Full Description: INTRODUCTION:The GMC Yukon is sized right for large families. Its cabin is roomy it can carry a load of people and a mountain of cargo and it can pull heavy trailers. Yet it'll fit into a garage more easily than a Suburban or an Expedition. The Yukon offers a nice ride and a choice of V8 engines. The Yukon Denali is a luxury version that adds a sumptuous interior a bigger engine and full-time all-wheel drive. For 2004 Yukon comes standard with a tire-pressure monitor and sophisticated Hydroboost brakes. LINEUP:Three trim levels are available for the GMC Yukon: SLE SLT and Denali. Yukon SLE ($34910) and SLE 4WD ($37610) come loaded with manual dual-zone air conditioning a split-bench front seat with power adjustment for the driver anti-lock brakes (ABS) self-leveling suspension CD stereo with eight speakers power windows power door locks fog lights tinted glass heated outside mirrors leather wrapped steering wheel and alarm. A 285-horsepower 4.8-liter V8 is standard; a 295-horsepower 5.3-liter V8 is optional ($700). Yukon SLT ($37440) and SLT 4WD ($40140) adds automatic tri-zone air conditioning a premium Bose stereo with nine speakers high-back bucket seats with leather inserts rear seat audio controls and assist steps. New SLT options for 2004 include 17-inch six-spoke premium aluminum wheels ($295) which can be shod with either all-season blackwalls or whitewalls or on/off-road blackwalls. The SLT Plus Equipment Group ($40895 or $43595 with 4WD) upgrades the quality of the leather and adds more power adjustments and a memory function to the seats. SLT Plus also features side-impact airbags outside mirrors with ground illumination and turn signals (and electrochromic dimming on the driver's side) power-adjustable pedals third-row seating and more. The 5.3-liter V8 comes standard on SLT Plus. Yukon Denali ($49310) is the most upscale model and comes with a big 6.0-liter V8 engine full-time all-wheel drive StabiliTrak stability control and a computer-controlled AutoRide suspension. In fact nearly every desirable feature is standard on Denali including heated leather 10-way power seats On-Star driver assistance nine-speaker Bose stereo with XM Satellite Radio capability and in-dash six-disc CD changer and 17-inch alloy wheels. A sunroof ($1000) and an engine block heater ($35) are optional. For 2004 the Trailering Group ($330) now includes a seven-to-four-pin adapter and electric brake wiring harness in addition to a hitch platform transmission oil cooler and high-capacity air cleaner. WALKAROUND:Built on GM's excellent full-size truck platform the Yukon is the same size and has much in common with the Chevrolet Tahoe and Cadillac Escalade. Yukon is 20 inches shorter than the Chevrolet Suburban and GMC Yukon XL making it much easier to park and garage. It is slightly smaller than the Ford Expedition but longer and wider than the GMC Envoy Chevy TrailBlazer and Ford Explorer. Yukon is wider and shorter than the Envoy XL giving it better stability in cornering and more comfortable accommodations for third-row occupants. Yukon is conservatively styled. It looks like a shortened version of the Yukon XL which looks like a fancy Suburban which is what it is. Its arched roofline provides extra headroom for the second and third-row seats. The Denali is distinguished from the other Yukons by its aftermarket-inspired chrome grille. For 2004 the Denali also sports a chromed exhaust tip. Most Yukons come with a rear hatch which lifts up to open. The rear window can be opened separately for quick loading or unloading of smaller items. However Yukon SLE and SLT models offer old-fashioned side-by-side cargo doors as a delete option. Cargo doors are sometimes more useful particularly when towing trailers. INTERIOR:The Yukon is comfortable and convenient. Getting inside is easy thanks to pull-out style door handles that replace the old lift-up style openers. Step-in height is lower than in previous-generation models making it easier to climb into the driver's seat. The front seats were redesigned for 2003 but we have trouble getting comfortable at times. The Denali's leather upholstery looks and feels nice however. Also the shoulder harnesses fit well and are easy to wear because they are mounted on the seats. Visibility out of the Yukon is very good thanks to large windows. Second-row seating is roomy and comfortable. Second-row bucket