2019 GMC Yukon XL Review

The Yukon XL is easy to drive, though its sheer size makes it unwieldy. The standard 5.3-liter V8 is sufficient, but the available 6.2-liter V8 responds quickly to demands for power thanks to the smart 10-speed automatic. In fact, its acceleration will surprise you if you're not careful with the throttle, and its 0-60 mph time of 6.5 seconds is close to the times of its quickest competitors.

Light steering keeps the SUV maneuverable, although there's a numb spot near center that demands extra driver attention when cruising the freeway. The big Yukon stays relatively flat in corners, and it gets around turns without feeling floaty. The braking performance is good for the segment, though there's a lot of pedal travel.

Our tester felt much too stiff and busy on the road. It doesn't float or bounce, but the trade-off is that bumps jar the entire vehicle, a distinct weakness compared to many competitors. Beyond that, the Yukon XL has a comfortable cabin. There's very little noise, whether from the road or wind, and the engine fades into the background when cruising. The industrial-strength air conditioning can easily handle the big cabin, and the climate control layout is straightforward.

You also get wide, flat seats with a good amount of cushioning, even in the third row. While they're comfortable, the flat second-row captain's chairs mean passengers may need to brace themselves when going around corners.

The upright driving position is commanding, while the high dash keeps the gauges in easy view. The primary controls are easy to find, but many secondary controls are grouped oddly and distract you from the road. Thankfully, everything is clearly labeled. The thick roof pillars and sheer size cause visibility issues, but big mirrors, parking sensors and a backup camera help.

There's plenty of room in all three rows, although the fixed second-row thrones mean legroom isn't adjustable. The trade-off is the seats fold out of the way, allowing easy third-row access. The very long doors make access easy, provided they can be opened all the way, but tight parking spaces can be tough.

The Yukon XL excels with almost 40 cubic feet of trunk space behind the third row, and about triple that if you fold all the seats down. However, the load floor is very high, so loading and unloading can be a chore. There's a lot of space for small items in the cabin, especially in the massive center-console box, but some competitors offer more options for separating and organizing items. The top anchors for car seats are placed awkwardly, and installed car seats hamper access to the third row.

The max towing capacity of 8,100 pounds is above average but still short of class leaders. You can get all the features and connectors you need for towing but not the advanced towing aids of newer competitors. 

GMC's tech falls in the middle for the large SUV class. The touchscreen is relatively small, but it responds quickly and is straightforward to navigate. The Yukon XL has standard smartphone integration and OnStar, which includes a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot. There are also tons of charge points around the cabin, especially in higher trims. The optional roof-mounted flip-down screen supports Blu-ray.

Unfortunately, basic active safety technology is an optional extra rather than standard. To get a full set of driver aids, you'll have to go for high trim levels and add options. And even then features such as adaptive cruise control feel unsophisticated by current standards. And you can't get certain useful features such as a surround-view camera.