Rented 2020 6.2L Yukon XL vs. my 2012 5.3L Yukon XL

[Chebby]

Well, I think I’m in love with the 6.2L. This 2020 Yukon XL Denali is super responsive to the skinny pedal. No lag to downshift when I pass someone on the highway. This 2020 also rides far firmer, doesn’t lean into turns or “float” over the road like my 2012. Dig the bucket seats in the second row and the seat coolers (my 2012 only has the lowly seat heaters haha). 
 

I also averaged 20.1 mpg on 87 octane fuel, mostly highway miles, on a tank of gas in the 2020 6.2L. My best in my 2012 is 16mpg combined. 
 

Lots of 5.3 vs 6.2 threads out there. I’m a believer!! 

[f8l vnm]

well to be fair you are comparing the older 5.3 vs the new 355 Horse 5.3 but either way the 6.2 is faster 

Also in fairness i want to see a 6.2 vs 5.3 both with 10 speeds on same day . I still think there will be a about 3-5 tenths between the quarter mile times and MPH 

[Black02Silverado]

I know the 6.2 isn't for everyone but man the power difference is amazing! 

 

So when do you pick it up from the dealer? 

[CamaroVetteGuy]

Here we go again

[Chevyguy273]

18 hours ago, Chebby said:

Well, I think I’m in love with the 6.2L. This 2020 Yukon XL Denali is super responsive to the skinny pedal. No lag to downshift when I pass someone on the highway. This 2020 also rides far firmer, doesn’t lean into turns or “float” over the road like my 2012. Dig the bucket seats in the second row and the seat coolers (my 2012 only has the lowly seat heaters haha). 
 

I also averaged 20.1 mpg on 87 octane fuel, mostly highway miles, on a tank of gas in the 2020 6.2L. My best in my 2012 is 16mpg combined. 
 

Lots of 5.3 vs 6.2 threads out there. I’m a believer!! 

I am a new Silverado 1500 Crew Cab short box LTZ owner here. And I am also in love with the 6.2l. I haven’t pushed the go pedal to the floor yet. Ive only had it for 5 days. But on a lazy country drive on Sunday with my wife and teenage son. With very little traffic I averaged over 24mpg. On over 200 miles. Mostly rural roads with 45-55 mph speed limits. I am extremely impressed. It’s still taking some getting used to. It’s huge compared to my tiny Corolla. Like wider turns. And backing into a parking spot if whenever possible. It’s s heck of a lot easier to get out. 

[Chebby]

On 7/14/2020 at 7:45 PM, Black02Silverado said:

I know the 6.2 isn't for everyone but man the power difference is amazing! 

 

So when do you pick it up from the dealer? 

Ha. We’re going to drive our 2012 until it won’t go any more. 130k trouble-free miles and counting.
 

But I will be buying a truck probably within the next year. Right now it’s between a 6.2L GMC and a 5.7L Tundra. 

[Wiggums]

The 5.7L Tundra will not get better gas mileage than the 6.2L GMC.

The gas mileage in my truck with the 5.3L V8 is incredible, I'm good at hypermiling and have gotten 28 mpg going 60 mph. I could not get more than 22 out of my Ford F-150 which had slightly more power.

[Cpl_Punishment]

If gas mileage and fancy features are your only concerns, get the GM. If you want to get 130k+ miles out of it, Toyota would be the only way to go. 

Edited July 16, 2020 by Cpl_Punishment

[Chebby]

Fuel economy isn't really a concern. I was surprised with the numbers I got with the 6.2L, though.
 

I have had great reliability experience with full size GM vehicles. My old 2002 5.3 Suburban went 260k on the original drivetrain before we traded it in. And again, we’re at 130k in our current Yukon XL with no issues. I wonder if the current generation will prove to be as reliable as the others. 
 

Also, I do agree that Toyota is generally the reigning king of long term reliability. 

[AlaskaErik]

14 hours ago, Chebby said:

Ha. We’re going to drive our 2012 until it won’t go any more. 130k trouble-free miles and counting.
 

But I will be buying a truck probably within the next year. Right now it’s between a 6.2L GMC and a 5.7L Tundra. 

If you plan on doing any towing or hauling, I'd pass on the Tundra.  They have ridiculously low payload capacity and are best suited as an overpriced grocery getter.

[Chebby]

45 minutes ago, AlaskaErik said:

If you plan on doing any towing or hauling, I'd pass on the Tundra.  They have ridiculously low payload capacity and are best suited as an overpriced grocery getter.

