2015 GMC Yukon - Rebirth of the Adventurous Family Friendly SUV
Likes:
Driver’s seat ergonomics and driving position
Rear seat lowering/raising buttons
Interior materials
Quiet ride
Dislikes:
Unloaded drive quality
Rear passenger room
Lack of rear storage space with third-row seats
Fuel economy
A fully redesigned and re-imagined looking 2015 GMC Yukon still has the underpinnings of a powerful, full-size SUV. Once the go to SUV of choice for large families, the new Yukon aims bring them back with new near-luxury interior materials and a sleek design. Can it recapture its glory years?
For many years, whenever a family out grew the traditional sedan they looked for either a van or a large SUV. The large SUV had many advantages over the van including the ability to safely and easily tow a camper or boat to a lake. This world has changed with many families preferring the smoother ride and fuel economy of a crossover SUV to the gas guzzling large SUVs. Yet, the GMC Yukon is back with more appealing styling, new technology improvements and much improved interior materials. It is a strong choice for families who want more adventurous trips than going to the soccer field.
Driving Impressions - Responsive, Powerful
The reality for most large SUVs is that they feel more like a large boat on wheels than anything else. This is due to physics and the large vehicle having a slow response. GM has done a nice job of rectifying this with setting up the suspension and steering to be more responsive. There is, ultimately, still a bit of a lag with regards to steering and the vehicle’s response, but it is really as good as can be.
Helping the GMC Yukon is the attention to detail GM has now focused on ride noise. The 2015 Yukon is noticeably quieter than previous models. It is so quiet, it makes you wonder if you still have a V-8 engine. The quiet ride is driven by GM’s use of triple-sealed doors that helps abate road noise, they also close better than most vehicle doors on the market. It simply feels like a solid door that isn’t as heavy as you would think. The quiet ride is ideal for families needing to have conversations or sleeping children.
On the road, the powerful 5.3L Ecotec V8 engine produces 355 horsepower and 383 lb.-ft. of torque mated to a 6-speed transmission. It has an EPA rated MPG of 16 city and 22 hwy for the 4WD version. The 2WD version gets 1 MPG better on hwy. For reference, these MPG estimates are nearly identical to GM’s half-ton trucks and this SUV’s fuel economy should be compared to other vehicles appropriately.
Unloaded the vehicle powers the vehicle easily and produces a bit too much power. However, fully loaded and/or towing a camper/boat (the likely use of it), the vehicle has a better ride and makes good use of the horsepower.
New Exterior – More Lines, More Appealing
Easily the most striking change for the 2015 GMC Yukon is the exterior. Gone are the rounded corners and sloped sides. Instead, the Yukon now has more angular lines and, consequently, a stronger, more robust look. This look feels more like a luxury vehicles’ design language and is a stark change.
GM has also thrown in a new three-bar grille and let the headlights flow into the hood rather than squaring them off. There is also a good amount of chrome around the fog lamps. This gives it a robust front end with styling that isn’t too obtuse.
The side has new character lines tying in the front end through the sides. Also, there is chrome trim on our SLT test model accenting the windows. This is a nice touch and really helps give the large side body panels an identity.
For the rear, GM squared off the tail lamps and left off the chrome. This creates a bit of a bland look and is a disappointment considering all the time spent on the front end.
Interior Improved
On the inside, GM has really stepped up the quality of the materials. They are working hard to create more brand differentiation and now, there are clear differences between the Tahoe, Yukon and Escalade. The fit of the materials is also dramatically improved.
Sitting in the driver’s seat, it feels more like sitting in a cockpit than other SUVs. The knobs, seat and steering wheel are placed in arm’s reach and are easy to use. Also, the soft-touch leather gives it all a luxurious feel.
While we could see the cockpit not fitting every person’s personal preference, we will it will fit most people quite well.
GM claims the seating is up to 9 passengers and this works if you buy the model with the front bench. However, you lose a very important center console with much-needed storage options. If you decide to go with the front bucket, you will still be able to hold 8. This setup is your typical “kids sit the back row” type bench seat.
If you do plan to regularly carry around 8 passengers, we would recommend the longer XL version since the rear storage behind the third row is not adequate at all. For reference, with the third-row seats folded up, we could barely fit a set of golf clubs lengthwise. In fact, we feel you would be hard pressed to carry home a full load of groceries with the third row occupied.
One nice feature with the seats is the powered seat lowering and raising feature. There is a set of buttons in the rear that allow you to easily lower the second and third row seats. The second row (with buckets) has the capability to rise off its base, creating a solid floor behind them.
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Lastly, GM has changed the way the third row works in the Yukon. Gone are the days when you could pull the seat out and leave it in your garage. Now, it folds into the floor. While this certainly has pros and cons, one of the things it does do is raise the interior floor level. The reasoning for this is the Yukon still uses a solid-rear axle. This helps give it an impressive 4-ton towing capacity, yet it also pushes the folded-down third-row higher. With the third row folded down, we found there to be a significant slant to the rear cargo room and an inconvenient plastic rise of about an inch and a half at the very rear.
Technology Offerings
For technology, GM has incorporated their new IntelliLink3 system into an 8-inch color touch screen. This system has navigation, weather, XM radio and a host of other apps. A big benefit to this system is the voice activation. While, the system could use more improvement, it is nice to be able to use the navigation system without taking your hands off the wheel.
Also, like most new vehicle offerings, GM has thrown in a healthy dose of USB charging ports, 110-volt outlets and ways to connect your smartphones via Bluetooth connectivity. These features are simply becoming essential in this day and age of families using an abundance of cell phones, tablets and laptop computers.
Lastly, and probably the most important feature for families, is the second row 9-inch DVD player. This player is located in the middle of the cabin and includes headphone support. It is Blu-Ray capable and provides a large enough image for both the second and third row seats to have a good view.
Near-Luxury, Truck-Like SUV
In the end, the GMC Yukon has improved its styling, interior materials and has become even more family friendly with the many charging ports and built-in DVD player. Yet, it is still a large, truck-like SUV. This means, it gets poor fuel economy and has a rougher ride than a crossover SUV. However, if you are wanting to take more adventurous trips than simply running to the mall, this SUV is primed for action.
Model: 2015 GMC Yukon SLT
PowerTrain: 5.3L V8 EcoTec3 with 6-speed Automatic Transmission
Options:
Sun & Entertainment Package
20” Polished Aluminum Wheels Upgrade
Max Trailering Package
2nd Row Power Bucket Seats
Theft-Deterrent System-Body System
Price as tested: $64,520
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About the author
Tim Esterdahl
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This article is meant to provide general guidance only. Automotive maintenance, repair, upgrade, and installation may depend on vehicle-specifics such as make and model. Always consult your owner's manual, repair guide for specific information for your particular vehicle and consider a licensed auto-care professional's help as well, particularly for advance repairs.
