2021 Ford Expedition vs GMC Yukon

The Expedition is a large three-row SUV that seats up to eight passengers plus their cargo. Its interior is full of luxury and plush seats, but also has some plastic trimmings. It features comfortable seating, with enough room to seat adults in the third row with plenty of legroom. The exterior features a wide, expressive grille that frames its headlights and is trimmed with metallic accents. The standard wheel-base features 104.6 cubic feet of maximum cargo space and the longer wheelbase will give you 121.4 feet of cargo room. Standard features include leather-wrapped steering wheel with cruise and audio control, power-folding third-row seats, cargo bin, and tri-zone auto climate control. Each trim adds more features including a heating steering wheel, power tilt and telescoping steering column with memory, and rear auxiliary climate controls. Additional luxury features in the King Ranch and Platinum trims include heated and ventilated 10-way power driver and passenger captain’s chairs, power lumbar and power recline driver and passenger captain’s chairs, Del Rio leather seating, leather door-trim accents, premium wrapped leather steering wheel, and leather door-trim accents. Trims include the XLT, Limited, King Ranch, and Platinum. Pricing starts at $55,000 for the XLT trim and ranges to a starting price of $76,000 for the Platinum trim.

The redesigned Yukon has one of the most upscale interiors in the large SUV class. It seats up to nine people or seven with optional second-row bucket seats. All seats provide plenty of head- and legroom to ride comfortably. The Yukon provides 25.5 cubic feet of space behind the third-row seats, expands to 72.6 cubic feet with the third-row seats folded down and 122.9 cubic feet with the second and third rows folded down. It comes standard with cloth Upholstery and available with leather upholstery and heated and ventilated seats. An available Luxury package that includes a heated steering wheel, driver-seat memory settings, heated outboard-second-row seats, and power folding third row is an option. The Yukon comes in four trims: SLT, SLT, AT4, and Denali. A starting price of $50,700 comes with the SLT and ranges to a starting price of $68,400 for the Denali. Add-on packages will add to their pricing.

The Expedition features the latest driver-assistance technology with its standard Ford Co-Pilot360 that includes pre-collision assist with automatic emergency braking, blind spot information system with cross-traffic alert, auto high-beam headlamps, lane keep assist, and a rear-view camera. Standard technology features include the SYNC 3 infotainment system with an 8.0-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, voice recognition, satellite radio, Wi-Fi hotspot, and four SUB ports. A navigation system, wireless device charging, third-row USB ports, HD radio, and premium 12-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system is available.

The Yukon offers standard advanced safety features, plus additional add-on packages for more advanced features. Features include forward collision mitigation, rearview camera, rear seat reminder, automatic emergency braking, front pedestrian braking, front and rear parking sensors, as well as keyless entry and ignition. Available tire-pressure monitoring sensors for trailers, a Max Trailering package that includes trailer brake controller, heavy-duty cooling system, two-speed active transfer case (4WD only), a Pro-Safety Plus package that includes blind-spot monitor, and rear cross-traffic alert are all options. It also offers plenty of easy-to-use cabin technology, with added features on each trim level. A large infotainment display with GMC’s latest easy-to-use IntelliLink interface with a 10.2-inch touchscreen, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, six speakers, satellite radio, HD radio, Wi-Fi hotspot, six USB ports, and Bluetooth are standard. Available on higher trims is a 9 or 14--speaker Bose audio system, wireless charging pad, navigation, and several optional technology packages.

All trims on the Expedition come with a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 turbocharged engine and 375 horsepower, except the Platinum will give you 400 horsepower. They come with a ten-speed automatic transmission and either rear- or four wheel-drive on all trims. All models can tow up to a maximum 9,300 pounds. RWD will give you 17/23 mpg city and highway and AWD will give you 16/21 mpg city/highway.

The Yukon delivers a powerful performance for just about every driving situation in its base engine, but it can deliver even more acceleration with its available larger engine. All trims, except the Denali feature a 5.3-liter V8 engine with 355 horsepower and 383 lb ft of torque. The Denali features a 6.2-liter V8 engine with 420 horsepower and 460 lb ft of torque. A new turbo diesel, 277 horsepower engine will join its lineup later in this model year. Its ride is cushioned over road surfaces and is composed and easy to maneuver on winding roads. For its off-road ability, stick to the AT4 trim that comes with a two-speed transfer case and skid plates. It averages 16/20 mpg in the city and on the highway; and can tow up to 8,400 pounds.