2008 GMC Yukon Hybrid La Fayette GA

December 7, 2009   By Brian Alexander, Content Editor



2008 GMC Yukon Hybrid
DriverSide Overview
Poor GMC Yukon . Couple a national credit-crunch with the rising cost of oil and an increasingly smug national environmental awareness and suddenly the Yukon, once beloved by many suburban drivers, has become an obnoxious symbol of overconsumption. Thus, GM has moved to repair the party-crasher image of the Yukon by developing a hybrid version that boosts city fuel economy by 50 percent. While the roughly $14k premium you pay for the hybrid is pretty steep, if you’re in the market for a full-size SUV that delivers mid-size crossover fuel economy, it’s hard to argue against giving the Yukon Hybrid a look, especially if you need the towing capacity.








What's to Like
At 21-mpg city and 22-mpg highway fuel economy is a massive improvement over the standard model’s 14-mpg city and 19-mpg highway. A towing capacity of 6,000 lbs makes this one of the most fuel-efficient haulers available. Eight passenger seating is a convenient capability, should you ever need it.

What's Not to Like
This is a big car. So big, in fact, that it would be hard to justify the need for so much space, especially when equally efficient, slightly smaller competitors can be had for the same price. With a base MSRP of over $50k, this greener, more efficient Yukon doesn’t come cheap. The rear seats don’t fold flat and must be removed before the cargo space can be accessed.

The Drive:
DriverSide Driving Impressions
We’ve never driven an armored car, but we’d suspect the experience is similar to that of driving the Yukon, such is the sheer mass of the car. With an overall length of 202-inches and a curb weight of 5,270 lbs, the Yukon feels like a Sumo amongst children when driven in a big city. On the highway, the long wheelbase and soft suspension lend themselves to a smooth, comfortable drive. However, neither the 6.0-liter V-8 petrol engine nor the electric hybrid engine can hide the bulk of the car, though the gasoline engine driven by a slow-shifting four-speed transmission with its long ratios certainly deserves some of the blame.

Engine and Drivetrain
Being a hybrid, the Yukon is driven by both a 6.0-liter V-8 gasoline engine which produces 332 horsepower and 367 lb-ft of torque, as well as two 80 horsepower electric motors which reside within the transmission. Both rear-wheel and all-wheel drive models are available, and the power is driven through a combination of a four-speed automatic with the gasoline engine and a variable-ratio transmission with the electric motors. If it sounds confusing, it is.

Interesting Vehicle Features and Options
GM’s much-advertised OnStar system is included at no additional charge, and provides turn-by-turn audio navigation, vehicle diagnostics, remote unlock and hands-free calling. If you’re a visual person, digital screen navigatio...

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