2007 GMC Yukon Denali

2007 GMC Yukon Denali - 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.

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.

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.

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 ex-pen-sive family hauler, especially considering that its value typically plummets about $20,000 in the first two years.