If you’re in the market for a full-size SUV, the GMC Yukon and the Chevy Tahoe are two of the best options on the market today. But what are the differences between the two SUVs and which one is right for you?
These are important questions to answer before you decide to purchase a vehicle, and it’s why we came up with this guide to walk you through everything you need to know to get the perfect vehicle.
The GMC Yukon is a full-size seven-seater SUV that combines space, size, performance, and luxury into one vehicle. It first hit the market in 1999 and it’s gone through four generations through the years.
No matter what Yukon you’re looking at, it’s a powerful and luxurious SUV. It’s undergone quite a few changes through the years, and we’ll break down everything you need to know here.
Engine Options
If you’re looking for a GMC Yukon, one of the most significant decisions you need to make is the engine you want under the hood. From 1999 to today, there are nine different engine options to choose from, eight traditional gasoline engines and one hybrid option.
We’ve highlighted each engine option and what they can do for you in our chart here.
Engine Size |
Available Years |
Fuel Type |
Horsepower |
Torque |
4.8L |
1999 to 2014 |
Gasoline |
290 |
295 lb-ft |
5.3L |
1999 to 2014 |
Gasoline |
300 to 320 |
342 lb-ft |
6.0L |
1999 to 2006 |
Gasoline |
329 |
365 lb-ft |
6.2L |
2008 to 2014 |
Gasoline |
380 |
415 lb-ft |
6.0L |
2008 to 2014 |
Hybrid |
333 |
367 lb-ft |
5.3L EcoTec3 |
2014 to 2020 |
Gasoline |
340 |
383 lb-ft |
6.2L EcoTec3 |
2014 to 2020 |
Gasoline |
426 |
450 lb-ft |
5.3L VVT |
2020 to Present |
Gasoline |
355 |
383 lb-ft |
6.2L VVT |
2020 to Present |
Gasoline |
420 |
460 lb-ft |
Cargo Space and Ground Clearance
While the GMC Yukon has changed quite a bit through the years, the cargo space from model to model has stayed relatively consistent. If you fold down the third row of seats you’ll unlock between 60.3 and 66.9 cubic feet of storage space depending on the model year.
Meanwhile, if you fold down both the second and third-row seats you unlock between 94.7 and 118.2 cubic feet of storage space.
The ground clearance shifts some too, but not by a ton. Depending on the model year you go with, the GMC Yukon will have between 8.0” and 9.1” of ground clearance, with the newest Yukons sitting the lowest at 8.0”.
The Chevy Tahoe started out as a 2-row SUV, but it didn’t take them too long to realize the real market for the vehicle was with a 3-row option. They gave the vehicle a third row early on, and the rest is history.
The Tahoe isn’t always the most powerful vehicle, but it always has plenty of space and there are tons of options to pick from. It’s a versatile SUV that makes a great family car or off-road vehicle. We’ve highlighted everything you need to know about the Tahoe for you here.
Engine Options
From 1991 to today the Chevy Tahoe has undergone a ton of changes. There have been ten different engine options that include standard gasoline engines, a FlexFuel option, a hybrid, and two diesel engines.
With so many options, it’s helpful to have a chart like below that breaks down what engines you can find under the hood of a Tahoe and what each one can do.
Engine Size |
Available Years |
Fuel Type |
Horsepower |
Torque |
5.7L |
1991 to 1999 |
Gasoline |
255 |
330 lb-ft |
5.7L |
1991 to 1999 |
Gasoline |
200 |
310 lb-ft |
6.5L |
1991 to 1999 |
Diesel |
180 |
360 lb-ft |
4.8L |
2000 to 2014 |
Gasoline |
295 |
305 lb-ft |
5.3L |
2000 to 2014 |
Gasoline |
320 |
340 lb-ft |
5.3L |
2000 to 2014 |
FlexFuel |
320 |
340 lb-ft |
6.0L |
2008 to 2014 |
Hybrid |
337 |
472 lb-ft |
5.3L |
2014 to Present |
Gasoline |
340 to 355 |
383 lb-ft |
6.2L |
2014 to Present |
Gasoline |
420 to 426 |
450 lb-ft |
3.0L |
2020 to Present |
Diesel |
277 |
460 lb-ft |
Cargo Space and Ground Clearance
The Tahoe has changed a lot through the years, and because of this the available cargo space and ground clearance in each SUV has changed quite a bit too. The early Tahoe was a completely different vehicle class than the modern Tahoe, and because of this it had a lot less cargo space.
Depending on the model it had between 67 and 70.3 cubic feet of storage space and sits 7.2” off the ground. As the Tahoes expanded to a three-row vehicle the cargo space expanded to anywhere between 63.6 to 66.9 cubic feet behind the second row of seats, and between 104.6 and 118.2 cubic feet of storage space when you fold all the seats down.
Meanwhile, there’s between 15.3 and 16.9 cubic feet of storage space behind the third row of seats. The ground clearance slowly grew all the way up to 9.1”, but the newest Tahoes have had this ground clearance amount shrink back down to 7.9”.
Whether you decide to go with a Yukon or a Tahoe, you’re getting an extremely reliable, durable, and versatile SUV. The GMC Yukon tends to have a few more technological features compared to the Tahoe, but the Tahoe has more engine options for you to pick from.
If you want more luxury for on-road performance, we recommend going with the Yukon, but if you plan to take your SUV off-road a bit more the Chevy Tahoe is probably the way to go.
Whether you want a Yukon or a Tahoe, Tim’s Truck can help you track down the perfect vehicle and get you behind the wheel in no time. Of course, if you still have questions about either vehicle or can’t decide between the two, the team at Tim’s Truck would love to help there too.
Reach out today and they’ll help you figure everything out and make an informed decision about what’s best for you!