Is the GMC Yukon more reliable than the Toyota Sequoia?

No, the Sequoia comes out slightly ahead. Both have a good reliability standing, but the Yukon has 1357 owner complaints against 36 for the Sequoia. The Yukon's biggest problem is engine failure from lifters and camshafts, which often ends in a full engine replacement.

Which has more recalls, the Yukon or the Sequoia?

The Yukon has more, with 56 recalls across 9 model years. The Sequoia has 17 across 5 model years. The Yukon has more years on the road in this data, which adds recalls, but its count is still much higher.

Which costs less to repair, the Yukon or the Sequoia?

The Sequoia costs less, at an estimated $642 a year against $747 for the Yukon. That adds up to roughly $525 over five years. The Sequoia does go to the shop slightly more often, at 0.4 unscheduled visits a year versus 0.3.

What is the main problem with the GMC Yukon?

Engine failure is the biggest one, with 571 engine complaints. Owners describe a ticking or knocking engine, misfires, and sudden power loss, often with no warning light. Some engines shut off at highway speed or idle and would not restart. Transmission slipping and harsh shifts come next.

What goes wrong with the Toyota Sequoia?

Electrical driver-assist faults lead its complaints. Blind spot, rear cross traffic, pre-collision and adaptive cruise warnings come on falsely and return after software updates. A few owners report the truck braking hard on its own with nothing ahead. The 2018 and 2019 years are its weakest.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

GMC Yukon vs Toyota Sequoia: Reliability Compared

GMC Yukon

Good

More Reliable

Toyota Sequoia

Good

Among full-size SUVs, the Toyota Sequoia holds a slight reliability edge over the GMC Yukon. Lifter and camshaft engine failures hold the Yukon back. Owners report far more complaints on it, and its yearly repair cost runs higher, while the Sequoia's main issue is false driver-assist warnings.

How Do the GMC Yukon and Toyota Sequoia Generations Compare?

Second-generation design covers the Yukon years most shoppers will see. That generation began with the 2015 model year, and a facelift arrived for 2020, which splits 2018 and 2019 trucks from 2020 and later ones. The 2025 and 2026 years are too new to judge, because complaints build up with time on the road. For the Sequoia, the second generation ran from 2008 through 2022, so every year in this comparison is the older design. A third generation began with the 2023 model year. A used Sequoia from 2018 to 2022 is therefore a late-cycle truck, and its record has had years to build.

Verdict

The Toyota Sequoia is more reliable than the GMC Yukon, scoring 71/100 vs 68/100.

A slight edge goes to the Sequoia, and the deciding reason is the Yukon's engine trouble. Owners report lifter and camshaft failures that often come with no warning light and usually end in a full engine replacement. The Sequoia draws far fewer complaints and costs less to keep running. Its weak spot is driver-assist warnings that keep returning, which is irritating but not a failed engine. The Yukon does need unscheduled shop visits slightly less often, so the lead is real but narrow.

Key Differences

1Toyota Sequoia costs $105 less per year to repair
2Toyota Sequoia has 39 fewer total recalls
3Toyota Sequoia has 8.0 fewer complaints per 10k sold

Category Scoreboard

1GMC Yukon

—

5Toyota Sequoia

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateAnnual Repair CostRepair FrequencyMajor Repair Risk

GMC Yukon vs Toyota Sequoia: Which Is More Reliable?

GMC Yukon vs Toyota Sequoia at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	GMC Yukon	Toyota Sequoia
Reliability Score	68/100	71/100
Years Tracked	9	5
Total Recalls	56	17
Complaints per 10k Sold	11.1	3.1
Annual Repair Cost	$747/yr	$642/yr
Repair Frequency	0.3/yr	0.4/yr
Major Repair Risk	16%	15%
Year Wins	1	4

What Are the Common Problems With the GMC Yukon and Toyota Sequoia?

Mechanical failure dominates the Yukon's complaints. Reports describe ticking or knocking engines from failed lifters and cam phasers, engines that shut off at highway speed, slipping or clunking transmissions, and power steering that cuts out. Crash-linked reports show up in the engine, power train, electrical, engine cooling and steering areas, with electrical and steering highest. The Sequoia's complaints are few and lean on electronics: blind spot, pre-collision and adaptive cruise warnings that keep returning, plus reports of the truck braking hard on its own with nothing ahead. Its listed problem areas show no crash-linked complaints, though one rollaway report involved an injury.

