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By: Derek Price
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Call it
the new American dream machine.
GMC's
Yukon XL Denali is today's pinnacle of American
style and luxury, not unlike Detroit's classic
family cruisers from the 1950s that were slathered
in chrome, decked with tail fins and packed with the
latest goodies.
While it
doesn't have fins on its tail end, it does have
sheer size, ample power and innovative technology
that make it one of the best -- if not the very best
-- full-size SUV on the planet. Available features
like satellite radio, a DVD player, recliner-like
leather bucket seats and a rear-seat audio system
let you bring all the comfort of a modern living
room when you hit the road.
One of
the best options is the digital satellite radio
receiver, which lets you get crystal-clear reception
on hundreds of channels across the country. It's
almost like satellite TV at home, with channel
options including news, talk, comedy and virtually
every kind of music imaginable.
The
built-in DVD player is another great option for
families. Movie sound can be played either through
the Yukon's excellent stereo system or through
wireless headphones if mom and dad don't want to
hear it.
These
comfort features just beg you to take the slow route
home -- not that you have to. A 6.0-liter V8 engine
makes a neck-snapping 320 horsepower and 365
pound-feet of torque, enough to produce downright
scary acceleration for a vehicle that weighs nearly
three tons.
There is
a downside to all this power and weight, though. It
comes at a cost to fuel economy (only 12 mpg in
town, 16 on the highway) and the safety of other
drivers. Due to its massive size, it's more
dangerous for smaller cars in a wreck, meaning
passengers in a compact car could possibly be killed
because of the Yukon XL's gluttonous proportions.
But, for
people lucky enough to be inside its cabin, the XL
is one of the safest vehicles around. Features
include:
--
Third-row seats that angle back for better restraint
of large adults.
--
Three-point seat belts in all first- and second-row
seat positions.
-- The
LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren)
system for child seats.
It also
has an advanced air bag system that senses the
weight of the person riding in the front passenger
seat (don't worry, though -- it can keep a secret.)
If the passenger has the weight of a child, the
passenger-side air bag is turned off for safety.
Also new
for 2003 is the addition of the StabiliTrak system,
previously only available in GM's sports cars and
luxury vehicles. Basically, StabiliTrak helps move
the vehicle where the driver points it, comparing
the driver's intended path with the vehicle's actual
path and selectively adjusting engine torque and any
of the four brakes to help bring the vehicle under
control.
Other
than the inherently selfish nature of such a big
vehicle, there's little to complain about in the
Yukon XL Denali. It's comfortable, quiet and fast --
more than one could reasonably expect from a family
hauler.
That's
why it's a dream machine.
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