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1303 Manistee Highway Manistee, MI 49660
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2008 GMC Yukon SLT
| Media Reviews |
The GMC Yukon and Yukon Denali feature clean lines with quiet, calm surface planes that minimize the look of extended length. Likewise, the smooth, gently contoured flanks and arrow-straight beltline visually lower the height. Remarkably tight tolerances between body panels invite comparisons with the highest quality imports. The one-piece front end presents a friendly, welcoming face but without forfeiting the Yukon's presence. Large headlight housings promise good vision. The trademark grille and lower air intake ensure good breathing. A sharply raked windshield eases movement through the air. Tall, symmetrical side glass fits flush with surrounding body panels. Door handles bridging deep recesses make for easy gripping in all seasons. Squared-off wheelwells carry forward a Yukon signature styling cue. They suggest trimming up with the available 20-inch wheels and tires, though that's not our choice from a driving and towing perspective. At the rear, a broad, mostly flat, almost vertical tailgate resides between tall, narrow taillights. The independently hinged rear window is a nice touch, permitting easy loading of grocery bags and such. The Yukon lineup was completely redesigned for 2007, and the Hybrid model was added for 2008. The 2008 Yukon Hybrid has several styling cues that distinguish it from the other models. To reduce weight and drag, the front end features an aluminum hood, a lowered air dam, and a slightly larger grille opening. Openings that would house fog lights and tow hooks are blocked off. Along the sides, the running boards are reshaped for improved aerodynamics and the wheel flares are slightly reshaped. At the back, the rear pillars and center high-mounted stoplight have a unique shape, the tailgate is made of aluminum and has fixed glass, and LED taillights replace the standard bulbs. The wheels are more aero efficient and the tires have a lower rolling resistance. The spare tire and jack have been replaced by a tire inflation kit. The result is a 0.34 coefficient of drag and lighter weight. All of these measures add up and help improve fuel economy, if only by small amounts.
When it comes to trucks, numbers matter, arguably more than they do with cars. The most popular engine for the GMC Yukon is the 5.3-liter V8, which produces 320 horsepower and 340 pound-feet of torque. Our test Yukon was listed at 5677 pounds. Examining these numbers should give a good idea of how a 5.3-liter Yukon will perform against the competition. By comparison, the 2008 Ford Expedition puts up a 5.4-liter V8 making 300 hp and 365 lb.-ft. of torque with a six-speed automatic and tips the scales at 5805 pounds. The 2008 Nissan Armada's 5.6-liter V8 makes 317 hp and 385 lb.-ft. of torque, mates to a five-speed automatic and carries a curb weight of 5593 pounds. Toyota's redesigned 2008 Sequoia is offered with a 5.7-liter V8 making 381 hp and 401 lb.-ft. of torque with a six-speed automatic and weighs 5730 pounds. Note, however, that the Yukon's 5.3-liter engine comes with a four-speed automatic transmission, while many full-size SUVs now come with five-, six-, and seven-speed automatics. More gears generally means smoother operation, better fuel economy, quicker acceleration performance or all three. The Yukon's four-speed automatic negates any power advantage the Yukon might otherwise have enjoyed at least as far as outright acceleration is concerned. Put another way, while it'll easily hold its own on the interstates, the Yukon isn't going to win many stoplight races. Not so, though, the Yukon Denali, which would leave its lesser sibling and most of the others in the dust were its driver so inclined. The Denali packs a 380-hp 6.2-liter V8 and six-speed automatic. It delivers willing power at any speed and makes the Denali feel like a much lighter vehicle. Fuel economy is a much better story for the Yukon. EPA fuel economy numbers range from 14 mpg city and 19 highway for the 4.8 2WD and 5.3 4WD models to 14/20 for the 5.3 2WD to 12/18 for the AWD Denali with the 6.2 V8. The Yukon's Active Fuel Management system, which shuts down half of the engine's cylinders under light load helps the 2008 Yukon best the Expedition and Armada and run neck and neck with the new Sequoia. In towing, the Yukon's 8200-pound rating trails all the competitors. Ford and Nissan rate their entries at a maximum of 9100 pounds, and the new Sequoia can tow up to 10,000 pounds. On the other hand, GM tends to be more conservative than other manufacturers with its tow ratings. Tow ratings have almost as much to do with lawyers and marketing professionals as they have to do with engineers. Driving a Yukon is pleasant. Power comes on smoothly, with no surges or hiccups, and it is accompanied by a pleasant tone that reminds us of classic dual exhaust. Transitions effected by the fuel-management system are invisible, with the only indication a telltale in the information display in the tachometer. The four-speed automatic selects gears with little fanfare. The six-speed automatic in the Yukon Denali is even smoother; it also has a manual shift function managed by a rocker switch in the handgrip on the column shift lever. We found the new two-mode hybrid system worked seamlessly. The system uses two electric motors in GM's new Electrically Variable Transmission (EVT) that has four fixed gears. The EVT is mated to a 6.0-liter version of the 6.2-liter V8 that also has Active Fuel Management. Total output is 332 horsepower and 367 pound-feet of torque. One of the motors aids power at low speeds and the other lends a hand at highway speeds. With just a little throttle, the electric motor can propel the Yukon up to 30 mph. Get on it a little harder, and the gasoline engine kicks in just as smoothly as in any Toyota hybrid. Like other systems, the gasoline engine turns off at stoplights and restarts as soon as it's needed. The better news is Hybrid fuel economy. With 2WD, the Yukon Hybrid is rated at 21 mpg in the city and 22 on the highway. With 4WD, those numbers are 20 city/20 highway. The 2WD.
