Boating World

GMC Yukon XL

Like all GMC trucks, it comes from a working line, and its heritage is clearly evident when you step on the gas and feel the Vortec 6000 6.0L V8 with a full 300 hp and 355 pounds per foot of torque that will get you over just about any obstacle.

February 1, 2004

Max Tow Capacity: 10,500 lbs.
Wheelbase: 130"
Standard Brakes: 4 wheel disc with 4-wheel anti-lock
Fuel Economy: n/a
Max Payload: 3,153 lbs.
Final Gear Ratio: 3.07:1
Price Range: $36,696-$39,658
Powertrain Warranty: 6 years/100,000 miles
Engine: 300-hp, 6.0L V8
Special Features: Automatic 4-wheel drive when needed, 6-way power driver and passenger front seats, front seat side impact air bags, CD player, side impact bars, Limp Home mode for overheating.


The GMC Yukon XL is making quite a name for itself. Like all GMC trucks, it comes from a working line, and its heritage is clearly evident when you step on the gas and feel the Vortec 6000 6.0L V8 with a full 300 hp and 355 pounds per foot of torque that will get you over just about any obstacle. That powerplant also gives the Yukon XL the ability to tow just about anything this side of a house, with a maximum towing capacity of 10,500 pounds. That's more than five tons.

The Yukon XL holds a lot, too. With three rows of seats, you can easily fit eight people inside (two front buckets, three in the 60/40 split second bench and three in the folding rear bench), and if they're little people, you can even get nine in there and still be within the Yukon's maximum passenger rating. An optional seating arrangement that gives you two rows of bucket seats and a folding rear bench is a surpris-ingly comfortable choice that's highly recommended. Admittedly, this cuts into your storage capacity a bit, but the Yukon XL is so big that there's still room to carry a month's worth of gear.

2000-GMC-Yukon-XLYou'll never run out of plush ride, either. With heated leather seats that seem to have been swiped from the La-Z-Boy factory, 40.7 inches of front seat headroom (the rear seat headroom/legroom is an expansive 39.0/39.1 inches) and a nine-speaker stereo that will easily overwhelm the moderate road noise from the 16-inch tires, the Yukon is a cruiser deluxe.