2012 GMC Yukon MPG and Fuel Cost

The 2012 GMC Yukon gets up to 17 mpg combined with a gas engine and up to 21 mpg as a hybrid, across 12 EPA-tested versions.

EPA fuel economy

2012 GMC Yukon · 12 EPA-tested versions

Best gas version

17MPG combined

15 city 21 highway

$3,950 a year to fuel

5.3L 8-cyl · 4WD · 6-speed automatic

Best hybrid version

21MPG combined

20 city 23 highway

$3,200 a year to fuel

6.0L 8-cyl hybrid · 4WD · CVT

Best version costs $4,000 more in fuel over 5 years vs the average new vehicle (EPA)

Fuel cost: 15,000 miles a year at EPA's $4.47 a gallon (regular gas).

Data: US EPA, fueleconomy.govUpdated Sep 30, 2026

At EPA's price assumptions, fuel costs $3,200 to $5,600 a year. Ratings for the best versions are unchanged from 2011.

Fewer complaints than a typical Yukon year

The 2012 drew 4 owner complaints in its first three years, against about 66 for a typical Yukon year. Best years are picked only from 2016 on, since counts for older years say less: owners filed fewer complaints in the early 2010s.

Years to avoid: 2023. Based on owner complaints, not adjusted for sales.

Every Yukon year ranked The 2012 Yukon's recalls and problems

Every 2012 Yukon version

EPA's ratings for each version it tested. Fuel cost is EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current prices.

Version	Combined	City / Hwy	Fuel / year
Hybrid
6.0L 8-cyl hybrid · 4WD · CVT Best EPA listing: Yukon 1500 Hybrid 4WD (also Yukon Denali 1500 Hybrid 4WD)	21 mpg	20 / 23	$3,200
6.0L 8-cyl hybrid · RWD · CVT EPA listing: Yukon 1500 Hybrid 2WD	21 mpg	20 / 23	$3,200
Gas
5.3L 8-cyl · 4WD · 6-speed automatic EPA listing: Yukon 1500 4WD · Flex-fuel (E85)	17 mpg	15 / 21	$3,950
5.3L 8-cyl · 4WD · 6-speed automatic · XL EPA listing: Yukon XL 1500 4WD · Flex-fuel (E85)	17 mpg	15 / 21	$3,950
5.3L 8-cyl · RWD · 6-speed automatic EPA listing: Yukon 1500 2WD · Flex-fuel (E85)	17 mpg	15 / 21	$3,950
5.3L 8-cyl · RWD · 6-speed automatic · XL EPA listing: Yukon XL 1500 2WD · Flex-fuel (E85)	17 mpg	15 / 21	$3,950
6.2L 8-cyl · RWD · 6-speed automatic EPA listing: Yukon 1500 2WD · Flex-fuel (E85)	16 mpg	14 / 18	$4,200
6.2L 8-cyl · RWD · 6-speed automatic · XL EPA listing: Yukon XL 1500 2WD · Flex-fuel (E85)	16 mpg	14 / 18	$4,200
6.2L 8-cyl · AWD · 6-speed automatic · Denali EPA listing: Yukon Denali 1500 AWD · Flex-fuel (E85)	15 mpg	13 / 18	$4,450
6.2L 8-cyl · AWD · 6-speed automatic · XL EPA listing: Yukon XL 1500 AWD · Flex-fuel (E85)	14 mpg	13 / 18	$4,800
6.0L 8-cyl · 4WD · 6-speed automatic EPA listing: Yukon XL 2500 4WD	12 mpg	10 / 16	$5,600
6.0L 8-cyl · RWD · 6-speed automatic EPA listing: Yukon XL 2500 2WD	12 mpg	10 / 16	$5,600

Fuel cost at your prices

EPA's annual cost uses 15,000 miles a year, 55% city driving and its current prices: $4.47 a gallon for regular gas. Change the numbers to match your driving.

