One-week vehicle loan was provided for review purposes. All opinions are my own.
| Type: SUV Price: $64,520 Fuel Efficiency: 15 city/22 hwy Seats: 8 |
Best Suited For: Large families, taxiing Notable Features: Vibrating seat warning, good turning radius, tons of features, powerful engine Links: Official site |
While many families have moved over to smaller CUV (compact utility vehicles) to save on costs and for better fuel economy, there’s still a place in the market for full-size SUV (sports utility vehicles) like the 2015 GMC Yukon Denali. The Denali sits high and has a sturdy look. The boxy shape is softened by the rounded edges and is packed full of features.
2015 GMC Yukon Denali Review
Despite the size, the Denali is surprisingly nimble. It’s quite easy to get in and out of parking spaces as the turning radius is fabulous. You do need to take into account the longer body but you’ll get a good feel for the dimensions in no time. The vehicle is on the wider side but the automatic retractible steps allow for easy accessibility without adding bulk. Power is not a problem and the ride is smooth overall. Sometimes there is a slight lag in acceleration though.
The amount of features in a loaded Denali is a bit of a double-edges sword. While it feels very luxurious to have top technologies at your fingertips, the sheer amount of choice is overwhelming. It’s practically impossible to understand what each know, button, and lever does without consulting the owners manual.
The vibrating seat warning would still shock me each time but the projected dash info was pretty sweet. Those with particularly long or short legs will like the ability to adjust the depth of the acceleration pedal. For extra security, there’s a hidden cubby behind the navigation screen so you can charge your device in secret. Oh, and the middle console fits a small to medium purse nicely.
Lack of Rear Passenger Legroom
Seats are nice and wide. There’s plenty of room for two car seats with a person in the middle, maybe even a small booster. The third row fold electronically and the second row is easy to fold or scoot. Unfortunately, the second row doesn’t have that much legroom. It’s okay but not what you’d expect in such a large vehicle.
Legroom is non-existent in the third row. These seats are barely elevated so anybody sitting back there will be resting their heads on their knees. For an SUV commonly used as multiple people mover, I would have hoped for better positioning of the rear seats. The cargo space is decent and a convenient net keeps it all from falling out.
The 2015 GMC Yukon Denali is a solid SUV that gives you power, technology, and great handling. However, if you’ll be driving more than 5 people on a regular basis, you might want to check that third row out yourself before signing that contract.
