Compare the2024 GMC YukonVS 2023 BMW X5

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Payload and Towing
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the GMC Yukon are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW X5 doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Yukon are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The X5 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Yukon (except SLE with front bench seat) has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The X5 doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

Both the Yukon and the X5 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the GMC Yukon is safer than the BMW X5:

	Yukon	X5
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	146	209
Neck Injury Risk	23%	34%
Neck Compression	51 lbs.	112 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	152/161 lbs.	636/584 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	233	342
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.8 inches
Neck Compression	66 lbs.	91 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the GMC Yukon is safer than the BMW X5:

	Yukon	X5
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	25	72
Abdominal Force	111 lbs.	130 lbs.
Hip Force	118 lbs.	279 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	24 G’s	30 G’s
Hip Force	248 lbs.	584 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	239	308
Spine Acceleration	38 G’s	44 G’s
Hip Force	764 lbs.	796 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Warranty

GMC’s powertrain warranty covers the Yukon 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than BMW covers the X5. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the X5 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 5 times as many GMC dealers as there are BMW dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Yukon’s warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Yukon second among large suvs in their 2023 Initial Quality Study. The X5 was rated third in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that GMC vehicles are better in initial quality than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks GMC above average in initial quality. With 25 more problems per 100 vehicles, BMW is rated lower.

Engine

The Yukon’s standard 5.3 V8 produces 20 more horsepower (355 vs. 335) and 52 lbs.-ft. more torque (383 vs. 331) than the X5 40i’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid.

The Yukon’s 3.0 turbo diesel produces 129 lbs.-ft. more torque (460 vs. 331) than the X5 40i’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Yukon gets better mileage than the X5:

			MPG
Yukon
	RWD	3.0 turbo 6-cyl. Diesel	21 city/27 hwy
	AWD	3.0 turbo 6-cyl. Diesel	20 city/26 hwy
X5
	RWD	3.0 turbo 6-cyl. Hybrid	21 city/26 hwy
	AWD	4.4 turbo V8	16 city/22 hwy

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Yukon V8’s fuel efficiency. The X5 doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

Both the Yukon and the X5 have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. All Yukon’s have a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily. A disable switch for start/stop is only offered on the X5 M50i.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the GMC Yukon uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended with the 6.2 V8 engine for maximum performance). The X5 requires premium, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The Yukon has 2.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the X5 (24 vs. 21.9 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Yukon has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The X5 doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Transmission

A 10-speed automatic is standard on the GMC Yukon, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the X5.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Yukon’s brake rotors are larger than those on the X5:

	Yukon	X5 xDrive40i	X5 M Sport
Front Rotors	16.1 inches	13.7 inches	15.6 inches

Tires and Wheels

The GMC Yukon’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The BMW X5 only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

The Yukon has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The X5 doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Yukon has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the X5; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare or run-flat tires, either of which has mileage and speed limitations.

Suspension and Handling

The Yukon AT4/Denali has a standard automatic load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The X5 doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Yukon’s wheelbase is 3.8 inches longer than on the X5 (120.9 inches vs. 117.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Yukon is 2.1 inches wider in the front and 1.1 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the X5.

For better maneuverability, the Yukon’s turning circle is 3.2 feet tighter than the X5’s (38.1 feet vs. 41.3 feet). The Yukon w/20-22 inch wheels’ turning circle is 1.6 feet tighter than the X5’s (39.7 feet vs. 41.3 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Yukon AT4 Air Ride has a 1.3 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the X5 (10 vs. 8.7 inches), allowing the Yukon to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Passenger Space

The Yukon offers optional seating for 9 passengers; the X5 can only carry up to 7.

The Yukon has 1.6 inches more front headroom, 4.7 inches more front legroom, 6 inches more front shoulder room, .2 inches more rear headroom, 4.6 inches more rear legroom and 6.7 inches more rear shoulder room than the X5.

Cargo Capacity

The Yukon’s cargo area provides more volume than the X5.

	Yukon	X5
Third Seat Folded	72.6 cubic feet	n/a
Third Seat Removed	n/a	33.9 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	122.9 cubic feet	72.3 cubic feet

The Yukon’s cargo area is larger than the X5’s in every dimension:

	Yukon	X5
Length to seat (3rd/2nd/1st)	24”/54”/89.5”	n.a./40.7”/70”
Max Width	49.5”	49”
Min Width	49.4”	44”
Height	36.5”	31.5”

The Yukon’s liftgate lifts up in one piece, completely out of the way of loading and unloading, while sheltering the cargo loading area. The X5’s tailgate’s top part raises up, but the bottom part lowers, getting in the way of loading and making an uneven surface for sliding cargo.

Payload and Towing

The Yukon’s minimum standard towing capacity is much higher than the X5’s (7700 vs. 5952 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the BMW X5 is only 7209 pounds. The Yukon offers up to a 8400 lbs. towing capacity.

The Yukon 4WD with optional equipment can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Yukon can be unhitched and driven around locally. The X5 can’t be towed flat on the ground.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Yukon uses the StabiliTrak® sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The X5 doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The Yukon has a much higher standard payload capacity than the X5 (1702 vs. 827 lbs.).

The Yukon has a much higher maximum payload capacity than the X5 (1792 vs. 1030 lbs.).

Ergonomics

The Yukon’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The X5 does not have an oil pressure gauge.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Yukon has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the X5 only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

The Yukon has a 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The X5 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Yukon owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Yukon will cost $3525 to $5400 less than the X5 over a five-year period.

The Yukon will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Yukon will retain 53.72% to 56.98% of its original price after five years, while the X5 only retains 48.6% to 49.43%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Yukon is less expensive to operate than the X5 because typical repairs cost much less on the Yukon than the X5, including $249 less for a water pump, $1026 less for a muffler, $120 less for front brake pads, $386 less for a starter, $171 less for fuel injection, $367 less for front struts, $605 less for a timing belt/chain and $1537 less for a power steering pump.