2019 GMC Yukon Review

The optional 6.2-liter V8 sounds healthy, and power builds all the way to the redline. The Yukon is quick for the class with a 0-60 mph time of 6.2 seconds. The engine is definitely strong, but it lacks responsiveness at low speeds. Some competitors feel more responsive in city driving or traffic.

The pedal feel is firm, but you have to push the pedal down quite a bit to get a strong braking response. In our panic-braking test, the Yukon took 141 feet to come to a stop from 60 mph. That's long by the current standards of this class.

The Yukon's steering is precise, and it builds appropriate resistance when going around turns. But there's no feedback from the road, and a numb spot is found around on-center. The Yukon requires a lot of tending to keep it tracking straight.

There's no denying physics — this is a big and heavy SUV. But the optional adaptive suspension does a good job of resisting body roll when cornering. The Yukon stays planted as long as you're not making tight turns.

The 10-speed automatic performs well, executing rapid and smooth shifts without hesitation. It tends to hunt around on inclines or in traffic, but the transmission's quick responses mean that behavior isn't much of an annoyance.

The front- and second-row buckets are accommodating and nicely padded. They're certainly comfortable enough for long drives, but they're not as supportive as seats in some competitors. The third-row bench is very flat.

The adaptive suspension takes the edge off the Yukon's otherwise very truck-ish ride. Small, sharp impulses are transmitted into the cabin, making for a busy ride over broken pavement. And while the ride is more settled than with the standard suspension, there's still a lot of body motion.

Noise isolation falls just short of excellent. You and your passengers are well-isolated from both traffic and tire noise, and wind noise stays a low whoosh at speed. Road noise over bumps is still audible, but that's about it.

The three-zone system is easy to manage thanks to straightforward controls. Air blows strong and very cold or very hot. The back-and-butt or back-only heated seats warm up quickly, and seat ventilation is effective. It is annoying that you can't manually change air recirculation without kicking the system out of automatic mode.

Most controls are clearly labeled and easy to locate, and you also get large buttons and dials. The infotainment was great when it launched, but this previous-generation system hasn't fared well with feature bloat. It's less easy to use than GM's newer setup found on other models.

The door openings are tall and square, and the doors open wide for easy access. The second-row seats flip forward to provide excellent third-row access. But the floor is very high off the ground, and the narrow running boards aren't that easy to use. Adults of average height or shorter will face a climb.

Drivers should be able to find a comfortable position thanks to the wide range of adjustment for the seat height and telescoping steering wheel. You also get adjustable pedals and high armrests. Even though you sit quite high off the ground, you don't feel that tall in the vehicle because of the high beltline.

Front- and second-row passengers get plenty of space. There is knee, elbow and shoulder room to spare. The third row has enough headroom for adults but is placed directly on the high floor, so adults will sit hugging their knees. There's also no toe room for third-row passengers. On anything more than a short trip, the third row is ultimately for kids only.

The views straight ahead and to the sides are commanding, but otherwise visibility is poor. Thick front roof pillars make for big obstructions of cross-traffic. There are large rear three-quarter windows, but the second-row seats block their sightline. The rear view is partially obstructed when the third-row seat is raised.

GMC has added some extra surface coverings that make the cabin a bit nicer, but it's still a more plasticky interior than you'll find in some rivals. In our test Yukon, we also noted a few creaks throughout the cabin during normal driving.

There is a generous center console bin, reasonably size cupholders for everyone, and door pockets with space for water bottles. But other SUVs offer more comprehensive storage solutions. It should be easier to organize all your stuff, especially for a vehicle this large.

With all the seats folded down, you get an impressive 94.7 cubic feet of storage space. But with the third row in place, the load floor is barely the length of a grocery bag. Plus, the load floor is almost 3 feet off the ground, so even adults will have to lift items above waist height to load them. To carry three rows of people and some stuff, opt for the longer Yukon XL.

You'll need to lift safety seats and infants pretty high to get them situated or stand up in the vehicle. The LATCH anchors are clearly marked, and there's plenty of second-row room for even the bulkiest car seats. Third-row access is good (even though the floor is high), so kids in front-facing seats and boosters shouldn't have issues.

