I have to think my neighbors laughed every time they saw me approach and then climb into the cabin of the 2009 GMC Yukon. At the very least, it afforded a double take.
I mean, talk about an odd couple.
The 59-inch-tall, 100-pound female vs. the 77-inch-tall, 5,527-pound Goliath.
But, somehow, it worked.
For such a large vehicle, the Yukon is actually quite comfortable for petite drivers. The three key ingredients that enable me to say this: assist steps into the cabin, adjustable pedals and rear park assist. All were standard on the four-wheel drive SLT1 test vehicle.
Without those three items, I might be telling quite a different story. But as it was, I had an excellent driving position and could get in and out of the driver’s seat in relative ease. Plus, with the expansive windows, large side-mirrors and park assist, I could maneuver through tight city spaces reasonably well.
Aside from the three keys, the test vehicle was very well-equipped with standard features such as side-curtain airbags for all three rows, stability and traction control, OnStar, remote vehicle start, leather seats, Bose premium audio system and Bluetooth connectivity for your phone. Base price was $46,450. The test vehicle also added 20-inch chrome clad wheels ($1,995), rear seat entertainment system ($1,295), power sliding sunroof ($995) and Red Jewel tint coat ($395). Thus, the as-tested price was a pricey $51,130.
I could take or leave most of these options, though I admit I recently discovered how invaluable a rear-seat entertainment system can be on long road trips with a family – even a grown up one like mine. The one thing I would absolutely add, however: heated seats. I was very disappointed that there was remote start for the test vehicle but no heated seats. This is my one must-have option – especially in those vehicles that get their most use during the winter months.
The one thing I absolutely could have done without: the 20-inch wheels. Bigger isn’t necessarily better. The ride was perhaps a bit softer, but you’re probably not going to get any better traction. And I noticed that tight turns in parking lots and garages were actually more difficult. The first day I had the test vehicle and I twisted up to a parking space on the 8th floor, I noticed that the steering wheel was difficult to turn, and it felt like the wheels were hitting something. I was afraid there was damage to the front bumper that pushed it into the wheels. But, no, it was just the wheels being a bit too large for their space. Standard wheels on the Yukon are 17-inches, and I’d stick with them.
Even though the Yukon is comfortable to drive for a petite person, make no mistake about it, this vehicle is a beast. Overall ride and handling are what you’d expect from a behemoth vehicle, and while I had good visibility and could maneuver in tight city spaces, it wasn’t always easy. Driving down the narrow Chicago streets was a chore, and luckily when I was on the tiny two-way streets near my house, I never encountered a vehicle coming from the opposite direction. One of us would have had to pull off by a fire hydrant so the other could pass.
The Yukon has a standard 4.8-liter, V-8 engine at the base SLE trim level that delivers 295 horsepower and 305 pound-feet of torque. Since the test vehicle was an SLT model, it came with the up-level 5.8-liter Vortec V-8 engine that delivers 320 horsepower and 340 pound-feet of torque. This was the perfect amount of power for a vehicle of this size, and highway acceleration, passing and merging were easy. As an added bonus, this engine has cylinder deactivation, so once you’ve hit your cruising speed, the engine drops from eight cylinders to four. This translates into a fuel economy of 14 mpg in the city and 20 mpg on the highway.
Interior appointments in the Yukon are pretty standard General Motors fare, except larger. Everything seemed somewhat oversized, from the shift lever to the dials and controls to the steering wheel.
Since the Yukon was all-new a couple of years ago, you’re not going to see massive changes for the 2009 model year. You will, however, see new options and features. Some of the more notable additions include: a new six-speed automatic transmission paired with the 5.3-liter and 6.0-liter engines, Bluetooth connectivity, next-gen OnStar, available blind-spot monitoring, rearview backup camera that is available with or without navigation and a heavy-duty trailering package.
For what it is – a very large SUV with the potential to seat nine – the Yukon is a pretty decent vehicle with a nice ride and really nice amenities. Being the childless city dweller that I am, however, I have a hard time justifying such an enormous vehicle -- unless, of course, it’s snowing. Then it’s my new favorite. But how many days a year in Chicago does that happen? Not enough.
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