seats are optional ($490) in SLT and Denali but not SLE. They offer excellent support and can be adjusted individually. We sometimes think they're more comfortable than the front seats. Yukon's optional third-row seat ($360-$760 depending on upholstery) provides space for adults' feet. It isn't a lot of space but it is there. The third row folds flips slides and removes easily. In fact whichever way you choose to stow the third row it's easy to do; it has wheels to help roll it into the garage for storage. Like most third rows it's best for kids or occasional use. Getting into and out of that third-row seat isn't easy for adults. If you're going to put big people back there on a regular basis we recommend the longer GMC Yukon XL. Up front all of the switchgear and ancillary controls are mounted close to the driver. Climate controls and audio controls are easy to use yet are quite sophisticated in their operation. We enjoyed the Bose nine-speaker stereo with subwoofer. Rather than embedding the antenna in a window for fashion reasons the Yukon uses an external antenna for improved radio reception. For 2004 OnStar and XM satellite radio share a single low-profile exterior antenna. The Panasonic DVD Passenger Entertainment System ($1295) includes a seven-inch flip-down screen for second-seat passengers; plus two sets of wireless (infrared) headphones with independent volume control a wireless remote control and three sets of auxiliary video and audio inputs. The wireless headphones are light and comfortable and the display offers a crisp picture. For 2004 the DVD player and sunroof are packaged together in the Sun Sound & Entertainment package. Safety is enhanced by dual-stage front airbags. Side-impact airbags are optional ($350) on SLE and SLT standard on SLT Plus and Denali. New for 2004 is a tire-pressure monitoring system which continuously checks inflation pressures in each of the four tires and flashes a graphic on the instrument cluster should air pressure in one of them drop below a specified level. DRIVING IMPRESSION:GMC Yukon offers a nice ride on asphalt and on dirt. On bumpy rural byways that make some SUVs feel like pogo sticks the Yukon rides with impressive smoothness. On smooth highways the Yukon cruises effortlessly. Handling is impressive and surefooted for a full-size SUV. Yukon is stable at high speed. It's much easier to park then the longer Yukon XL but it's still a full-size truck and not as maneuverable as a mid-size SUV such as the GMC Envoy or Ford Explorer. The Yukon is a truck. It comes with a live rear axle mounted on coil springs and located by five control links an arrangement which provides a good compromise between ride/handling and cargo-carrying utility. Its front suspension is conventional in design but uses torsion bars instead of coil springs to save space. Yukon's conventional ladder frame is fully boxed in the mid-section for maximum rigidity while the front and rear portions are shaped by the same hydroforming technique used to make Corvette frames. This rigid design is a key to the Yukon's excellent ride and handling. At the very front of the frame is a section designed to crush and absorb impacts in a crash. Yukon Denali's AutoRide computer-controlled suspension helps keep it level over bumps. This benefit is especially pronounced when towing; a trailer tends to cause the towing vehicle to rock back and forth when driving over bumps but the AutoRide system keeps the Denali amazingly smooth. The combinaVisit Mr. Care Auto online at www.mrcareautoin.com to see more pictures of this vehicle or calAir bags$COMMA frontal$COMMA driver and right front passenger$COMMA includes Passenger Sensing System (Always use safety belts and proper child restraints$COMMA even with air bags. Children are safer when properly secured in a rear seat. See the Owner's Manual for more safety information.),Air cleaner$COMMA high-capacity,Alternator$COMMA 145 amps,Armrests$COMMA driver and passenger doors$COMMA padded,Assist handles$COMMA front passenger and outboard 2nd row seats,Assist steps$COMMA color-keyed$COMMA with Black insert$COMMA mounted between front and rear wheels at bottom of rocker panel,Body$COMMA liftgate with liftglass$COMMA rear door system$COMMA includes rear-window wiper/ washer,Bumper$COMMA front$COMMA body-color,Bumper$COMMA rear$COMMA body-color step$COMMA includes pad,Coat hooks$COMMA driver