GMC Yukon vs Toyota Sequoia common problem areas comparison
Component	GMC Yukon	Toyota Sequoia
ENGINE	4.7Average	—None
POWER TRAIN	1.8Low	0.2Very Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	1.1Low	0.6Very Low
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	0.9Very Low	—None
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	0.5Very Low	0.4Very Low
STEERING	0.4Very Low	—None
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	0.2Very Low	0.2Very Low
SERVICE BRAKES	0.3Very Low	—None
AIR BAGS	0.2Very Low	—None
VISIBILITY/WIPER	0.1Very Low	—None
SUSPENSION	0.1Very Low	—None
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	0.1Very Low	—None
FUEL SYSTEM	0.1Very Low	—None
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	0.1Very Low	—None
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	—None	—None
SEAT BELTS	—None	—None
SEATS	—None	—None
STRUCTURE	—None	—None

Complaints per 10,000 units sold, aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports.

Which Is Cheaper to Maintain: GMC Yukon or Toyota Sequoia?

Lower running costs go to the Sequoia, at an estimated $642 a year against $747 for the Yukon. That is $105 less per year, or about $525 over five years. The Yukon is the one that visits the shop less often, at 0.3 unscheduled visits a year to the Sequoia's 0.4. Major repairs are close to even: 15% of Sequoia repairs are major, against 16% for the Yukon.

How Does GMC Yukon vs Toyota Sequoia Reliability Compare by Year?

GMC Yukon vs Toyota Sequoia year-by-year reliability scores
Year	GMC Yukon	Toyota Sequoia	Edge
2022	62/1009R / 248C	72/1002R / 1C	Toyota Sequoia
2021	55/10025R / 410C	72/1002R / 4C	Toyota Sequoia
2020	71/1005R / 59C	72/1002R / 4C	Toyota Sequoia
2019	71/1002R / 95C	70/1006R / 7C	GMC Yukon
2018	68/1004R / 108C	69/1005R / 20C	Toyota Sequoia

Best years to cross-shop: The 2020 GMC Yukon scored 71/100 and the 2022 Toyota Sequoia scored 72/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the GMC Yukon vs the Toyota Sequoia?

Pick the Sequoia if you want the lower risk of a large mechanical bill. Owner complaints are thin, yearly repair cost is lower, and 2021 and 2020 are its strongest years. Avoid 2018 and 2019, its weakest. On a test drive, run the blind spot and cruise systems, and ask for proof that any open recall work was done. Pick the Yukon if you need what it offers and will shop carefully. Skip 2021 and 2023, its weakest years. Listen for engine ticking or knocking on a cold start, and ask for service records on the engine and transmission. Owners place most dated engine failures between 67,049 and 81,000 miles in one set of reports, so a truck in that range deserves a hard look. Do not treat 2025 and 2026 as the safe picks. They rank well mainly because they are too new to have collected many complaints.

GMC Yukon vs Toyota Sequoia: Common Questions

Is the GMC Yukon more reliable than the Toyota Sequoia?: No, the Sequoia comes out slightly ahead. Both have a good reliability standing, but the Yukon has 1357 owner complaints against 36 for the Sequoia. The Yukon's biggest problem is engine failure from lifters and camshafts, which often ends in a full engine replacement.
Which has more recalls, the Yukon or the Sequoia?: The Yukon has more, with 56 recalls across 9 model years. The Sequoia has 17 across 5 model years. The Yukon has more years on the road in this data, which adds recalls, but its count is still much higher.
Which costs less to repair, the Yukon or the Sequoia?: The Sequoia costs less, at an estimated $642 a year against $747 for the Yukon. That adds up to roughly $525 over five years. The Sequoia does go to the shop slightly more often, at 0.4 unscheduled visits a year versus 0.3.
What is the main problem with the GMC Yukon?: Engine failure is the biggest one, with 571 engine complaints. Owners describe a ticking or knocking engine, misfires, and sudden power loss, often with no warning light. Some engines shut off at highway speed or idle and would not restart. Transmission slipping and harsh shifts come next.
What goes wrong with the Toyota Sequoia?: Electrical driver-assist faults lead its complaints. Blind spot, rear cross traffic, pre-collision and adaptive cruise warnings come on falsely and return after software updates. A few owners report the truck braking hard on its own with nothing ahead. The 2018 and 2019 years are its weakest.

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More Toyota Sequoia comparisons

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How we score the GMC Yukon and Toyota Sequoia

Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

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