2001 GMC Yukon Review (continued)
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Walkaround

GM completely redesigned the Yukon XL and Suburban for 2000. From chassis to interior, the Yukon XL is a more refined and comfortable vehicle than the 1999 Suburban. The frame is stronger, yet lighter, providing a tremendously good platform. Generous cross bracing adds stiffness, helping to retain the rigid chassis as well as allowing engineers to design a suspension that soaks up the jarring bumps and craters found on and off road.

For 2001, SLE and SLT Yukon XLs retain the slightly rounded-off styling introduced for 2000. Compared to earlier Suburbans, the Yukon XL is strikingly different, yet familiar at the same time. The design hasn't changed so much that you wonder whether it's equal to the capabilities of the previous model. Be assured it is just as capable, yet more contemporary.

The Denali trades the standard Yukon XL's black grille for a bright mask of fine-metal mesh. But the Denali goes with body-color rather than bright bumpers to keep the overall flash level about equal. Round fog lights are neatly tunneled into the lower part of the front bumper. (All Yukon XLs have fog lights, but they are less conspicuous on standard models.) Oddly shaped lower body cladding incorporates front and rear stone guards and does blend nicely into Denali's standard color-keyed running boards.

Less visible are the mechanical improvements that GMC has made to all Yukons for 2001. The 5.3-liter V8 has tighter bearing tolerances for quieter operation, and its mass air-flow meter now uses an integral temperature sensor for more accurate fuel metering. Other changes, including platinum-tipped spark plugs, are designed to reduce maintenance requirements.

The 6.0-liter V8, meanwhile, now breathes through lightweight aluminum cylinder heads with more aggressive porting. Valve lift and duration have been re-tuned to match the new ports, boosting horsepower from 300 last year to this year's 320. (According to GMC, that's 10 horsepower more than the 310 developed by Ford's 6.8-liter V10.)

Interior Features

Interior designs for GMC trucks have become very untruck-like. The Yukon XL dash retains a utilitarian aspect, with instruments and controls familiar to owners of other GM vehicles, yet the entire appearance is more contemporary.

Our test vehicle was a Yukon XL Denali, whose tone-on-tone leather bucket seats suggest a luxury sedan more than anything even distantly related to a truck. Seat belts mount to the seat frame, and the side-impact airbags are incorporated into the seats. Ten-way power adjustments include side bolsters, lumbar support, and articulated headrests.

Other unique Denali features include teal-green instrument lighting, a specific center console with storage space for CDs, cloth-covered sun visors with pull-out extensions and lighted vanity mirrors, theatre dimming of interior lamps, and nine acoustic floor dampers to keep Denali exceptionally quiet.

Our Denali had the 50/50 split bench seat in the second row, although a pair of heated bucket seats is available for the second row for $290.

The third-row bench also splits 50/50 so that each side can be folded independently. The first two rows are convenient and relatively easy to slide into or out of. However, the third row is a bit more challenging. While members of our test group were all able to use the seat, a few of our larger cohorts felt it wasn't the place for them. Still, they're a vast improvement over any of the third rows in smaller SUVs.

Last year, buyers could not order both a power sliding sunroof and automatic air conditioning, because the location of the controls conflicted. GMC has fixed the conflict this year, and added separate controls for the rear-seat heater. Front and rear heating and air conditioning is standard on all Yukon models; automatic climate control is optional on SLE/SLT and standard on Denali.

GM's OnStar security and information service is standard on Denali, optional on SLT.

Buyers of basic SLE or SLT Yukons can select either side-by-side cargo doors or an all-aluminum liftgate with a glass section that lifts independently. the liftgate is convenient for quickly adding and removing lightweight items to the cargo compartment. We preferred the cargo doors because they open wide and allow a closer working position to the vehicle's storage area. Cargo doors are also useful when pulling trailers because they will usually clear the trailer tongue jack. The hinges can be released, allowing the doors to open fully when loading large items. However, the luxury-oriented Denali offers only the lightweight liftgate. The liftgate has the advantage of offering better rearward visibility than the cargo doors, which block the view in the center where the doors meet.