With a name that conjures up images of that immense and inhospitable northern territory, the GMC Yukon is a truck that would make for a fitting companion if one had to deal with moving people and supplies over rugged terrain.
If your goal is to move people, this 7-passenger Yukon offers a comfortable interior with plenty of room to roam. If supplies or towing are the target, Yukon delivers a towing capacity of 7,700 pounds and, with several seating configurations, space for hauling is abundant.
When I talk to people about the all-new Yukon, inside is where I like to start. Besides the ample interior space for passengers, the entire cabin has a more wide-open feel. Big windows and the steeply racked windshield offer great visibility while the repositioned instrument panel displays the necessary gauges in clear view. I appreciated the upscale treatment featuring crisp LED backlighting for the Yukon's instrumentation.
As is the case with most of the GM products I have tested this year, OnStar was available. It is hard to adequately describe the comfort level one has by purchasing this service - until you need it, which could mean for an emergency or roadside services or to simply find directions around a traffic jam.
Audio in my Yukon tester was great. An in-dash CD changer was available with an 8-speaker system, the perfect match for the incoming digital audio. The center storage compartment, as well as several side storage spaces, is more than adequate to handle all the miscellaneous items required to tool about town or to get off the beaten path.
My Yukon tester was equipped with the all-new 5.3-liter small-block V8 mated to a 4-speed automatic transmission. If you move up to the 9-passenger Yukon Denali you get a huge 6.2-liter V-8 and a six-speed automatic transmission.
The lighter, all-aluminum small-block V8 works in with the Active Fuel Management (AFM) system to deliver better fuel economy. Something every big SUV should be looking to do, the Yukon's displacement-on-demand technology temporarily shuts down four cylinders under certain driving conditions in order to return fuel savings.
For those of you who may not have driven a vehicle exhibiting this technology, it is a pretty seamless transition from eight to four cylinders. As a 4-wheel-drive half-ton SUV (there is also a 2-wheel-drive model), the Yukon's fuel ratings are challenged at 15 city and 21 highway. Considering you could have 1,200 pounds of passengers and a boat in tow, it should not be shocking.
Of special note is the flexible fuel capacity of the 2007 Yukon. Flexible Fuel means it can run on E85, which is 85 percent ethanol blended with 15 percent gasoline. The challenge is finding a gas station carrying the fuel, which will hopefully become more available in the years to come.
My Yukon offered a very un-SUV-like ride - which is a compliment to the Premium Smooth Ride suspension, the standard system on the Yukon. Sitting high above most everything on the road, the taught and affable handling of the Yukon only adds confidence to the driver on any road condition.
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2007 GMC Yukon is priced about $3,300 less than the previous model. Prices for the 2-wheel-drive Yukon start at $34,690; the 4-wheel-drive models have a base price of $38,365. With the addition of options such as leather interior and upgraded audio, my tester totaled $48,275, which for the seating capacity and interior comfort alone it is competitive with others in the class.