2000 GMC Yukon Review

Completely redesigned, Yukon is based on the new Sierra pickup platform with zippy V8 engines and a stouter chassis for a better, more isolated ride.

A strong drivetrain, well behaved road manners, and a spacious and comfortable interior makes the Yukon one of the best full size sport utilities on the market.

Yukons are popular SUVs, and rightly so. Featuring room for the family and plenty of gear in one of two well-appointed trim levels in either two- or four-wheel drive with four doors, the Yukon is versatile enough for any task thrown its way. For 2000, GMC has redesigned the truck from top to bottom, providing buyers with stronger engines, a more robust foundation, more seats inside, and nicely updated sheetmetal that, if not ground-breaking, is at least attractive.

Starting with the stiff new Sierra pickup platform, engineers ladled a number of luxury goodies atop a slightly larger four-door cabin. In keeping with its rugged luxo-truck image, even basic Yukon SLEs are well-equipped with a 275-horsepower, 4.8-liter Vortec V8 engine, aluminum alloy wheels, deep tinted glass, and front and rear air conditioning. Other standards include power windows, locks and doors, a CD player pumping out the jams through nine premium quality speakers, and an electrochromic rearview mirror with compass.

Step up to SLT trim and you'll be rewarded with leather upholstery. All Yukons come with four-wheel disc ABS for short stopping distances and a five-link, semi-floating coil-spring rear suspension for improved ride characteristics. An optional Autoride suspension system can vary shock dampening automatically as needed, and 4WD models can be equipped with a stout Z71 off-road suspension package. Front and side airbags are standard, and an optional traction-control system keeps the 2WD Yukon's tail planted in the slippery stuff.

An automatic transmission is the only way you can go in the new Yukon, but an optional 5.3-liter V8 engine is available if you need the extra torque for towing. Also extra cost is a power sunroof, automatic climate control, rear-seat audio controls, a luxury package that adds heated power front seats and a HomeLink transmitter, and, for the first time, a third-row seat that expands seating to a maximum of nine passengers, albeit at the expense of valuable cargo space.

One of the great things about the Yukon is that it gives you plenty of interior room and luggage capacity in a garageable, daily-driver package. Despite its full-size SUV status, it's manageable in tight quarters and quite responsive, particularly the 2WD model, which is equipped with a carlike rack-and-pinion steering system. And now, with third-row seating, you can have the practicality of a minivan and the go-anywhere capability of an SUV, in one easy-to-live-with package. And no, GM is NOT paying us to say this.

Despite cheap interior plastics, the Yukon is undoubtedly one of the best big SUVs you can buy. Perfect for a family and able to tote the in-laws in a pinch, the ruggedly stylish and easy to drive Yukon should prove to be a big hit. Get down to the local GMC dealer before the crush of consumers drives demand far above supply.