The Yukon interior design is clean and uncluttered. Elegantly simple, the instrument panel and center stack would look right at home in a luxury SUV. The Denali is richer still, with a wood and leather-wrapped steering wheel and darker wood trim than the other models. We think the Yukon dashboard is a friendlier, slicker and more integrated assemblage of gauges, display screens, touch pads and control panels than those in either the Range Rover or the Mercedes-Benz GL450, both priced substantially higher than any Yukon, including the Denali. The GMC's gauge cluster is more informative, reporting via secondary analog gauges powertrain data others leave to warning lights or bury in scrollable information displays. Leather surfaces feel expensive, if not luxurious. The fit between panels and coverings is impressive, with tight tolerances. Less impressive is the finish of some of the hard plastic surfaces, which look better than they feel. The headliner is a woven fabric that looks and feels like mouse fur. The new-for-2008 Hybrid model has a unique gauge cluster with a special tachometer and an economy gauge. In the economy gauge is a green bar that represents a zone drivers can aim for to maximize fuel economy. The tachometer has an Auto Stop reading to indicate when the gasoline engine is shut off. The Hybrid comes standard with a navigation system and a 6.5-inch screen that shows a graphic representation of the hybrid system's power flow. This screen shows if the power is coming from the electric motors, the gasoline engine, or both, plus when regenerative braking is charging the batteries. The system also shows if the vehicle is in two- or four-wheel-drive mode. It's fun to monitor these readouts; they help you learn about how the hybrid system works and show when it is being used for the best fuel economy. But care must be taken by the driver to not be distracted by them. The design of the Yukon's dash gives the driver an expansive view out the windshield, adding to the feeling of being above it all. Visibility is good all around, though the imposing right side C-pillar (the post between the rear side door and the rear quarter panel) does nothing to reduce the large side mirrors' blind spot. Along the same lines, the third-row seat blocks the lower third of the rear window; folding the third row down eliminates this. The front seats are refreshingly comfortable and easy to adjust. They offer good thigh support, which is sometimes lacking in GM vehicles. The available second-row captain's chairs offer good thigh support, as well. We're disappointed with the folding armrests, however; they have one setting, which won't fit every occupant. Some way to adjust the angle of these armrests would be welcome. The Hybrid model has thinner front seats that reduce weight and open up slightly more second-row knee room. We found them to be as comfortable as the standard seats. Room for people is respectable and competitive with other full-size SUVs. In the front seat, the 2008 GMC Yukon bests the Ford Expedition, Nissan Armada, and Toyota Sequoia by several inches in all three dimensions, though all three have plenty of room. Bring your Stetson or Resistol. In the second row, the Yukon trails the Expedition and Armada in headroom and legroom and betters them in hiproom, but by less than an inch in all regards; it also slightly trails the Sequoia in second-row headroom, but has slightly more hiproom and considerably more legroom. In other words, all large SUVs have a lot of second-row space and the Yukon is no exception. As for second-row access, the Yukon suffers from small-feet syndrome, where the clearance between the base of the second row seat and the doorframe is so cramped, it's impossible to step in or out without turning your foot sideways. Third-row legroom is limited in the Yukon where we found little space for our feet and our knees wound up at chest level. The Expe.
The GMC Yukon has an astonishingly fresh and comfortable interior. It offers available power that meets or beats the competition, though it trails in towing capacity. The addition of the Hybrid model answers the fuel economy issue that has long plagued large SUVs. With all its strengths, the Yukon is a strong contender in its class. NewCarTestDrive.com correspondent Tom Lankard drove Yukon models around Greensboro, Georgia, and Carmel Valley, California. Correspondent Kirk Bell contributed to this report from Chicago and tested the Hybrid.
New hybrid model improves fuel economy.
(Show more reviews)
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Click HERE to view a CARFAX report for this vehicle.
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| Options and Accessories |
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 7/8 Passenger Seating
Air Conditioning
Alum/Alloy Wheels
Anti-Lock Braking System
Auto Express Down Window
CD Player
Center Arm Rest w/Storage
Climate Control
Cruise Control
DVD Player
Dual Air Bags
Elec. Rear View Mirror
Electronic Compass w/Temp
Fog Lights
Front Bucket Seats
Leather Upholstery
Luggage Rack
On*Star System
Overhead Monitor
Power Adjustable Pedals
Power Door Locks
Power Driver Seat w/Memory
Power Lumbar Seat(s)
Power Passenger Seat
Power Sunroof
Power Windows
Rear Heat/AC
Remote Keyless Entry
Running Boards/Bars
Security System
Tachometer
Tilt Steering Wheel
Traction Control
Trailer Hitch/Tow Pkg
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This vehicle is located at:
1303 Manistee Highway Manistee, MI 49660
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Pricing and Information Disclaimer: All vehicle prices are subject to change without notice. This may be due to, but not limited to, accessories or options added by our accessory specialists.
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City MPG: 14