The total makeover of General Motors’ big SUVs is evident the moment you step inside a 2007 GMC Yukon Denali.
Rather than the same, tired work-truck interior, Yukon Denali now sports a sophisticated cabin with an attractive dashboard, a gorgeous wood-and-leather steering wheel, vastly improved seats and surfaces, and a center console big enough to carry a picnic lunch. Electronic features abound, and the SUV’s slightly larger dimensions are apparent in the airy roominess inside.
The top-of-the-line Yukon that I drove, like the longer Chevrolet Suburban tested here recently, are part of GM’s massive effort to update its big-truck line, with improved versions of full-size pickups Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra coming later this summer.
Many have questioned GM’s wisdom in throwing its financial weight behind large-truck refinements when soaring gas prices are putting so much downward pressure on this segment. Big-truck sales are fading, while car-based crossover SUVs that tout improved economy, style and drivability are pulling the rug out from under the SUV trucks.
Gas mileage has improved for the new GM trucks. But the Denali’s computer said I averaged 14 mpg in a mix of highway and city driving. Better than before, but not good enough for thrifty families.
Still, GM engineers and designers should be commended for turning these burly behemoths into proper family vehicles that drive precisely and ride comfortably. They look sharp, too, taking some styling cues from passenger cars that emphasize the newfound refinement.
