Orlando Sentinel's view

So I’m bopping along Park Avenue in ritzy Winter Park comfortably ensconced in what may be the only GMC Yukon Denali on the road in Florida. This summer’s strike against GM choked off the supply just as the vehicle was starting full-scale production. Only 800 Denalis were built before the nearly two-month-long strike, which was settled last week.

I’m wondering why Cadillac is going to bring out its own version of this luxury sport-utility vehicle.

But I really don’t care.

I wouldn’t pay a dime more to get the Cadillac version, the Escalade, this fall. I already know that the Escalade will have a fancier grille, better seats and different colors – but it will be identical in every other way to the Yukon Denali.

GM is back to playing its foolish game of building one vehicle and slapping different names on it. The Yukon already has a twin, the Chevrolet Tahoe.

The only reason the Cadillac sport-utility exists at all is that the Lincoln Navigator came out of nowhere last year to become the world’s best-selling luxury sport-utility vehicle. Now Cadillac thinks it has to match Lincoln move for move.

Big mistake.

The ship’s already sailed. If Cadillac is going to do a sport-utility vehicle at this late date, it should be something really special. It should have the Cadillac Northstar V-8 and unique styling. The Escalade, in addition to being saddled with a stupid name, won’t.

The Denali should have been a Cadillac from the start. Now General Motors is going to have to promote two excellent luxury sport-utilities instead of one.

But smart buyers will blow off the Cadillac Escalade and buy or lease the Denali. It’ll cost less than the Escalade, yet deliver the same prestige and performance as the Cadillac.

That’s how good the GMC Denali is.

PERFORMANCE, HANDLING

Named after a national park in Alaska, the Denali comes with a quiet and powerful 255-horsepower, 5.7-liter V-8, four-speed automatic transmission and four-wheel drive.

This is one premium full-size sport-utility that doesn’t just have a pretty face. There’s beauty in the engineering too. Our Denali was tough and rugged off the pavement. In low range, the engine generates plenty of muscle for driving in soft sand. And those fat, 16-inch tires ensure plenty of traction.

I don’t recall the standard-issue Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon being this refined. You don’t hear much noise from the Denali’s drivetrain, just gentle breathing sounds as you press the accelerator.

The four-speed automatic is a smooth-shifting gear box. It’s easy to change from two-wheel drive to four-wheel drive. All you do is press a button on the dash, and you’re good to go. In fact, you don’t even have to stop to change drive modes.

GMC engineers have tuned the Denali’s suspension to yield a very quiet, supple and luxurious ride. The body dips gently over bumps, and there is not much harshness when the going gets rough off road. Denali uses high-performance Bilste in shocks and special urethane bushings to absorb the energy from bumps.

Because the Denali is so big and heavy – the weight is nearly 5,900 pounds – it irons out smaller bumps. Driving down a dirt road, for instance, is almost the same as driving on pavement.

Power-assisted steering and power-assisted front disc/rear drum anti-lock brakes are standard.

FIT AND FINISH

Though most of the mechanical underpinnings of the Denali are shared with the Yukon and soon-to-be introduced Cadillac Escalade, the cosmetic trimmings are unique.

The Denali comes with what may be the most beautiful paint job ever to adorn a GM vehicle. It’s called Silvermist, and it sparkles and shines with a classy, expensive luster. The paint on our test vehicle was as smooth as glass. Five other colors are available on Denali.

A special grille and unique headlights highlight the Denali’s upscale exterior decor. I especially like the stylized aluminum exhaust tip th at fits in a slot in the bumper cover and the side body cladding, which gives the Denali a buff look.

The inside is just as nice as the outside. GMC’s interior decorators selected soft, aromatic leather for the seats and made them exceptionally comfortable. You can stay seated for hours and not feel like road kill.

Perhaps the only part of the Denali’s interior that could use a little sprucing up is the large, boxy instrument panel. It would look nice decked out with the same tasteful wood trim that’s used on the door panels and console. But there’s no place to hang wood trim on the dash.

The Denali has no shortage of equipment. The front and rear seats are heated; the center console contains a six-disc CD player; there’s a rear air-conditioning system and controls on the back of the console for the radio.

Other niceties include running boards, a roof rack, power accessories galore and a built-in alarm system.

I found the Denali to be a fairly versatile vehicle. With seats up, its a classy limousine. And with the seats folded, the Denali is a cargo hauler. I stuffed a full-size bicycle in the back and closed the rear doors. Another nice feature is the retractable cargo cover that conceals items – especially handy when you’re shopping.

1999 GMC Yukon Denali

Base price: $42,855.

Safety: Dual air bags, anti-lock brakes, side-impact protection and daytime running lights.

Price as tested: $43,995.

EPA rating: 12 mpg city/16 mpg highway.

Incentives: None.

Truett’s tip: GMC is moving into the luxury sport-utility market with the upscale Yukon Denali. It’s a smooth, classy vehicle with a comfortable interior and just about every creature comfort you could want.