GMC Yukon 2008 $34,995

Vehicle Overview Slotting in price and equipment between the Chevrolet Tahoe and Cadillac Escalade, the GMC Yukon is the middle child among the sport utility vehicles on General Motors' full-size SUV platform. Competitors include the Chrysler Aspen, Ford Expedition, Nissan Armada and Toyota Sequoia. Redesigned for 2007, the current Yukon is larger, more powerful and more fuel-efficient than its predecessor, with a trio of technologically distinct V-8 engines. These include a 5.3-liter V-8 with a fuel management system that deactivates four cylinders in low-load situations, and a 6.2-liter V-8 that packs 380 horsepower. Four-wheel drive is available, as are seating configurations for up to nine occupants. For 2008, side curtain airbags are standard across the Yukon lineup, and a new rear-wheel-drive Yukon Denali joins the all-wheel-drive model. A hybrid version of the Yukon, which is covered separately in the Cars.com Research section, also debuts. Exterior Up front, the Yukon holds a one-piece grille instead of the Tahoe's partitioned unit. Other differentiating details include taller headlights with jewel-like bezels and a wider, lower air dam. In profile, the two are largely identical: Both share the same blocky fenders, long rear-quarter windows and squared-off back end. The Yukon is available in base SLE, SLT and luxury Denali trim levels. Seventeen-inch wheels are standard on all but the Denali edition, which upgrades to 18-inch wheels. The Yukon Denali also gets an Autoride real-time damping suspension, chrome exterior moldings and a power-operated rear liftgate. Options across the Yukon lineup include 20-inch wheels and a moonroof. Power-extending running boards are also available. Interior The Yukon's dashboard carries the same shape as its redesigned GM siblings. That's good news, because the domed instrument panel, car-like dashboard and flush-mounted buttons are a vast improvement on the rectangular fixtures of previous Yukons, Tahoes and their like. SLE models have cloth seats and tri-zone manual climate control, while the SLT upgrades to leather and automatic climate control. Denali trim levels add heated first- and second-row seats, a Bose premium audio system and an available heated steering wheel. Three available bench rows in the Yukon SLE allow seating for up to nine occupants. Uplevel models replace first- and second-row benches with captain's chairs, lowering total seating capacity to seven. The second-row seats fold forward, either manually or via an available power mechanism. The third row is removable, but it doesn't fold flat to the floor as some competitors' seats do. With both rows stashed away, maximum cargo volume is 108.9 cubic feet, which places the Yukon in the middle of the pack among the Expedition, Armada and Sequoia. Under the Hood On two-wheel-drive Yukons, a standard 4.8-liter V-8 produces 295 hp and 305 pounds-feet of torque. For four-wheel-drive models, the available 5.3-liter V-8 makes 320 hp and 340 pounds-feet it's optional on two-wheel-drive Yukons. The 5.3-liter engine features a cylinder-deactivation system that shuts down four cylinders under light-load situations, such as highway driving, for better fuel economy. City mileage remains roughly the same as the 5.3-liter engine in the previous Yukon, but highway mileage increases as much as 22 percent. The engine runs on either gasoline or ethanol-based E85 fuel. Both the 4.8-liter and 5.3-liter engines use a four-speed automatic transmission. For maximum grunt, an all-aluminum 6.2-liter V-8 is standard on the Yukon Denali. It produces 380 hp and 417 pounds-feet of torque and runs through a six-speed automatic transmission. In addition to the new two-wheel-drive model, the Yukon Denali can have a permanent all-wheel-drive system that's distinct from the available part-time four-wheel drive on the Yukon SLE and SLT. When properly equipped, the Yukon can tow up to 8,200 pounds. Safety Standard safety fe

• SUN ENTERTAINMENT AND DESTINATIONS PACKAGE
• Fascia front color-keyed
• Fascia rear color-keyed
• Luggage rack roof-mounted body-color with bright accent
• Luggage rack center rails
• Moldings body-color bodyside with bright inserts
• Grille chrome surround
• Assist steps color-keyed with chrome insert mounted between the front and rear wheels (Upgradeable to (BRS) power-retractable assist steps.)
• Headlamps projector beam with automatic exterior lamp control and flash- to-pass feature
• Fog lamps front round halogen
• Mirrors outside heated power-adjustable power-folding and driver-side auto-dimming body-color with integrated turn signal indicators ground illumination and curb-tilt
• Glass Solar-Ray deep-tinted (all windows except light-tinted glass on windshield and driver- and front passenger-side glass)
• Wipers front intermittent RainSense
• Wiper rear intermittent with washer
• Windshield washer fluid system heated
• Body liftgate with liftglass rear door system with rear-window wiper/washer
• Body liftgate with liftglass power rear door system with rear-window wiper/washer
• Tires P265/65R18 all-season blackwall (Requires (QF8) 4-18 x 8 (45.7 cm x 20.3 cm) polished aluminum wheels.)
• Wheels 4 - 18 x 8 (45.7 cm x 20.3 cm) polished aluminum
• Tire spare P265/70R17
• Wheel 17 (43.2 cm) full-size steel spare
• Tire carrier lockable outside spare winch-type mounted under frame at rear
• Seats front bucket with leather-appointed seating on first and second rows (including head restraints) 12-way power driver and front passenger seat adjusters power lumbar control heated seat cushion and seatbacks 2- position driver memory adjustable head restraints storage pockets and floor console
• Seat adjuster driver power
• Seat adjuster front passenger power
• Seats heated second row
• Seat release second row bucket power release only
• Console floor with storage area 4 cup holders (2 in front 2 in rear) and integrated second row audio and HVAC controls
• Cup holders in front seating area
• Cup holders in rear of floor console
• Cup holders driver and passenger-side in third row side trim
• Floor covering color-keyed carpeting
• Floor mats color-keyed carpeted front and second row removable
• Acoustical Insulation Package premium
• Steering column Tilt-Wheel adjustable with brake/transmission shift interlock
• Steering wheel Deluxe leather-wrapped with wood accents
• Steering wheel controls mounted audio and cruise controls includes Driver Information Center controls
• Driver Information Center full functionality included
• Instrumentation analog with speedometer odometer with trip odometer fuel level voltmeter engine temperature oil pressure and tachometer
• Warning tones headlamp on key-in-ignition driver and passenger buckle up reminder and turn signal on
• Tire Pressure Monitoring System (does not apply to spare tire)
• Windows power with driver Express-Down and lockout features
• Door locks power programmable with lockout protection
• Remote vehicle starter system includes Remote Keyless Entry
• Pedals power-adjustable for accelerator and brake includes (UD7) Rear Parking Assist
• Universal Home Remote includes garage door opener 3-channel programmable
• Cruise control electronic with set and resume speed
• Air conditioning tri-zone automatic climate control with individual climate settings for driver and right-front passenger
• Air conditioning rear auxiliary
• Heater rear auxiliary with rear passenger heating ducts
• Defogger rear-window electric
• Audio system feature Bose luxury 10-speaker system with enhanced performance amplification Audio Pilot noise reduction feature and subwoofer
• XM Satellite Radio With a wide variety of programming XM has something to excite any driver. Whether you want to be entertained or informed to laugh think or sing XM has the perfect channel for you - coast-to-coast and in digital-quality sound. 3 trial months - no obligation (Available in the 48 contiguous United States. Required $12.95 monthly subscription sold separately after 3 trial months. All fees and programming subject to change. Subscr