GMC Yukon Adding An Extra Rung to the Trim Ladder

Steph Willems
by Steph Willems

No, there’s no Denali Light model in the works, but there will be a new choice for buyers seeking a low-end GMC Yukon or Yukon XL. General Motors’ truck-only division apparently has a mid-year addition planned for the body-on-frame SUV that effectively creates a one-up-from-base trim.

To bastardize an old Dodge slogan — if you can handle less content at a lower MSRP, you could be Yukon material.

The new trim level sits solidly in the middle of the $8,100 gap between the entry level SLE and mid-level SLT. According to CarsDirect, order guides show the SLT Standard Edition carries an after-delivery price of $55,695 — a healthy move up from the SLE’s $50,395 MSRP, but a marked decrease from the SLT’s $58,495 sticker. Interestingly, a long-wheelbase Yukon XL in this new trim rings in at $100 less than a regular-length Yukon SLT.

If you’re a buyer who ranks seating and size over standard content, this model could be your new daydream material.

Naturally, the SLT Standard Edition carries over the same 5.3-liter V8 and six-speed automatic transmission seen in both the SLE and SLT, but certain creature comforts stage a disappearing act to warrant the lower price. Among those vanished goodies are a proximity key and push-button ignition, heated steering wheel and rear seats, folding side mirrors with turn signal indicators, front-seat ventilation, four-way lumbar adjustment (two-way becomes the standard), and a hands-free power liftgate.

One missing safety feature — which some buyers wouldn’t go without — is blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert. As well, adaptive cruise control is no longer an option.

CarsDirect notes that the most obvious market for the new Yukon trim is would-be Chevrolet Tahoe LT buyers. While moving up to a Yukon SLT Standard Edition from the lesser Chevy sets you back an extra $1,800, you’ll still gain added features in the process.

[Image: General Motors]

Steph Willems
Steph Willems

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  • DEVILLE88 DEVILLE88 on Apr 18, 2018

    This is pathetic, it's the same thing Pontiac was doing or trying to do. GMC is fine where it is trying to f#$k with Chevy will not end well for GMC. besides i'll take a suburban any day.

  • Buickman Buickman on Apr 19, 2018

    good idea.

  • Oberkanone My grid hurts!Good luck with installing charger locations at leased locations with aging infrastructure. Perhaps USPS would have better start modernizing it's Post offices to meet future needs. Of course, USPS has no money for anything.
  • Dukeisduke If it's going to be a turbo 4-cylinder like the new Tacoma, I'll pass.BTW, I see lots of Tacomas on the road (mine is a 2013), but I haven't seen any 4th-gen trucks yet.
  • Oberkanone Expect 4Runner to combine best aspects of new Land Cruiser and new Tacoma and this is what I expect from 2025 4Runner.Toyota is REALLY on it's best game recently. Tacoma and Land Cruiser are examples of this.
  • ArialATOMV8 All I hope is that the 4Runner stays rugged and reliable.
  • Arthur Dailey Good. Whatever upsets the Chinese government is fine with me. And yes they are probably monitoring this thread/site.
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