Denali feels smooth enough for the city.
• Priced at $174,990, you’re getting some serious bang for your buck.

It’s longer than a Land Cruiser, wider than a Ranger Raptor, and takes up more tarmac than your average café strip car park. But that hasn’t stopped General Motors from shipping its biggest, boldest, most brazen SUV to Australian shores.

The GMC Yukon Denali Arrives in Australia

Meet the GMC Yukon Denali, a rolling statement of American excess that makes no apologies. It seats eight, drinks like a sailor (courtesy of a 6.3-litre V8 bioturbo-biofuel-biotech-something-or-other), and comes stuffed with every feature that opens, shuts, folds, cools or connects.

The interior won’t be like anything you’ll find on our roads. It’s more Aspen lodge than Aussie SUV. Wood-trimmed everything. Apple CarPlay. Android Auto. Cupholders big enough for a Route 44. It’s not so much a vehicle as it is a mobile first-class lounge with number plates.

But what really surprised me (beyond the sheer presence of the thing) was the tech. The Yukon Denali is absolutely dripping in screens. There’s so much glass and digital real estate inside, you almost need a co-pilot just to take it all in. A 16.8-inch central display, a 15-inch head-up unit, twin 12.6-inch entertainment screens in the back, it’s like someone decided to put some wheels on their home cinema… for the passengers, of course.

And yet, despite all the tech, it doesn’t feel overwhelming. It’s not trying to be a spaceship or a Silicon Valley fever dream. Unlike many EVs flooding the market, the GMC Yukon Denali still feels like a proper car; a powerful, petrol-guzzling, road-commanding presence that hasn’t forgotten what driving is actually about. All the gadgets are there, but they’re thoughtfully integrated. They support the experience rather than distract from it. It’s refreshing, really.

Then there are the rims: 24-inch monsters that fill the wheel arches like they were born there. No awkward gaps, no weird proportions. Just huge, beautifully balanced wheels that give the Yukon an almost concept-car stance. It just looks right, especially when it’s parked outside our office all week.

The air suspension helps, too. One tap and it rises like it’s about to take flight. Tap again and it sinks back down into its hulking, road-hugging pose. It’s the kind of detail that makes it a head-turner even when it’s standing still. There’s a real presence to it.

The Yukon Denali: Largest SUV on the Market?

Oh, and did we mention it’s an eight-seater? Not one of those “technically eight if the back row is all toddlers and yoga mats” kind of deals. This is a proper, Hollywood SUV eight-seater. The kind you get chauffeured in on the way to a red carpet.

With full rows of adult-friendly seating, plus a third row that actually fits grown humans, it’s spacious, plush, and oddly democratic. Every seat feels like the good seat. If you’ve ever tried to shove three adults in the back of a European SUV and failed, this is your redemption vehicle.

With Fashion Week about to descend on Sydney, the real question is: how many models could you actually fit in this thing? Dare I say, comfortably more than eight. But that would be illegal, so of course we won’t be doing that. But we could.

Still, the GMC Yukon Denali isn’t just a car; it’s an experience, a statement, and a rolling VIP suite that turns every head on Oxford Street. Too big for Australia? Probably not. Just big enough to remind us that sometimes, more really is more.

I took the Yukon down to Bondi, half-expecting people to stop and stare like I’d rolled up in a spaceship. But that’s the thing: this isn’t a Corvette. It’s not some wildly styled, look-at-me machine. Despite its sheer size and presence, the Denali carries itself with surprising restraint. Sure, it’s got a grille the size of a king-size bed and a GMC badge that could double as gym equipment, both of which I absolutely love (yes, I’m shallow), but it doesn’t scream for attention. It just gets it.

It’s that balance that makes the Yukon so interesting. It’s big enough for the country, smooth and refined enough for the city, and bold without being lairy. No neon underglow, no cartoonish bodywork, just a well-executed luxury SUV that owns its space without trying too hard.

One more thing. When you first walk up to the Yukon Denali and see it head-on, there’s this immediate sense of presence. That squared-off front end, the towering grille, the sheer verticality of it all… it gives off a kind of quiet intimidation. Not aggressive, but unapologetically confident.

Take this 8-Seater SUV for a Test Drive

If you’re the kind of person who wants a car that’s big, easy to get in and out of, and carries a bit of that badass vibe, this one’s for you. It’s bold without being obnoxious, luxurious without being precious, and makes no effort to hide what it is: a proper SUV built for people who want more of everything.

All importantly, the price: $174,990 plus on-road costs. Not exactly pocket change, but stack it up against something like a BMW X7, and suddenly the Denali starts to look like serious value. You’re getting eight real seats, a monstrous V8, air suspension, tech for days, and enough road presence to make traffic part like the Red Sea.

Dare I say, it’s absolutely worth a test drive. If you’re even vaguely in the market for a full-size luxury SUV, this thing deserves your attention. Just be warned, once you see those 24-inch rims in the flesh, it’s hard to walk away.