WASHINGTON — The 2015 GMC Yukon Denali is a big SUV in an ever-changing market, where more and more SUVs are changing their truck underpinnings and becoming more car-like crossovers. However, GMC stays true to its roots with its big SUVs.
The new GMC Yukon keeps the SUV spirit alive and adds a huge dose of refinement.
The Denali is the top-of-the-line Yukon SUV and it accounts for 60 percent of all Yukon sales. So GMC had to keep current customers happy and appeal to some new buyers willing to fork over at least $66,000 for the big SUV.
GMC started with the new and vastly improved full-size truck as a base, which really improves the Yukon’s ride and handling. Magnetic Ride Control also gets some of the credit, giving it a more luxurious ride and getting rid of the float or bounce over larger bumps.
GMC really nailed the look of the Yukon Denali. The 2015 gets a more upscale look thanks to some exterior goodies to set it apart from other Yukon models, such as a special chrome grill and exclusive 20- and 22-inch wheels. It has a brawnier look than the Chevrolet and looks even more luxurious than a Caddy.
The Denali costs around $75,000 when fully loaded — not cheap, but still less than some of its competition, and the price tag doesn’t seem out of line after this redesign.
Also, it has an exclusive engine — a big and powerful 6.2-liter V8 (other Yukon models have a 5.3-liter). The 420 horsepower Denali really moves for a big SUV, and the active fuel management allows the engine to run on four cylinders at times.
After a week with the Denali, I averaged 17.9 mpg over 247 miles — better than the 16 mpg combined from the sticker, and better than the old model. They rate the Denali four-wheel drive at 14 mpg city and 21 mpg highway. It’s certainly not going to be confused with a hybrid but it’s a marked improvement. The engine is a good one, very smooth and much better when running on four cylinders than older GMC models with the same system.
The interior is a huge improvement for the upscale Denali and is now as nice as the new exterior. Very comfortable leather seats are heated and cooled, the second row of seats are heated and can easily be folded with a touch of a button to create more space. The third row of seats are power folding with a simple touch of button, but that does leave a higher load floor and a little less space for taller cargo when the seats are folded. A tip if you’re going to use the third seat all the time for adults: Consider the longer XL model; it will give you extra space.
The power running boards are a worthwhile $1,745 option. They help with entrance and exit and keep the clean lines of the SUV. The Denali has some tech features as well — with the 8-inch color touch screen for the NAV and backup camera and Onstar 4G-LTE, you can turn the SUV into a Wi-Fi hotspot.
The 2015 Yukon Denali is a very big improvement on a popular upscale SUV that has stepped up to the plate with nicer drive and a more luxurious package. If you need room and a V8, it’s time to look at GMC again. They seem to be serious about making big luxury do-anything SUVs.
Editor’s Note: Mike Parris is a member of the Washington Automotive Press Association. The vehicles are provided by STI, FMI or Event Solutions for the purpose of this review.
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