Short Take Road Test
Everybody on the street knows when a Cadillac Escalade rumbles by: It's what hoop dreams are made of, what rap artists aspire to. Why don't folks feel that way about the GMC Yukon Denali? It was the Denali that GM favored by introducing it first, back in 1998. But it has always stood in the Escalade's shadow-a few thousand dollars cheaper, with 10 to 20 fewer horses and none of the Cadillac truck's notoriety-even though mostly superficial differences separate them.
For 2007 comes an even more Escalade-like Denali, with a shared 6.2-liter V-8 and six-speed, that should nonetheless continue to take a corporate-designated second place.
This new powertrain is, for now, exclusive to Denali and Escalade models, but we expect the six-speed will eventually make its way down-market. That drivetrain is also the Denali's biggest difference among lesser Yukons, since all of GM's full-size SUVs benefit from a stiffer chassis, improved fit and finish, much enhanced interiors, and upgraded road manners.
The bored-out all-aluminum 6.2-liter engine sports variable cam timing and makes 380 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque (a seemingly random 23 horsepower and two pound-feet shy of the '07 Escalade), and the 6L80 six-speed is a simplified transmission design-GM's first "clutch to clutch"-which is roughly the same size as the old four-speed unit. In practice, it almost always serves up smooth shifts and is happy to kick down two or three ratios when prodded. Our only complaint is that the tranny won't hold gears in either trailer-towing or manu-matic mode, which means those functions can't be used to prevent a shift while towing up a slight grade, for example. Speaking of towing, the Denali's rating of 7400 pounds is oddly lower than that of the outgoing model and the lesser 5.3-liter four-wheel-drive Yukons.
The full-time 40/60-split all-wheel drive is basically unchanged (a rear-drive model comes later). Give the Denali the boot and the front wheels squawk as they claw for traction on the way to a mighty 6.2-second 0-to-60 dash and 15.0-second quarter-mile time, besting the last-gen Escalade by 1.6 and 1.0 seconds, respectively. These stats would also lay low competitors such as the Lincoln Navigator and Infiniti QX56.
Even with an increase of 45 horsepower and 40 pound-feet over the previous Denali, the 2007 model manages the same 13-mpg city rating and betters the highway number by 2 mpg to 19. We were surprised to attain 20 mpg on highway stretches, even at near-80-mph speeds. But in the real world of traffic jams and stoplights, we averaged 12 mpg-not exactly barroom bragging material.
Visually, the Denali adds a few chrome pieces, including a mesh grille, door handles, and roof rails. It also comes with a collection of standard equipment such as a power liftgate, Bose sound system, remote starter, Nuance leather seats, and 18-inch wheels (our tester had the optional 20s). When it comes to luxury, however, the Denali stops short of the Escalade; it doesn't have a differentiated interior design with soft-touch plastics or white-LED backlighting for the gauges.
Still, the best thing about GM's new SUVs is their driving behavior. Autoride (two-position automatically adjusting dampers) is still the Denali's suspension of choice, and over a stretch of rough pavement this 5610-pound brute feels impossibly solid and composed and, at the same time, comfortably compliant. Driver inputs funnel through pleasantly weighted steering, which feels more precise than that of most other large SUVs, and an excellent firm brake pedal, even though stops from 70 mph are about average at 187 feet.
The Denali's price has dropped $2070 to $47,990, a compelling $9000 less than an Escalade. But with standard second-row buckets, it holds just four adults (only small kids will fit in back, unlike in the Navigator). This strikes us as a rather expensive family hauler, especially considering that its value typically plummets about $20,000 in the first two years. But we never understood the surge of SUV sales, so what do we know? Your 50 grand buys this hugely improved, unhyped 90-percent Escalade.
