GMC Yukon XL SUV-2015

PREVIEW

You'd think the end times might be near for hulking full-size SUVs like the 2015 GMC Yukon XL, but you'd be wrong. For drivers who need room for big families and the ability to tow big toys, the Yukon XL, like its Chevrolet Suburban counterpart, is still a premier alpha SUV.

For 2015, GMC has fully redesigned the Yukon XL. The big SUV will still ride on a traditional body-on-frame architecture, this one based around the structure of the new GMC Sierra. The Yukon XL also lifts Sierra styling cues, including a new grille, full-width bumper and sculpted sides and fenders for a more modern, even aerodynamic look.

More importantly, GMC will endow the base Yukon XL with a new 5.3-liter V8 featuring direct injection and cylinder deactivation for better power and efficiency. The new V8 delivers 355 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque through a six-speed automatic transmission equipped with a tow/haul mode and automatic grade braking function. The Yukon XL Denali model, meanwhile, gets a new 6.2-liter V8 making 420 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque. The Yukon XL is rated to tow up to 8,300 pounds.

A diet of extensive aluminum and high-strength steel helped shed around 250 pounds from the new Sierra, but the Yukon XL's weight loss is more modest. An aluminum hood and liftgate panels help trim some flab, although new features and technologies negate some of the gains. Among them: a power liftgate, a standard center airbag between the driver and passenger, active cruise control, blind-spot warning, forward collision alert, lane departure warning and, on Denali models, an adaptive suspension.

Upgraded upholstery quality, improved dash and door panels, an 8-inch touchscreen display and GMC's IntelliLink smartphone integration align the new Yukon XL interior with the classy offerings of Ford and Toyota competitors. The Yukon XL also finally gets third-row seats that fold into the floor. This convenience -- past XLs required the removal of the third seat for maximum cargo space -- comes at a cost, however: 16 cubic feet of cargo capacity are lost, leaving 121.1 cubes to work with when the second row is folded flat.

The 2015 GMC Yukon XL should be available next summer with a base price around $45,000. Check back for a full review of the 2015 Yukon XL, including specs, driving impressions and buying advice as it becomes available.