Motor Trend large suv comparison

[OR VietVet]

Why post in this forum? You obviously find the current platform “a piece of crap.”

How are you ever going to know "the absolute truth" about the newer trucks and SUV's unless you watch out for my reviews? I am doing a service here.

Your appreciation is appreciated.

 

[JayceeP]

Annual vehicles sales say otherwise, even if you take out government fleet orders.

 

[Jus Cruisin]

How are you ever going to know "the absolute truth" about the newer trucks and SUV's unless you watch out for my reviews? I am doing a service here.

Your appreciation is appreciated.

But.... How can you personally comment on them without owning them. My neighbor traded his 2022 Yukon 5.3l in with about 85,000 miles on it for a 2025 Yukon 3.0l. The worst thing he had go wrong with his 2022 was 2 cracked aluminum rims (Michigan pot holes). He's out of the 3/36 with the 2025 with zero warranty claims.
I'll be trading my 2025 Sierra Denali 1500 once the to be ordered arrives. I like all the "stuff" the new vehicles from collision warnings, Supercruise, built-in surround recording, air suspension with lowering to exit and more.

 

[OR VietVet]

But.... How can you personally comment on them without owning them. My neighbor traded his 2022 Yukon 5.3l in with about 85,000 miles on it for a 2025 Yukon 3.0l. The worst thing he had go wrong with his 2022 was 2 cracked aluminum rims (Michigan pot holes). He's out of the 3/36 with the 2025 with zero warranty claims.
I'll be trading my 2025 Sierra Denali 1500 once the to be ordered arrives. I like all the "stuff" the new vehicles from collision warnings, Supercruise, built-in surround recording, air suspension with lowering to exit and more.

Because I do not just read at or comment at the GMT800 series trucks and SUV's. I was in the shops 40+ years and saw the newer stuff in the shops on a more constant basis. The Gmt400 and GMT800 series are known for their reliability and being workhorses.

They do not have all the China software problems or the "push the button and take a nap" comfort items. I am on lots of forums and see so much here of the problems stacking up with newer vehicles. Cases in point are the AFM problems and the 6.2 engine problems and the multiple years transmission problems.

No thanks. I drive my SUV. I do not let it drive me or make my decisions for me and it will be there for at least 300k miles and I have yet to hear of the newer ones having a chance at the 300k milestone. plus, the GMT800's have the most comfortable seats.

 

[Jus Cruisin]

Because I do not just read at or comment at the GMT800 series trucks and SUV's. I was in the shops 40+ years and saw the newer stuff in the shops on a more constant basis. The Gmt400 and GMT800 series are known for their reliability and being workhorses.

They do not have all the China software problems or the "push the button and take a nap" comfort items. I am on lots of forums and see so much here of the problems stacking up with newer vehicles. Cases in point are the AFM problems and the 6.2 engine problems and the multiple years transmission problems.

No thanks. I drive my SUV. I do not let it drive me or make my decisions for me and it will be there for at least 300k miles and I have yet to hear of the newer ones having a chance at the 300k milestone. plus, the GMT800's have the most comfortable seats.

I was in the business for over 20 years in 80's, 90's and early 2000's. You know what? The service lots were always full with cars with issues and the service department always slammed with customers having to wait to drop off their cars. They weren't "perfect" back then and if there were forums then, they'd be looking like the car and truck forums today with plenty of complaining and whining.

300,000? Not even in my wheelhouse. I drove semis with those kind of miles but I have zero desire to own something with anything close to 6 digits showing on the odometer. I will be trading my Sierra in with less 15,000 miles. Why? Because I can. I get bored with vehicles easily which explains why I've gone through around 100 daily drivers. In my 20's and 30's I went through multiple vehicles a year. Those were used that I could buy, spif up and sell. I was leasing for a while (2 year leases) and finally buying the new stuff. Since the early 2000's, I've bought something new (GM, Dodgr/Ram or Ford) every year. One year a vehicle for my wife and the next year for me. Meaning I'd keep a vehicle for 2 model years. I'm still doing that but with only one. We don't need 2 drivers anymore. Of course, I do have a good weather toy. My latest is in my avatar and that even has a back up cam that shows in the infotainment screen.

 

[Joseph Garcia]

But.... How can you personally comment on them without owning them. My neighbor traded his 2022 Yukon 5.3l in with about 85,000 miles on it for a 2025 Yukon 3.0l. The worst thing he had go wrong with his 2022 was 2 cracked aluminum rims (Michigan pot holes). He's out of the 3/36 with the 2025 with zero warranty claims.
I'll be trading my 2025 Sierra Denali 1500 once the to be ordered arrives. I like all the "stuff" the new vehicles from collision warnings, Supercruise, built-in surround recording, air suspension with lowering to exit and more.