Version	Per year	Per month	5 years
6.0L 8-cyl hybrid · 4WD · CVT	$3,193	$266	$15,964
6.0L 8-cyl hybrid · RWD · CVT	$3,193	$266	$15,964
5.3L 8-cyl · 4WD · 6-speed automatic	$3,944	$329	$19,721
5.3L 8-cyl · 4WD · 6-speed automatic · XL	$3,944	$329	$19,721
5.3L 8-cyl · RWD · 6-speed automatic	$3,944	$329	$19,721
5.3L 8-cyl · RWD · 6-speed automatic · XL	$3,944	$329	$19,721
6.2L 8-cyl · RWD · 6-speed automatic	$4,191	$349	$20,953
6.2L 8-cyl · RWD · 6-speed automatic · XL	$4,191	$349	$20,953
6.2L 8-cyl · AWD · 6-speed automatic · Denali	$4,470	$372	$22,350
6.2L 8-cyl · AWD · 6-speed automatic · XL	$4,789	$399	$23,946
6.0L 8-cyl · 4WD · 6-speed automatic	$5,588	$466	$27,938
6.0L 8-cyl · RWD · 6-speed automatic	$5,587	$466	$27,937

At the default settings the results match EPA's annual cost before EPA rounds it to the nearest $50.

Does the hybrid pay for itself? See the payback for every model sold both ways.

GMC Yukon MPG by model year

The best-rated version in each model year; the highlighted year is this page. Gas: 17 to 19 mpg (every year from 2010 to 2026); highest in 2016. Hybrid: 21 to 22 mpg (2010 to 2013); highest in 2010.

Best gas version
Best hybrid version

2012: gas 17 mpg · hybrid 21 mpg

Show as a table

GMC Yukon best combined mpg by model year
Model year	Best gas version	Best hybrid version
2010	17	22
2011	17	21
2012	17	21
2013	17	21
2014	17	–
2015	18	–
2016	19	–
2017	19	–
2018	19	–
2019	18	–
2020	18	–
2021	18	–
2022	17	–
2023	17	–
2024	17	–
2025	17	–
2026	17	–

Every Yukon year's ratings in one table

How the 2012 Yukon compares

2012 full-size SUVs covered on this site, ranked by their best combined rating. Fuel cost is for each model's cheapest version to run, at EPA's prices.

2012 model	Best combined	Best gas	Fuel / year
Chevrolet Tahoe Best: hybrid	21 mpg	17 mpg	$3,200
GMC Yukon This page Best: hybrid	21 mpg	17 mpg	$3,200
Chevrolet Suburban Best: gas	17 mpg	17 mpg	$3,950
Ford Expedition Best: gas	16 mpg	16 mpg	$4,200
Toyota Sequoia Best: gas	16 mpg	16 mpg	$4,200

2012 Yukon recalls and complaints

NHTSA lists 4 safety recalls and 134 owner complaints for the 2012 Yukon.

Most-reported area: air bags (39 complaints, 29%). NHTSA's overall crash rating: 4 stars for the versions it has rated.

See the 2012 Yukon recalls and problems

Questions

Does AWD lower the 2012 GMC Yukon's gas mileage?

Sometimes. On versions that differ only in drive, the gap ranges from 0 to 2 mpg combined: the 6.0L 8-cyl hybrid gets 21 mpg combined with two-wheel drive and 21 with AWD.

How much fuel does the 2012 Yukon hybrid save?

Comparing AWD or 4WD versions at EPA's assumptions (15,000 miles a year, $4.47 a gallon), the hybrid costs $3,200 a year to fuel against $3,950 for the gas model: $750 a year, or $3,750 over five years.

Does the 2012 GMC Yukon need premium gas?

No. EPA lists every 2012 GMC Yukon version on regular gasoline.

How does the 2012 Yukon's MPG compare with the 2011?

For 2012, the best gas version is rated 17 mpg, the same as the year before and the best hybrid version is rated 21 mpg, the same as the year before.

Sources and method

US EPA and Department of Energy fuel economy data (fueleconomy.gov), file dated Sep 29, 2026.
EPA fuel price assumptions: regular $4.47, midgrade $5.07, premium $5.48, diesel $6.38 a gallon; electricity $0.15 per kWh.
Recall and complaint counts: NHTSA recall file dated Oct 2, 2026 and complaint file dated Oct 2, 2026.

Ratings are EPA estimates. Real-world mileage depends on how, where and in what weather you drive. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.