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Direct rivals · Direct rivals in the full size suv segment

2018 Chevrolet Suburban vs 2018 GMC Yukon

Reliability comparison based on NHTSA recall and complaint records.

Synced 2026-06-14 Source: NHTSA public records Reviewed by ASE-certified contributors
Quick verdict
2018 Chevrolet Suburban clearly comes out ahead on reliability data

Two trucks built for the same buyer, and the data tells a clear story. The 2018 Chevrolet Suburban edges the 2018 GMC Yukon on reliability scoring (4.9 versus 4.0) with meaningful gaps in complaint volume and severity. Real differences, not noise.

More reliable

2018 Chevrolet Suburban

4.9/5
Reliability score
0 complaints
1 recalls (0 critical)
$0 repair exposure
vs

2018 GMC Yukon

4.0/5
Reliability score
69 complaints
0 recalls (0 critical)
$8,000 repair exposure

Stories from the shop

If I'm picking between these two head-to-head, I'm taking the 2018 Chevrolet Suburban. Reliability score's a solid 4.9 versus 4.0 on the 2018 GMC Yukon, and the complaint counts back it up — 0 versus 69. That's not noise, that's a real gap between rivals built for the same buyer.

Going with the 2018 GMC Yukon? Watch the engine and powertrain. The 2018 Chevrolet Suburban has fewer reports in those categories, so you'd be trading one set of weak spots for another.

Bottom line: pick based on use case more than the spec sheet. If you tow heavy and don't want to think about it, that's one calculation. If you're a daily driver and want the cheapest path forward, that's another. Both of these will get you down the road. We're just telling you where each one is most likely to break.

— ProblemsByVin editorial team, drawing on the NHTSA data and shop experience.

Side-by-side by problem area

Category
2018 Chevrolet Suburban
2018 GMC Yukon
engine
No reports
19 reports
moderate · ~$3,100
powertrain
No reports
16 reports
severe · ~$2,500
suspension
No reports
6 reports
moderate · ~$900
brakes
No reports
4 reports
moderate · ~$450
steering
No reports
4 reports
moderate · ~$700
visibility
No reports
3 reports
moderate · ~$350

Common questions

Which is more reliable, the 2018 Chevrolet Suburban or the 2018 GMC Yukon?

Based on the NHTSA data we track, the 2018 Chevrolet Suburban comes out ahead with a reliability score of 4.9 versus 4.0. The margin is clear, so the verdict could shift if you weight specific categories differently or factor in your own use case.

What goes wrong more often on the 2018 Chevrolet Suburban?

On the categories we tracked, the 2018 Chevrolet Suburban doesn't show meaningfully more complaints than the 2018 GMC Yukon. Both have similar issue patterns.

What goes wrong more often on the 2018 GMC Yukon?

Compared to the 2018 Chevrolet Suburban, the 2018 GMC Yukon has more complaints in engine and powertrain. Whether that's a deal-breaker depends on the cost and severity — see the comparison table above for repair cost ranges.

Which has more recalls?

The 2018 Chevrolet Suburban has more active recalls (1 vs 0). Total count is less important than severity, though — a vehicle with one critical recall and zero moderate ones is generally riskier than one with five moderate recalls.

Is an extended warranty worth it on either of these?

Both vehicles are out of factory bumper-to-bumper coverage at this point. Combined repair exposure across the top problem categories runs around $8,000 on the higher-risk vehicle. A quality service contract typically costs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years, so a single major failure usually pays for the contract. The math favors warranty coverage on whichever vehicle you choose, especially if you plan to keep it past 100,000 miles.

Related comparisons

Reliability scores, complaint counts, and severity ratings derived from the NHTSA public records database. Verify each vehicle's federal record: 2018 Chevrolet Suburban on NHTSA · 2018 GMC Yukon on NHTSA. "Repair exposure" is the sum of average independent-shop repair costs across each vehicle's tracked problem categories and is intended as a relative comparison, not an exact prediction. Editorial commentary written by ProblemsByVin contributors and reviewed by ASE-certified mechanics. Some links on this page are affiliate links.
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