"But.... How can you personally comment on them without owning them."

I don't have to jump off a 100 foot cliff to know that I'm going to die, if I do so.



"I will be trading my Sierra in with less 15,000 miles. Why? Because I can. I get bored with vehicles easily which explains why I've gone through around 100 daily drivers."

You are not a 'typical' vehicle owner, so how can you personally comment on typical vehicle owner's tastes and preferences?



Just saying......

 

[Jus Cruisin]

"But.... How can you personally comment on them without owning them."

I don't have to jump off a 100 foot cliff to know that I'm going to die, if I do so.



"I will be trading my Sierra in with less 15,000 miles. Why? Because I can. I get bored with vehicles easily which explains why I've gone through around 100 daily drivers."

You are not a 'typical' vehicle owner, so how can you personally comment on typical vehicle owner's tastes and preferences?



Just saying......

I comment on my personal experiences good and bad. Maybe Yukon owners hang on to their trucks longer but there are plenty of truck owners GMC, Ford and Ram that trade every couple of years. You'll find my posts on those forums. I'm not atypical there. And, I'm not atypical in my sub. Plenty of my neighbors trade every other year. I will interject my experience with particular features, engines, etc but I'm not going to bash something I've never personally owned just because of hearsay or internet horror stories. I might pass along what I've read but without judgement.

I got spooked with the 6.2l failures and traded my 2023 GMC 1500 Sierra Denali Ultimate before the recall came out. I probably would have held on to it for another 6-8 months. Instead, I bought the 2025 GMC Sierra 1500 Denali Ultimate with the 3.0l. Guess what? It seized and I ended up with a new engine at 5,000 miles. I could whine and bellyache and bash GM over it but that's why there's a warranty. They aren't perfect. Nothing is. It was an inconvenience but the dealership provided a new loaner. And, I'm going with the 3.0l when I order the 2027 Yukon. I'd get an Escalade but not towing technology package and no diesel. If Ram had a full size suv based on the truck, I could very well go with them as the Ram Limited interior is the best best we've owned in a truck. I'm still not sure about the twin turbo inline 6. And, I'm spoiled with the 3.0l fuel economy.

Boy, that got long winded....

 

[OR VietVet]

I comment on my personal experiences good and bad. Maybe Yukon owners hang on to their trucks longer but there are plenty of truck owners GMC, Ford and Ram that trade every couple of years. You'll find my posts on those forums. I'm not atypical there. And, I'm not atypical in my sub. Plenty of my neighbors trade every other year. I will interject my experience with particular features, engines, etc but I'm not going to bash something I've never personally owned just because of hearsay or internet horror stories. I might pass along what I've read but without judgement.

I got spooked with the 6.2l failures and traded my 2023 GMC 1500 Sierra Denali Ultimate before the recall came out. I probably would have held on to it for another 6-8 months. Instead, I bought the 2025 GMC Sierra 1500 Denali Ultimate with the 3.0l. Guess what? It seized and I ended up with a new engine at 5,000 miles. I could whine and bellyache and bash GM over it but that's why there's a warranty. They aren't perfect. Nothing is. It was an inconvenience but the dealership provided a new loaner. And, I'm going with the 3.0l when I order the 2027 Yukon. I'd get an Escalade but not towing technology package and no diesel. If Ram had a full size suv based on the truck, I could very well go with them as the Ram Limited interior is the best best we've owned in a truck. I'm still not sure about the twin turbo inline 6. And, I'm spoiled with the 3.0l fuel economy.

Boy, that got long winded....

So, then according to your vehicle purchasing habits, we/I should only see you posting here about 24, 25 and 26 years, correct. Soon to be 25, 26 and 27 years. That way you can avoid having to see my posts. Hope that helps your anxiety of seeing my posts. Have a nice day.

 

[Jus Cruisin]

So, then according to your vehicle purchasing habits, we/I should only see you posting here about 24, 25 and 26 years, correct. Soon to be 25, 26 and 27 years. That way you can avoid having to see my posts. Hope that helps your anxiety of seeing my posts. Have a nice day.

Boy....that made a lot of sense.

 

[GMCChevy]

what's interesting is that one doesn't see Expeditions on the road, but they are on the dealer lots. One sees tons of Tahoe/Yukon/Escalades on the roads, and until this year, not many on the lots (well in the Northeast, in Dallas there has always been 20 on the lot to our 0-2).

Same around here. When it comes to full size SUVs it's the GM ones you see. There's probably a dozen within a couple blocks of our house. Rarely see Fords and when you know a specific house or person that has one they don't have them overly long.

Consumer Reports have always been a waste of time for me. Often, what they see as flaws, I see as features. It is just a mismatch of what they think is good and/or important, and what I think is good and/or important. I will freely admit that my tastes are not mainstream, and Consumer Reports attempts to inform mainstream readers.

