2013 GMC Yukon Hybrid SUV

The Yukon adds two things for 2013: available champagne silver metallic paint and automatic downhill engine braking.

The GMC Yukon is an old-fashioned sport-utility that’s built on the same rugged platform as the Sierra pickup, and yet it has all the conveniences of a modern vehicle. The Yukon delivers serious towing and hauling ability, seating for up to nine, and a handsome, boxy look that reminds other drivers that you’re doing important work, even on your morning commute. The Yukon is available with 5.3- and 6.2-liter gasoline V-8 engines, the latter of which has enough muscle to tow 8500 pounds but is not exactly a fuel sipper. A third option, a 6.0-liter V-8/electric-hybrid powerplant aimed at improving fuel economy, is also available. Although it doesn’t add anything in the way of hauling or towing capacity, it does return an extra 3 to 6 mpg. That might not sound like much, but it figures out to a twenty-percent increase, which isn’t bad for such a large vehicle. Third-row bench seats are standard on all models, and the first and second rows can be configured to seat either two or three people. The stylish Denali model offers a host of luxury-car equipment, including a blind-spot-detection system; a heated, power-adjustable steering wheel; twenty-inch wheels; ultrasonic rear parking assist; a remote start system; and an auto-dimming rearview mirror.