YUKON DENALI TOO BIG FOR THE CITY
No one driving this brute should expect sympathy at the gas pumps
Normally filled with the bonhomie that comes with the holiday season, I was working myself into a foul mood, thanks to out-of-sequence stoplights, and roads and parking lots crammed with harried last-minute Christmas shoppers. It was the sort of scenario where a Smart fortwo would have been the perfect car for zipping through city traffic. Instead, I was in one of the most ill-suited vehicles for the above scenario: a nearly 5.2-metre long, 2,600-plus-kilogram GMC Yukon Denali.
A full-sized, high-end sport ute with more features and doodads than you can shake a stick at has a lot of potential — under the right conditions. It can be a lovely rig in which to spend time hauling an Airstream (thanks to a 3,674kg towing capacity), ferrying the brood to the local ski hill (or to Florida for a vacation) or whatever you do with an eight-passenger vehicle that boasts 2,682 litres of cargo room with the second- and thirdrow seats folded flat. Duking it out with stressed gift-shoppers on clogged streets is not its forte.
General Motors overhauled all of its full-size truck-framed SUVs — Chevy Tahoe and Suburban, GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade — for the 2015 model year, with new sheet metal, revised powertrains and suspensions, improved interiors, more utility and greater refinement. While the Escalade is the bling king, the Yukon Denali isn’t far behind; the tester had a price of more than $83,000. The two have a common powertrain: a 420-horsepower 6.2-litre V8 mated to an eight-speed transmission. (Non-Denali Yukons with standard wheelbase and the longer XL versions make do with a standard 5.3-L V8 and a sixspeed automatic.)
Both engines are members of GM’s Ecotec3 engine family, which debuted in the 2014 Silverado and Sierra pickups. At first glance, they appear to be traditional overhead-valve V8s, but they include direct injection, cylinder deactivation and continuously variable valve timing for superior power when needed or (slightly) better fuel economy if trying to eke out some semblance of efficiency. That said, nobody considering the Yukon should expect much sympathy at the gas pumps. Even using as light a foot on the gas pedal as possible to deactivate four of the big V8’s cylinders, I averaged a swine-ish 17.6 L per 100 kilometres (premium fuel recommended) during my time with the tester, with the bulk of my driving being suburban use. Having 420 h.p. to tap does provide the Denali decent verve when needed, kind of like strapping a JATO ( jet-assisted takeoff ) to a pachyderm. The sport ute will reach 100 km/h in less than seven seconds and accelerate to 120 km/h from 80 in under five seconds. The eightspeed transmission features smaller steps between gears, keeping the engine within the sweet spot of the r.p.m. band to make the most of its horsepower and torque (460 pound-feet), which optimizes performance. GM notes the wider 7.0 overall gear-ratio spread provides a numerically higher 4.56 first gear ratio, helping drivers “start off more confidently” with a heavy load or when trailering.
Considering its pickup-based roots, the Denali’s ride and handling are smooth and controlled, if somewhat ponderous.
The Yukon counts on a fully boxed frame of mainly highstrength steel, shear-style body mounts attached to the frame, a wider rear track than on the previous model, and electric variable-assist steering to contribute to its placid demeanour. In addition, Denali models include magnetic ride control, a real-time damping system that delivers more precise body-motion control by reading the road every millisecond and, says GM, changing damping in just five milliseconds.
Anything the size of the Yukon comes with inherent blind spots, whether in traffic or when parking or backing up. GM mitigates any problems with a full roster of safety programs and systems.
Inside, it is the sheer number of creature comforts and modern conveniences that raise the Denali’s price, rather than overt opulence, though the cabin is well finished. Standard heated steering wheel and leather front seats (also ventilated) were especially appreciated now that winter has arrived, as were the buttons in the cargo area that power-folded the second- and third-row seats when stowing the groceries. The wireless phone charger, which allows users to place a smartphone on a mat on the centre console to charge wirelessly via magnetic induction, is kind of cool.
Of the tester’s options, I appreciated the head-up display ($475); while my five-foot-tall wife found the $1,920 power-retractable assist steps (a.k.a. running boards) helped her climb into the cabin.
The full-size sport-ute segment was almost killed off by the 200809 economic recession and high gas prices, but while sales took a severe downturn, the segment has survived. Now, with lower gas prices, Canadian sales of the big brutes have increased by 15 per cent through 2015, though sales of the Yukon, unlike the Escalade, Tahoe and Suburban, are down for the year. Still, according to sales-tracking website goodcarbadcar.net, GM Canada owns a commanding 66 per cent of the big rig segment.
My time with the Yukon Denali leaves me with two thoughts. The first is that it, and others of its ilk need a sense of purpose; their size and utility need to be put to proper use. As mere conveyances, they are too big and clumsy in most urban settings. The second is that, while clearly aimed at the well heeled, in terms of cachet the upscale Denali is priced too close to Cadillac’s Escalade, and lacks the necessary presence (the bling factor) to compete.