The Best Of The Full-Size

Author's Rating:

Pros: Large, but not too large, Powerful, Rugged, Solid, Great Ride, Reliable.

Cons: NONE

Handling And Control:

The Bottom Line: 
If you wan't to carry nine people in comfort, but want the capabilities of a truck without going the extreme, with a smooth agile ride, Go with the Yukon XL.

Author's Review
The Yukon XL is more than just a cabin bolted to a pickup chassis. From the A-pillar back, the SUV uses box-section frame rails with full length hydro-formed frame. This gives the Yukon XL the most rigid SUV chassis you can buy. The Yukon XL also shares the pickup's styling, at least from the windshield forward. It's a conservative look that's appealingly simple in a big shouldered way. With its rounded corners, flush glass, and smooth flanks, the Yukon XL makes its heritage obvious while still looking up to date. The suspension is outstandingly smooth. The Yukon XL's front suspension uses unequal length control arms and either coil springs or torsion bars, depending on its weight rating. The rear suspension on 1/2 ton models use a smooth five link rear suspension rather than leaf springs. Coils offer some ride and handling advantages on gravel or wash board roads. Leaf springs are standard on 3/4 ton models for heavy duty towing. Regardles of model, the Yukon XL suspension is softer than the pickup's to better please target buyers, including women, who prefer a more carlike ride. The Yukon XL does go down the road somewhat like that of a sedan. It's reasonably comfortable, drives like a smaller vehicle, fits in any standard garage (believe it or not, the Yukon XL is shorter than an extended cab Silverado and has a better turning diameter), and tracks true in a straight line. It doesn't pitch or yaw excessively in turns, and its steering is light and communicative.

The Yukon XL is easy to drive as long as one never ignores its elephantine size, which discourages-indeed makes impossibly-quick manuvers, rapid lane changes, and the sort of driving car jockeys take for granted. With a turning diameter or a little over 40 feet, it is actually quite good, it looks hard to manuver, but it is very easy. The size pays dividends inside. With its vast expanse of glass, the Yukon XL feels roomy and airy, and there's enough head, shoulder, leg, and hip room to accomodate the offensive line of the Redskins. The seating positions in all three rows are comfortably and naturally upright. There are enough cup holders for a kid's party and an abundance of handy features, including front seat side impact airbags, trapeze-sized grip handles to ease rear seat access, lots of storage spaces, and up to five power points. Getting to the rearmost seats is easier than you would expect, thanks to a smoothly functioning flip-forward, second row seat. And the third row itself is particularly well designed-it's a compact unit with integral shoulder belts that folds forward for more space or rolls out altogether on built-in wheels. On the mechanical side, the 1500s use the Vortec 5300, with 285 horsepower, and 325 lb/ft. of torque. 2500s come standard with the Vortec 6000 with 315 horsepower, and 365 lb/ft. of torque, or an optional Vortec 8100 which has 340 horsepower, and 455 lb/ft. of torque. Which gives you a higher towing capacity than the Ford Excursion. Both engines have been refined for 2001 to make the quieter and more durable. For 2001, the Yukon XL has a new suspension package, its the Z71 off-road package, its a highly aggresive package. It comes with stabilizer bars, off-road jounce bumpers, larger steering gear, high capacity air cleaner, locking differential, skid plates, and very aggressive 17 in wheels and tires. The off-road package is highly recomended, it is only $395 and with that five link rear suspension, the ride is very smooth.

One thing is for sure, the GMC Yukon XL is a lot better than the Ford Excursion. Now, if you need to be able to haul nine passengers in great comfort, but need the capabilities of a truck, the Yukon XL is the best choice. It is like a wagon and a truck combined. When somebody looks at a Yukon XL , they think it must be unrefined, and especially hard to manuver. Those fit the Ford Excursion's category. But the Yukon XL is a great family car. And it is a little bit shorter than a Silverado (extended cab, short box), with a shorter wheelbase, so it actually has a tighter turning diameter, and is more agile than a Chevy Silverado (extended cab, short box). And the Yukon XL is definetely not a gas hog (It can get 18 miles per gallon on 2WD models). Now, like I said, if you want a vehicle that can haul nine passengers in pure comfort that has truck capabilities, and is actually quite agile, the Yukon XL is the logical answer. If you can't decide whether or not to buy a Yukon XL or Excursion, forget the Excursion. I hate to be so mean, but the Excursion has a harsh ride, similar to what it was derived from, the F-250 Super Duty, it is unrefined, it is way to big, and WILL NOT fit in most standard garages, the seats are not as comfortable, and is very hard to manuver. The turning diameter is very large, although the wheel base is shorter than most Ford Super Duty trucks. Simply said, the Excursion is a beast, and the Yukon XL is like a very nice car. And the Yukon XL is quite luxurious too. With heated leather front seats, driver's side memory, driver lockout protection, automatic on off headlights, daytime running lights, rear seat climate and audio controls, adjustable and articulating front seat head restraints and adjustable head restraints for second and third row passengers, integrated front and third row seat belts, automatic climate control, Onstar, power everything, interior and exterior electrochromic mirror, autoride computer controled shock absorber setting, auto four wheel drive, engine hour meter, vehicle anti-theft, radio anti-theft, CD and cassatte player, Tow/Haul automatic transmission gear switch, driver message center to monitor all your trucks operating and service conditions, and other cool items people take for granted each day. It is one nice rig. And if this still is not enough, try GMC's ULTRA luxurious Yukon Denali XL, wooh baby.