How safe is the GMC Yukon?
Drivers of the 2017–2020 GMC Yukon died at a rate of 23 per million registered vehicle years, 37% lower than the average of 38 for all vehicles. That makes it safer than most vehicles for its driver: it ranks 49th of 127 vehicles, safer than 62% of them, whether they're small cars, SUVs, pickups or minivans.
The newer 2023 IIHS study had too little data on this model to rank it, so this page uses the earlier study of 2017–2020 models, ranked among 127 vehicles from that study.
Where the GMC Yukon sits among all 127 vehicles
GMC Yukon (bar is the 95% range)Every other ranked vehicleDashed line: average of 38
The rate is based on a moderate amount of data, so treat small differences from nearby vehicles with caution.
2WD vs. 4WD
IIHS rates each drivetrain separately. The score above combines them, weighting the version with more data more heavily.
| Version | Deaths* | 95% range |
|---|---|---|
| GMC Yukon 2WD | 24 | 0–55 |
| GMC Yukon 4WD | 22 | 4–40 |
Vehicles ranked near the GMC Yukon
These are the vehicles just above and below it on the all-class ranking. Notice they aren't all the same type: the ranking compares every vehicle against every other one. Ranks use each rate after adjusting for how much data is behind it, so a rate of 0 from a few vehicles can rank below a slightly higher rate from many. Why.
| Rank | Vehicle | Deaths* | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 46 | Volkswagen Atlas 4WDSUV · Midsize | 20 | 63 |
| 47 | Chevrolet Colorado Crew CabPickup · Small | 23 | 63 |
| 48 | Subaru Impreza wagonWagon / minivan · Small | 23 | 62 |
| 49 | GMC YukonSUV · Large | 23 | 62 |
| 50 | Ford Explorer 4WDSUV · Midsize | 22 | 61 |
| 51 | Toyota Prius PrimeCar · Small | 23 | 60 |
| 52 | Subaru XV CrosstrekWagon / minivan · Small | 24 | 60 |
How it compares with other SUVs
Among the 37 SUVs ranked, the GMC Yukon is 16th. The safest SUVs are below. See all SUVs.
| SUVs rank | Vehicle | Deaths* | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Toyota C-HRSUV · Small | 2 | 99 |
| 2 | Nissan MuranoSUV · Midsize | 6 | 90 |
| 3 | Subaru AscentSUV · Midsize | 6 | 90 |
| 4 | Ford EdgeSUV · Midsize | 8 | 85 |
| 5 | Chevrolet TraverseSUV · Midsize | 9 | 83 |
| 16 | GMC YukonSUV · Large | 23 | 62 |
Common questions
Is the GMC Yukon a safe vehicle?
By real-world driver deaths, the GMC Yukon is safer than most vehicles for its driver. Its driver death rate of 23 per million registered vehicle years is 37% lower than the average, and it ranks 49th of 127 vehicles across all classes.
How does the GMC Yukon compare with other SUVs?
It ranks 16th of 37 SUVs. The safest is the Toyota C-HR, with a rate of 2.
Is the 2WD or 4WD GMC Yukon safer?
The 4WD version had the lower driver death rate (2WD: 24, 4WD: 22). Their ranges overlap, so the difference may be down to chance.
Why is this different from the GMC Yukon's crash-test rating?
Crash-test stars only compare vehicles of similar size and weight, so a 5-star small car and a 5-star SUV aren't equally safe. This ranking uses real-world driver death rates, which can be compared across every class.
* Driver deaths per million registered vehicle years. A registered vehicle year is one vehicle registered for one year.