There are some people who don’t believe in downsizing. For them, bigger is better, and you won’t convince them to trade-in their full-size SUV for something smaller, something more environmentally-friendly. Forget it. Won’t happen.
GM has a solution for that. These rebels can now enjoy the thrills and chills of a mammoth SUV, but with the fuel economy and CO2 emissions of a compact. Or close to it. A hybrid version of the Yukon Denali is now available, which means you can spend even more on a guilt-free SUV.
The hybridization of the Denali means downgrading from a 6.2-litre V8 that develops 403 horsepower to a 6.0-litre V8 with Active Fuel Management (cylinder-deactivation for you and me), a start/stop system, a battery pack and two electric motors. The 6-speed auto is ditched in favour of an electronically-controlled 4-speed automatic. Total output? 332 horsepower and 367 pound-feet or torque.
Less muscle, yes, but no cause for a panic; 0 to 100 km/h takes 9.0 seconds, which is still pretty good for a 6,200-pound (2,800-kg) truck. The hybrid version of the Yukon pretty much drives like a regular model, which is just fine if you want to suffer less guilt without having to drive something that feels unconventional.
As for fuel economy, you can expect an average of around 12 L/100 km, which is what we observed during our short test drive. That’s about what a GMC Terrain with a V6 engine will do, and at least 3 L/100 km less than what a normal Yukon Denali would achieve. According to the published fuel ratings, The Hybrid consumes 36% less fuel around town compared to the conventional Denali (fuel numbers have been revised for 2011, and it’s now 32% less).
One area where the hybrid model’s versatility diminishes is regarding towing capacity; it can pull up to 6,000 pounds (2,722 kg), while a regular Denali can tow 8,100 pounds.
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| With those green hybrid logos, you can drive a well-equipped Yukon Denali without all the guilt of being environmentally irresponsible. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com) |
GM has a solution for that. These rebels can now enjoy the thrills and chills of a mammoth SUV, but with the fuel economy and CO2 emissions of a compact. Or close to it. A hybrid version of the Yukon Denali is now available, which means you can spend even more on a guilt-free SUV.
The hybridization of the Denali means downgrading from a 6.2-litre V8 that develops 403 horsepower to a 6.0-litre V8 with Active Fuel Management (cylinder-deactivation for you and me), a start/stop system, a battery pack and two electric motors. The 6-speed auto is ditched in favour of an electronically-controlled 4-speed automatic. Total output? 332 horsepower and 367 pound-feet or torque.
Less muscle, yes, but no cause for a panic; 0 to 100 km/h takes 9.0 seconds, which is still pretty good for a 6,200-pound (2,800-kg) truck. The hybrid version of the Yukon pretty much drives like a regular model, which is just fine if you want to suffer less guilt without having to drive something that feels unconventional.
As for fuel economy, you can expect an average of around 12 L/100 km, which is what we observed during our short test drive. That’s about what a GMC Terrain with a V6 engine will do, and at least 3 L/100 km less than what a normal Yukon Denali would achieve. According to the published fuel ratings, The Hybrid consumes 36% less fuel around town compared to the conventional Denali (fuel numbers have been revised for 2011, and it’s now 32% less).
One area where the hybrid model’s versatility diminishes is regarding towing capacity; it can pull up to 6,000 pounds (2,722 kg), while a regular Denali can tow 8,100 pounds.
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| Our fuel economy average is 12 L/100 km, which is pretty good for a full-size SUV. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com) |