2007 GMC Yukon: Still Too Much?

I realize I may be stepping on some toes, but please hear me out. The upcoming, new from the ground up, GMC Yukon is certain to be perceived by some as being too much…in size, that is. With fuel prices at an all time high and consumer sentiment shifting to smaller vehicles will the GMC Yukon be considered outdated even before it hits showroom floors in Spring 2006? Let’s take a look at many of the changes planned for the all new Yukon and then you can decide for yourself.

General Motors has been itching to release the Yukon and a host of other full sized GMC/Chevrolet models to the public as soon as possible. Some find this odd, particularly since fuel prices are high and demand for large vehicles is on the decline. Still, there is good reason why GM wants you to take a closer look at upcoming offerings including the 2007 GMC Yukon, their big SUV:

New from the ground up. Ask anyone who purchases large trucks and SUVs and they will tell you that owning one with the latest technology is often a deciding factor in purchasing a new model. GM is right on schedule with the update; however as with any “older model” vehicle currently on the market sales typically decline as a new model is prepared for release.
Engine efficiency. The 2007 Yukon’s two V8s will produce greater horsepower than the previous engines, but they will register an increase in fuel economy. How so? General Motors is incorporating Displacement on Demand technology, which deactivates some of the cylinders at low loads for increased fuel economy. You may recall a more basic version of this technology being applied to Cadillac models in the early 1980s; that particular V8-6-4 technology was ahead of its time and GM had to pull it back then as the engines did not do what was intended for them to do. Now, more than a generation later, General Motors has worked out all the kinks and has vastly improved on the original idea.
Safety. Roof mounted side curtain air bags will now be made available for all three rows of passengers. GM has been on a major offensive over the past half decade or more in stressing safety, a big seller for any vehicle. A better ABS system and StabiliTrak, GM’s premier handling system, will also be included.
Technological improvements. Rear camera systems, power fold and tumble rear seats, and an improved navigation system are some of the updates. The interior of the 2007 Yukon is actually larger than preceding models.
While General Motors can only wish that fuel prices were lower, the company is hoping that each of their new models can take a greater slice of the shrinking big truck/SUV pie. With new models from Ford still a year or two away, the Yukon is poised to cut into Expedition sales as well as take back sales lost to Lexus. Even with high fuel prices in place, there will likely always be a core market of people who need a vehicle of the Yukon’s size; General Motors knows this and has updated their line of vehicles to keep pace.

By Matthew Keegan.

Visit the Blog about raleigh gmc

In-Depth Automotive Review - 2008 GMC Acadia - Test Drive & Pricing

In this review, we take a close look at GMC's newest SUV choice on the market. The 2008 GMC Acadia joins a small list of other models that share most of the internal platform engineering including the Saturn Outlook, Buick Enclave, and soon the Chevrolet Traverse. Upon closer inspection, the Acadia seemed like a logical choice in a market that has revolved around gasoline management. By no means does this new GMC make economical benchmarks in its class, but makes a valid argument that it is a great alternative to the "big" sport utility vehicle. In the following, I will discuss fit and finish, ease of use, and take into account some pricing ideas to further educate the consumer.

First and foremost, the new Acadia looks right good size. I would personally like to think it is Suburban like in size compared to other mid-sizers. The body was clean, very effective use of materials and was free of any enormous quality issues. GMC implemented some great use of automotive safety technology, GMC upfitted the Acadia with bright projector beam headlights, led taillights, an engineered low center of gravity (for ease of ingress/egress and less body roll), and ultra-sonic rear park assist. Also coming to the party, this new suv was available in front wheel drive or on-demand AWD for the snow/rain travelers. In turn, the Acadia achieved it's mission in keeping with the tough "professional grade" look while keeping a revolutionary modern look.

The Acadia is "three rows of seats" business, so getting to the third row might take some smart ingenuity to win over a lot of families. So, the second row on either side, collapses forward into a very ingenious way so that the seat takes up very little room possible. My 6' tall self got back there very easy, and the seats were polite on the body, the floor was flat, no knee into chest action here too. The "Black Tie Audio" instrument stack was clean, and very well easy to get the hang of. The front captains chairs were great, no problem on those long trips with lots of support for the back and thighs. My test subject also had a couple of smart devices, like MP3 audio jack for ipods, XM Radio, Bose Primo Sound, and Touch Screen Navigation. Resulting in a mobile swiss army knife of fun and functionality, it was lacking very little.

My 2008 Acadia was a fully loaded SLT AWD with all the cake and cookies. So finding all the potential warts was easy knowing that had the prime trim. The standard six speed transmission is wonderful, does the job without having all the long high revving action normally a trait of the four speed. On the other hand, the only available V6 powertrain was all turkey and chickens, very sluggish for such a big SUV. I believe a V8 is on the way, but it should have already been an option, to further appeal to the power hungry. I also didn't care for the front wheel drive action, making the u-turns were somewhat of a bear, three lanes was the minimum roundabout. Hence, the GMC could of improved on a couple areas to make it more of a sell to the Suburban/Expedition EL crowd pleaser.

So what does the new Acadia price at, and what additions do you receive for the money? Base 2wd SLE models come in at just a tad over $30k, while the high end SLT's strike as high as $45,000. And expect anywhere from $2,000-3,500 between invoice and MSRP (depends on trim) when you do some negotiating. What protects you in addition? Well, standard is a 5yr/100k mi powertrain warranty, a year of Onstar telematics, and a 100k mi tuneup interval all inclusive to make a higher price justifiable. And so at this price bracket, the Acadia is market competitive. But, I would first look at models like the Mazda CX-9 or maybe even the Honda Pilot to save some cash. Each of those vehicles offer three rows of seating as well. In conclusion, the GMC Acadia is an obvious improvement from the aged Envoy, it should will have no problem finding a niche in its class.

By Shaun Patrick Davidson.