and passenger side$COMMA rear seat and cargo area,Cooling$COMMA external engine oil cooler$COMMA heavy-duty air-to-oil$COMMA integral to driver side of radiator,Cruise control$COMMA electronic with set and resume speed$COMMA includes telltale in instrument panel cluster,Cupholders$COMMA driver and passenger side in 3rd row side trim,Cupholders$COMMA in front seating area,Cupholders$COMMA in rear of floor console,Daytime running lamps,Defogger$COMMA rear-window$COMMA electric,Door trim$COMMA lights on front doors$COMMA side reflectors on rear doors,Driver Information Center$COMMA monitors up to 31 different systems depending on vehicle equipment,Engine$COMMA Vortec 6000 V8 SFI (325 HP [242.1 kW] @ 5200 rpm$COMMA 365 lb.-ft. [492.8 N-m] @ 4000 rpm),Exhaust$COMMA aluminized stainless-steel muffler and tailpipe with chrome exhaust tip,Floor covering$COMMA color-keyed carpeting,Floormats$COMMA color-keyed$COMMA carpeted front and 2nd row$COMMA removable,Fog lamps$COMMA front$COMMA round$COMMA halogen,Glass$COMMA Solar-Ray deep tinted (all windows except light tinted glass on windshield$COMMA driver and front passenger),Grille$COMMA chrome surround,GVWR$COMMA 7000 lbs. (3175 kg),Headlamps$COMMA projector beam$COMMA includes flash-to-pass feature and automatic lamp control,Heater and defogger$COMMA includes front and side window defoggers$COMMA rear passenger heating ducts and heater$COMMA rear auxiliary,Instrumentation$COMMA analog$COMMA includes speedometer$COMMA odometer with trip odometer$COMMA fuel level$COMMA voltmeter$COMMA engine temperature$COMMA oil pressure$COMMA tachometer and transmission temperature,Mirror$COMMA inside rearview$COMMA electrochromic (light-sensitive auto-dimming)$COMMA 8-point compass$COMMA outside temperature indicator and right front passenger air bag status,Mirrors$COMMA outside rearview$COMMA power folding$COMMA power adjustable$COMMA heated$COMMA color- keyed$COMMA driver side electrochromic (light-sensitive auto dimming)$COMMA turn signal in glass$COMMA with ground illumination and curb-tilt,Pedals$COMMA power adjustable,Rear axle$COMMA 3.73 ratio,Recovery hooks$COMMA 2 front$COMMA frame-mounted,Sound system feature$COMMA Bose luxury speaker system$COMMA enhanced performance amplification$COMMA Audio Pilot noise reduction feature$COMMA 9 speakers including sub woofer,Sound system feature$COMMA XM Satellite Radio is 100 channels of digital quality sound that goes wherever you go - coast to coast. Displays song title$COMMA artist and entertainment genre. (Subscription fees apply. Available only in the 48 contiguous U.S.),StabiliTrak$COMMA vehicle stability enhancement system$COMMA includes threshold switch,Steering column$COMMA Tilt-Wheel$COMMA adjustable$COMMA includes brake/transmission shift interlock,Steering wheel$COMMA includes redundant audio and Driver Information Center controls$COMMA leather-wrapped$COMMA trim color,Steering$COMMA power,Storage bin$COMMA behind rear driver side quarter panel,Suspension$COMMA front$COMMA independent torsion bar$COMMA and stabilizer bar,Suspension$COMMA rear$COMMA multi-link with coil springs,Tire carrier$COMMA lockable$COMMA outside spare$COMMA winch-type mounted under frame at rear,Tire pressure monitor (does not apply to spare tire),Tire$COMMA spare$COMMA full-size$COMMA 16" (40.6 cm) steel wheel located at rear underbody of vehicle$COMMA blackwall,Tools$COMMA mechanical jack and wheel wrench and courtesy mat$COMMA stored in rear quarter trim,Trailering equipment$COMMA heavy-duty$COMMA includes trailering hitch platform$COMMA 7-wire harness (harness includes wires for: park lamps$COMMA backup lamps$COMMA right turn$COMMA left turn$COMMA electric brake lead$COMMA battery and ground) with independent fused trailering circuits mated to a 7-way sealed connector Also includes (K47) Air cleaner$COMMA high capacity and (KNP) Cooling$COMMA external transmission oil cooler.,Trailering wiring harness$COMMA 7-wire,Visors$COMMA padded$COMMA Shale-colored$COMMA driver and passenger side with cloth trim$COMMA extenders$COMMA illuminated vanity mirrors and corner storage pockets on back of visors,Warning tones$COMMA headlamp on$COMMA key-in-ignition$COMMA driver safety belt unfasten$COMMA turn signal on,Wheels$COMMA 4 - 17" x 7" (43.2 cm x 17.8 cm) cast aluminum$COMMA polished$COMMA includes steel spare,Windows$COMMA power$COMMA includes driver express-down and lockout features