2025 AT4 vs AT4 Ultimate wheels on a 2023 Denali Ultimate?

[cmatt]

Need some opinions. I've purchased a 2023 Yukon Denali Ultimate in Onyx Black with 22" wheels (in transport so no pics yet). I'd prefer a 20" wheel and like the look of the 2025 AT4 versions. Problem is I can't decide if the Carbon Flash Metallic wheel that comes on the AT4 or the Talos Bronze Metallic wheel that comes on the AT4 Ultimate would look better with the Onyx Black paint color and Vader Chrome trim on the other parts of the Denali Ultimate. Please let me know what you guys think.

OE 22" Denali Ultimate wheel

20" Talos Bronze Metallic wheel from a 2025 AT4 Ultimate

20" Carbon Flash Metallic wheel from a 2025 AT4

 

[BacDoc]

Wheels are a personal choice so go with exactly what you want!


WhenI bought my 2024 Tahoe High Country I was not a fan of the 22” silver/chrome that came with it. Similar to the Denali Ultimate you pictured.
I figured I would give them a chance and maybe get used to it but they were too “blingy” for me.

The other problem is they came with Bridgestone Allenza tires which are not the best and can only get so much for a take off wheel tire set even if brand new.
This is selling through marketplace or similar and most tire and wheel shops won’t give you much on a trade in.

What I did is put 14-15k miles on them while shopping for what I wanted and get the best use out of the tires.
I found there is nothing wrong with the 22” wheels and they handle really well.
You can sell 22” wheels and tires very fast if you price them right as 22” wheels are high demand.
I sold mine with 14k miles for $1000 cash in one day putting them on marketplace after ordering what I wanted with the tires I wanted.
Yes I could have gotten more if I tried and waited but the quick $1k was fast and easy.

There are lots of options out there and I went with 22” and the OEM wheel off set and 275/50/22 Michelin Defender LTX MS2 and the truck looks and rides much better!

Online sites like Wheel Pros, Custom Offsets and American Trucks offer great selection and very good customer service.

Good luck with your decision!

 

[BacDoc]

Before

After

 

[cmatt]

@BacDoc agreed it is a personal choice. Great looking ride btw! I’m just having trouble visualizing the choices lol. I need to try my hand at AI to see if I can get it to create a picture with the wheels swapped out.

 

[BacDoc]

@BacDoc agreed it is a personal choice. Great looking ride btw! I’m just having trouble visualizing the choices lol. I need to try my hand at AI to see if I can get it to create a picture with the wheels swapped out.

Some sites like custom offsets and American Trucks has some options to put wheels on your truck and get several different views
Good luck with this as wheels and tires make a noticeable difference in the look as well as the ride

 

[KMeloney]

Need some opinions. I've purchased a 2023 Yukon Denali Ultimate in Onyx Black with 22" wheels (in transport so no pics yet). I'd prefer a 20" wheel and like the look of the 2025 AT4 versions. Problem is I can't decide if the Carbon Flash Metallic wheel that comes on the AT4 or the Talos Bronze Metallic wheel that comes on the AT4 Ultimate would look better with the Onyx Black paint color and Vader Chrome trim on the other parts of the Denali Ultimate. Please let me know what you guys think.

OE 22" Denali Ultimate wheel
View attachment 478048

20" Talos Bronze Metallic wheel from a 2025 AT4 Ultimate
View attachment 478049

20" Carbon Flash Metallic wheel from a 2025 AT4
View attachment 478050

With no other "bronze" on the truck, it's all a matter of whether you want to keep the wheel colors in the same family of the truck's paint, or whether you want the color to stand out against it.

 

[cmatt]

@KMeloney I think that's the part I'm having the most trouble with. I believe it's a gray/bronze tone that either looks more gray or more bronze depending on the lighting in the photos I've seen. I want to tell myself that it's close enough in hue to the vader chrome tone on the trim. I prob need to watch my local dealer to see when they get one in so I can physically see it.

 

[BacDoc]

If your Denali came with 22” wheels I would advise you to stay with 22” unless you are taking the Denali offroad frequently.
20” with bigger sidewall tires is better handling in offroad (or lots of potholes) situations but 22” is better on highway especially at speed and cornering.
I know this is far from sports car but 22” wheel on a Denali corners better than an old corvette!
I know I will get $hit for that but it is true lol!

The reason they come with 22” is because the handling of 22” on the road is very good and 22” size is popular.

I was ready to trade my 22” for 20” because I thought the ride would be better with more sidewall but I think your Denali has magnetic ride and air suspension so the ride is awesome and the 22” wheels handle a lot better than 20” on the road.

Selling the 22” wheels if you don’t like them is going to be easy if you price it right and having 22” wheels on your Denali will help resale value.

 

[cmatt]

All good points and definitely weighs into things. I had a 2015 Yukon with 22" wheels wrapped in the factory Bridgestones. It had the rear air leveling shocks but no Magnaride. The ride was okay. Could definitely feel many of the bumps and imperfections, but it did handle well for an suv. It was certainly better when I put Michelin Defenders on it. I think that's where my frame of reference is coming from. The Suburban I'm in now has 20" wheels with Autoride suspension, rear air leveling and BFGs on it and rides surprisingly well.

Like most, 90% of my driving is mixed on surface streets and highway. The rest is at a hunting camp with decent roads. So maybe I do need to give the 22s a chance. Still not sure if I'm a fan of these specific factory wheels...

 

[KMeloney]

All good points and definitely weighs into things. I had a 2015 Yukon with 22" wheels wrapped in the factory Bridgestones. It had the rear air leveling shocks but no Magnaride. The ride was okay. Could definitely feel many of the bumps and imperfections, but it did handle well for an suv. It was certainly better when I put Michelin Defenders on it. I think that's where my frame of reference is coming from. The Suburban I'm in now has 20" wheels with Autoride suspension, rear air leveling and BFGs on it and rides surprisingly well.

Like most, 90% of my driving is mixed on surface streets and highway. The rest is at a hunting camp with decent roads. So maybe I do need to give the 22s a chance. Still not sure if I'm a fan of these specific factory wheels...

I’m with you on those particular factory wheels. Not a fan at all of the design.

 

[OKZ71]

Have you thought about 20" wheels from the Elevation? I almost went with the GMC instead of Chevy. I wasn't a fan of the AT4 wheels and had this mocked up so I could visualize the swap