The Yukon of today is a very well appointed cruiser. In fact, I am hard pressed to think of an option my tester didn't have. We're talking creature comforts and conveniences such as heated front seats, tri-zone auto-climate control, driver memory settings, a Bose sound system with a six-disc in dash CD player, plus a DVD rear seat entertainment system with remote control and wireless headphones. The list goes on and on. There is also more leather in the big XL than plodding around the pastures of the Triple M Ranch.
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| The Yukon XL can be packed with loads of creature comforts, including a Bose sound system, a DVD entertainment system, tri-zone climate control and acres of leather. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press) |
Beyond creature comforts, GMC's largest can be equipped with a variety of very impressive mechanical features including; Quadrasteer, Stabilitrak, AutoTrac, plus a trailering package and an off-road suspension package. These mechanical marvels require further description.
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| The XL can also be equipped with Quadrasteer, a rear wheel steering system that reduces turning diameter by 21%. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press) |
Quadrasteer is a fascinating technology. Voted Best New Technology in 2002 by the Automotive Journalist Association of Canada (AJAC), it essentially incorporates the rear-wheels into the steering function. At speeds below 65 km/h (40 mph), the rear-wheels turn in the opposite direction of the front-wheels. This effectively reduces the vehicle's turning diameter by 21%, enabling it to match that of a Honda Accord coupe and eclipse a Ford F150 pickup's radius by 332 centimeters (11 ft). Very impressive indeed!
At speeds above 65 km/h (40mph) the Quadrasteer system turns the rear-wheels in the same direction as the front-wheels. This enables lane changes that benefit from reduced rotational motion known as "yaw". The result is stable well-controlled high-speed lane changes, even in windy weather on wet roads.