2003 GMC Yukon XL Road Test

The Mothership of SUV's

Whether badged as a 'GMC Yukon XL' or 'Chevy Suburban', this trailer towing, family hauling champ has faithfully rolled along North American roads in one form or another since its debut way back in 1936. That's no minor feat! Not many vehicle makes can claim such a run of success.

Since its debut in 1936, the GMC Yukon has combined trailer pulling power with ample passenger room. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press)

I spent a week living with a 2003 GMC Yukon XL 2500 4WD SLT (a mouthful I know) and now I know why the Mother-of-all-SUVs has been so successful. It's a simple formula: combine passenger-hauling comfort with enormous trailer hauling capacity, throw in four-wheel drive plus strong reliability and endurance. Carefully assemble the mix in either Janesville Wisconsin or Arlington Texas and what'll you get? You'll get mass appeal and high sales figures, year after year.

While just about every manufacturer has an SUV, few match the size and towing power of the Yukon XL. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press)

According to GMC, "The Yukon and Yukon XL are for active families or individuals who need to carry both people and cargo. Two thirds of the buyers have professional or white-collar occupations. Purchase reasons include vehicle quality and reliability, as well as trailering ability and interior roominess". That is a very large market segment. Although many manufacturers are now offering an SUV of some description, not many manufacturers offer a unit the size of the Yukon XL and none in its class offer the trailer towing capacity of the Yukon XL, period.

Yukons are divided among two sizes: the regular Yukon and my XL tester. The latter is 520 mm (20.0 in) longer than the standard Yukon, is available with seating for nine rather than six passengers and easily swallows loads of gear in its 3,729 liters (131.7 cu ft) of cargo space.