I’m not worried about Toyota’s numbers at all; everyone knows they rate their trucks very conservatively vs the big three. Go look at how much the guys on the Tundra forum punish their trucks—way beyond payload and towing. And they’ll still go 500k miles with only routine maintenance.
 

If I needed to tow 8k+ lbs even semi-regularly, I’d be getting a 3/4 ton Silverado. 

[Wayne3593]

On ‎7‎/‎15‎/‎2020 at 8:11 PM, Chebby said:

Ha. We’re going to drive our 2012 until it won’t go any more. 130k trouble-free miles and counting.
 

But I will be buying a truck probably within the next year. Right now it’s between a 6.2L GMC and a 5.7L Tundra. 

Another thing to keep in mind is that the Toyota will cost thousands more to purchase and use far more fuel. My 14 Silverado got 16ish in town and my 01 Silverado before she gave her life up to save mine got 15mpg with 170k on the odometer. My current ride is an 01 F150 with the V6/5 spd gets almost 17mpg around town. The Tundra with the 5.7 is rated for 13/18 city/highway so with the money saved buying Ford or GM on the purchase price plus money saved on fuel can pay for a lot of repairs when either reach 200k miles. Just food for thought 

[Cpl_Punishment]

3 hours ago, Wayne3593 said:

Another thing to keep in mind is that the Toyota will cost thousands more to purchase and use far more fuel. My 14 Silverado got 16ish in town and my 01 Silverado before she gave her life up to save mine got 15mpg with 170k on the odometer. My current ride is an 01 F150 with the V6/5 spd gets almost 17mpg around town. The Tundra with the 5.7 is rated for 13/18 city/highway so with the money saved buying Ford or GM on the purchase price plus money saved on fuel can pay for a lot of repairs when either reach 200k miles. Just food for thought 

The thousands more to purchase is false. My Tundra SR5 was $45k CAD out the door in November, which was about $8k off MSRP. A Sierra Elevation would have run me $65k CAD at that time. Even assuming that I got the highway fuel economy of 10L/100 km in the GM all the time and the city fuel economy of 18L/100 km in the Tundra, it would have taken me 25 years to come out ahead if I'd bought the GM, assuming I drive 10k kms a year and assuming a T1 would actually last that long. 

[Wiggums]

2 hours ago, Cpl_Punishment said:

Even assuming that I got the highway fuel economy of 10L/100 km in the GM all the time and the city fuel economy of 18L/100 km in the Tundra, it would have taken me 25 years to come out ahead if I'd bought the GM, assuming I drive 10k kms a year and assuming a T1 would actually last that long. 

The Tundra also holds value better in the long run. Insurance premiums were also lower for me if I chose the Tundra instead, I think it was another $440 a year for the Silverado.

[Chebby]

9 hours ago, Wayne3593 said:

Another thing to keep in mind is that the Toyota will cost thousands more to purchase and use far more fuel. My 14 Silverado got 16ish in town and my 01 Silverado before she gave her life up to save mine got 15mpg with 170k on the odometer. My current ride is an 01 F150 with the V6/5 spd gets almost 17mpg around town. The Tundra with the 5.7 is rated for 13/18 city/highway so with the money saved buying Ford or GM on the purchase price plus money saved on fuel can pay for a lot of repairs when either reach 200k miles. Just food for thought 

I don’t know where you’re getting the idea that the Tundra is a more expensive truck. It is not as feature-rich as the domestics and is cheaper to buy. The Tundra does get the worst mpg for sure, BUT it depreciates the least and has the lowest 5-year cost to own of all the half tons. (See below)
 

Assume $2.15/gal for fuel. 

The Tundra at 15mpg combined costs $0.143/mile in fuel. After 200k miles, this is $28,600. 
A new EB Ford at 17mpg combined costs $0.126/mile in fuel. After 200k miles, this is $25,200. 
 

The real question is: Is it worth paying thousands more for a new Ford to save $3,400 in fuel after driving 200k miles? Most people simply don’t believe a new Ford will go 200k without significant repairs. But the Tundra, a 13-year-old design, has been shown to get there and beyond with only routine maintenance. Some would rather have the Ford’s bells and whistles that the Toyota lacks. That’s totally fine. But if you want to buy a truck these days and keep it for 15 years, the Toyota is the safest bet to get you there without repair costs. Yes, on paper it lags behind the competition. But that’s exactly why it is the most reliable.