Consumer Reports is pretty good on their reviews but it's always funny when they have a vehicle on their avoid list yet marked as recommended in their annual auto issue at the same time! Also how two identical vehicles can have different ratings. Tahoe might say average or great ratings for something, Yukon worse then average. Same for the trucks. Sure it comes down to what people have submitted but it's always odd to see and that's been going on for years even back when there were no engine options and the only difference was the badge on the grille.

 

[BlackHC2025]

I miss barn doors.

 

[Marky Dissod]

I miss barn doors.

So say we all.

 

[Sgt1411]

As someone who gets to drive both large SUV's at work I would suggest the Ford is not even close to the Tahoe/Yukon/Escalade line up. The new Expedition has the oval steering wheel that Engineering decided was a good idea so the driver could see the wrap around screens. WTF?...have you seen the Escalade IQ wrap around screens, absolutely amazing engineering without an oval steering wheel.

Also try driving the Expedition with that oval steering wheel especially during tight turning, its a nightmare. Completely ignored by MT.

The interior materials in our SUV's is FAR superior to anything in a new Expedition, I use the door closing test, close the door on a new Expedition and then close the door on a GMT800. The Expedition is light weight and very "tinny" sounding.

Fit and finish both inside and outside is also far superior on the Tahoe/Yukon/Escalade. Look at panels and how they line up on both vehicles.

I also LOVE how MT completely ignored the fact that Ford is the most recalled OE in the world, their brand new Expedition likely has 10 software updates waiting to be done and while it sits on the dealer lot it has another couple Field Service Actions or recalls. That Ford rear camera recall lasted 2 years, no parts available.

The Expedition is not even close the Tahoe/Yukon/Escalade line up in any shape or fashion.

MT is bought and paid for, just like Consumer Reports, whatever they say I see the opposite.

 

[Chitragupta]

Last August we bought a 2025 Lincoln Navigator L Black Label before they made the 2026 model change to the all new two piece rear hatch.

We’re both retired and make 6:30 trips down to the Texas Gulf coast about 6 to 8 times a year.

It’s just us and the dog but we need the extra 18” of rear cargo area to haul all of our stuff.

Back in 2015 we took the kids to see Yellowstone National Park and Avis upgraded us to a Lincoln Navigator L and we had no issues with the big SUV.

With the all new 2026 Expedition / Navigator the bottom quarter of the rear hatch deploys downward and the upper portion of the hatch goes up which puts you about 12” further back when reaching over the tailgate for groceries or heavy boxes.

Our thinking is the kids are gone so we are not going to use the split hatch as a bench seat to watch soccer games, tailgate parties etc.

Our trips to the Texas Gulf coast is nothing but heavy boxes, heavy suitcases and my wife’s heavy sewing machine she drags down to work on her quilt projects.

One more thing I didn’t like about the 12” tailgate was when loading groceries or other gear the tailgate pushes you that much further out into the rain and you lose that much cover from the hatch being open.

So the all new hatch design forced us into getting the 2025 model so we could have the old single piece hatch.

Within a hour on the first long trip in our all new Lincoln Navigator I started to question my purchase because of the stupid 28 way massaging seats.

I never could get the seat where it was comfortable.

I had to keep the massage function on the entire time to compensate for the crappy seat and to keep my legs from going to sleep.

I zeroed out all of the bolsters, lumbar, I played for hours on the long drive trying to get the seat where I was comfortable.

Just give me a seat with just six way adjustments and some really great memory foam and I’ll be a happy camper.

I even asked my Lincoln Service Advisor if I found a set of front Ford Expedition seats could we swap the seats so I just have a six way seat with memory foam?

He said the computers would go bonkers not seeing the OEM seats that were originally installed.

I had several more complaints:
Blue Cruise hunted on long sweeping curves and 75% of our trip was on two and four lane Texas rural roads and they are non-mapped Blue Cruise roads so why do I need it anyways?

It bounces along like a 1966 Ford Fairlane with bad shocks.

The center console was a very bad design for keeping track of drinks, snacks and trash.

There is a button on one of screens you can call FoMoCo directly from your car to log complaints, which I did about ten times.

It’s what I call a Sewer Line Complaint Line, the $&!t only flows oneway.

Not once did anyone from FoMoCo call me back to see what issues I was having with their $100k car.

Two weeks ago I traded in the Lincoln Navigator for a 2026 Yukon Denali Ultimate XL and I took about a $35,000 haircut on the deal.

Later this week will be the first time I’ve had the GMC Yukon for a long road trip but so far just me putzing around I can already tell the GMC Yukon Denali Ultimate seats are vastly superior to the Lincoln Navigator L Black Label.

The main reason I traded in the Navigator was those seats, life is too short to go through with crappy seats.