The Yukon's base towing capacity of 6,300 pounds and maximum capacity of 8,500 pounds are plenty stout. You can get an integrated brake controller and Trailer Sway Control but no backup assist. A few competitors have more tech and capability.

Compared to the new generation of GM infotainment systems available in other GMC products, this version is noticeably dated. It's more complicated to navigate, and the mix of touch and button controls is awkward. The stereo's sound quality is average, but the system can handle plenty of volume without distortion.

Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are standard and connect quickly. We appreciate that the voice controls for the truck and your smartphone are both accessible. However, integration isn't entirely smooth. For example, you have to stop playing your phone audio to adjust the stereo's tone settings.

It continues to be frustrating that GMC restricts driver aids and safety features to option packages, and those are only available on the highest trims. Thankfully, we didn't have usability issues with the safety features that were installed on our test SUV (which lacked adaptive cruise control). The notable exception is the rearview camera, which is low-resolution and barely usable at night or in dark spaces.

The voice controls work well enough for simple functions such as changing radio stations, but we had some issues inputting navigation destinations. The system sometimes forced us to take extra steps to complete a command.

GMC offers two different engines based on trim level. SLE and SLT models come with a 5.3-liter V8 engine that produces 355 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque. It is paired to a six-speed automatic transmission that sends power to the rear wheels. Four-wheel drive is available with a single-speed transfer case that is optional for all trims, and a two-speed transfer case with low-range gearing is available. The Yukon Denali is powered by a 6.2-liter V8 that produces 420 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque. It comes standard with a new 10-speed automatic and rear-wheel drive. The optional four-wheel drive includes a standard two-speed transfer case.

Standard features for the SLE trim include 18-inch wheels, heated mirrors, foglights, side steps, roof rails, front and rear parking sensors, automatic wipers, cruise control, remote keyless entry and ignition, and a trailer hitch receiver with a wiring harness.

On the inside, you get tri-zone automatic climate control, a power-adjustable driver seat, 60/40-split folding second- and third-row seats, a tilt-only leather-wrapped steering wheel, OnStar communications (including a 4G LTE connection and a Wi-Fi hotspot), a 110-volt household power outlet, Bluetooth, an 8-inch touchscreen, a rearview camera, five USB ports, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a Bose nine-speaker audio system with a CD player and satellite radio.

The optional Enhanced Driver Alert package adds forward collision warning with low-speed automatic braking, automatic high beams, and lane departure warning and intervention. The Convenience package adds a power liftgate, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, power-adjustable pedals and a universal garage door opener.

There are two versions of the SLT trim: SLT Standard Edition and plain-old SLT. The Standard Edition includes all of the above, along with leather upholstery, heated front seats, a power-adjustable front passenger seat and driver-seat memory functions. The SLT further gets you hands-free operation for the rear liftgate, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, keyless entry and ignition, a heated and power tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, ventilated front seats, heated second-row seats, and power-folding second- and third-row seats.

For 2019, the SLT also gets two new packages. The Graphite Edition package is basically a blackout appearance package with 22-inch wheels. Then there's the Graphite Performance Edition package, a pricey add-on that includes the upgraded engine, transmission, and suspension from the Denali along with some extra tech features such as a head-up display and navigation.

Compared to the SLT, the top-of-the-line Denali trim adds the larger engine and 10-speed transmission (with low-range gearing on 4WD models), 20-inch wheels, xenon headlights, adaptive suspension dampers, a trailer brake controller, a head-up display, active noise cancellation, a wireless charging pad, second-row bucket seats, an upgraded driver information display, a navigation system and a 10-speaker surround-sound system.

Some features on higher-trimmed models are available on supporting models at additional cost. Optional for SLE and SLT trims is an HD Trailering package with a unique axle ratio, trailer brake controller and a self-leveling suspension. The SLT and the Denali are eligible for a sunroof, adaptive cruise control with automatic braking, and a rear-seat entertainment system. The Denali also offers power-retractable side steps.