When someone mentions the GMC Yukon, your mind immediately goes to a suburban luxury people hauler. GMC is looking to change some of that stereotype by adding more rugged and off-road capable models. That’s where the AT4 lineup comes into play and we got to experience it in the Yukon model. We’ve been seeing the commercials and were excited when one came our way to review.

The Summit White color seems to be the choice for the AT4 trim and it fits the lineup real well. The other color options not only have a premium price ranging from $495-1,095, but also don’t seem to have the presence of their white. The AT4 replaces the typical Denali chrome with more subtle brushed aluminum accents. Although we love ostentatious chrome, the brushed trims help with giving it a presence that it’s ready to get dirty.

In the off-road world, the goal is typically smaller wheels with tall tire sidewall. The Yukon AT4 didn’t want to lose its luxury styling and GMC equipped it with 20” wheels. Not to worry because the wheels are still wrapped in tall Goodyear Wranglers that helped me from accidentally curbing them. There is still the aftermarket world to go with a different wheel and tire setup, but the factory setup might be hard to beat in ride quality.

One of the hidden gems of the Yukon AT4 was the optional power retractable assist step. You open the door and down came a step to help us shorter people hop in. With the steps being powered, the go back closer to the body to help retain side clearance and protection from rocks when you decided to go off-roading. The adaptive air ride also helps when it goes down to the entry/exit height to make getting into the massive Yukon even easier.

Once you easily hop into the GMC Yukon AT4, you experience a large amount of black materials. To offset the darkness, the AT4 rocks exclusive brandy colored accents in the stitching and seating areas. The seats were extremely comfortable and the vented seats helped tackle the 100 degree Texas heat.

The HD Surround Vision system helped with maneuvering this 210” long SUV into the smallest of parking spots. The different views also helped whether you are off-roading and needed to watch your wheels, or you’re trying to hook up a trailer with the top down view of the hitch area.

Under the hood, the V8 provided extremely smooth power delivery at any RPM. The 10-speed automatic was incredibly smooth and shifts were barely felt. The biggest surprise came from the auto start/stop system that was also smooth to get the big 5.3L fired up.

Overall we were extremely impressed with the 2021 GMC Yukon AT4. It really checked a large amount of boxes for our needs. We loved the massive space it has even in the third row, the rugged treatment gives us peace of mind if we go out on unpaved adventures, and lastly, it checks off the towing capacity needed for a possible race car build.