Jump to content

2015i Yukon Denali Road Trip Report


Recommended Posts

I thought I'd write a few words about my most recent drive from Toronto, Canada to Southwest Florida. 2,350km [1,460 miles] each way. I've being doing this drive annually for many years now and this is the first in my 2015i Yukon Denali [shorty or non XL]. Trips like this were one of the reasons why my wife and I chose the Yukon and with nearly 20,000km [12,000 miles] on the odometer, this was it's first big trip. We've had the Yukon for nearly a year and it replaced a 2011 Buick Enclave CXL FWD which replaced a 2007 Chrysler Pacifica with a 4.0L.


First, the interior. My Yukon was ordered with a 2nd row bench seat which provides 2:3:3 seating. With 3 kids 12 and under, this means we maximize the cargo space for our four legged one and our gear. Our Buick had 2nd row captain chairs (2:2:3) which meant that we lost a significant portion of cargo space because we always had to use part of the 3rd row. Minimizing the 3rd row use was also good for the non-XL Yukon as it has nearly 12" of less legroom than the Enclave's 3rd row. Interestingly, the Buick Enclave also has 20 cubic feet more cargo volume than the Yukon [non XL]. I also used a Thule roof mounted cargo box for transporting other essentials such as golf clubs, fishing rods and numerous other things. It's like another trunk and get's used for skiis too.


With respect to interior seating and room, the Yukon was very comfortable for all 5. I was concerned that the firmer Denali seats would be too firm on long trips, but I was never sore or fatigued. Only one car I've driven to Florida had more comfortable seats - a BMW 745i, but we're no longer comparing apples to apples. There are few vehicles with as much interior head room, shoulder room and leg room as the Yukon. Excellent comfort for all and if we didn't have the cargo area jammed, my kids would have enjoyed the reclining 2nd row backrest. Once unpacked in Florida, the 3rd row seats were put to use to accommodate 2 more passengers while we were there. Both grandma and the kids found it easy to get in and out of the vehicle using the power folding seats. The 3rd row was surprisingly usable and was used for trips less than 2 hours in duration without complaint. Everyone could hear each other at all speeds without shouting and there was good airflow.


One significant difference I immediately noticed was how much better the Yukon handles weight. 5 people, full of cargo with a full cargo box on the roof. The Enclave felt sluggish. It rolled more around every turn. Braking felt like dramatic dives. It felt much heavier, almost too heavy. In the Yukon, the extra weight couldn't be noticed. It really made zero difference and it handled pretty much the same as it always does. From emergency stops, acceleration to sweeping corners - the Yukon always said "pfft - what weight?!?"


Fuel economy was in my opinion, fantastic. In fact, the Yukon Denali [equipped with an 8 speed automatic transmission] consumed less gas than the Buick did using the same route with the same cargo box mounted and roughly the same cargo weight. That's impressive, even though the Denali drinks premium fuel and the Enclave consumes regular. In total, the whole trip racked up 5,583km [3,469 miles], averaging 12.4L/100km [19mpg] and an average speed of 91km/h [57mph]. This included 12 days of mostly city driving and a couple of day trips. I should also note that the entire trip was with BF Goodrich K02 All Terrain tires which are 15lbs heavier per tire (!) than the Continentals they replaced. I would expect that P-spec tires would result in better fuel economy, but having the snow rated tires near the Great Lakes and through the Appalachian Mountains in March is more important to me. The KO2s would also handle the Florida heat better than a dedicated snow tire. The entire trip was in 2WD and all figures were from the on board computer, not calculated. The "fuel consumed" figure has consistently been accurate compared to gas station fills. I'll also note that the fuel tank size is great - far outlasting any of our bladders!


Overall, the Yukon Denali delivered on it's first long road trip. It was a joy to drive. The 6.2L provided excellent passing power. The 8 speed transmission didn't skip a beat. At 140km/h [86mph], the engine was turning just under 2,000 rpm and mountains were handled with ease. I found the suspension to be perfect. Firm enough for on/off ramps, soft enough to make rough surfaces smooth. The lane departure warning system and blind spot detector worked like a charm and are great features.


My only "negative" experience was when driving at highway speeds over larger bumps, expansion joints or potholes. The Yukon felt as if it were 'crashing' over it and it would very temporarily upset the chassis. I recall a similar experience from my f-body [had 3 Firebirds] and chalk it up to a live rear axle and the fact that this is a BoF truck.


I will also note this trip was taken *after* my dealership repaired the booming, buffeting and vibrating that can be read about in other threads. None of those issues resurfaced on the trip and it's remained quiet.


While I was in Florida, a few small mods were in order. I removed the chrome strips off the doors [Denali lettering was removed a while ago], installed 6K LED fog light bulbs [what a difference!] and 6K LED license plate bulbs. [i had already replaced the reverse bulbs with LED]. Next is to remove the chrome plate on the hatch door and I'm keeping an eye on those CAI kits for when the Canadian dollar improves...


Attached are a few pics. I hope this helps anyone considering a K2XX SUV as their next vehicle.


post-139332-0-08010500-1459803166_thumb.jpg

post-139332-0-33795600-1459803167_thumb.jpg

post-139332-0-59277600-1459803168_thumb.jpg

post-139332-0-16394300-1459803170_thumb.jpg

post-139332-0-08010500-1459803166_thumb.jpg

post-139332-0-33795600-1459803167_thumb.jpg

post-139332-0-59277600-1459803168_thumb.jpg

post-139332-0-16394300-1459803170_thumb.jpg

post-139332-0-08010500-1459803166_thumb.jpg

post-139332-0-33795600-1459803167_thumb.jpg

post-139332-0-59277600-1459803168_thumb.jpg

post-139332-0-16394300-1459803170_thumb.jpg

post-139332-0-08010500-1459803166_thumb.jpg

post-139332-0-33795600-1459803167_thumb.jpg

post-139332-0-59277600-1459803168_thumb.jpg

post-139332-0-16394300-1459803170_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for posting. We have some trips planned w/ the new Denali XL and cant wait. I bet those tires cost you 1-2 MPG. I will be thrilled with 19 mpg for such a large truck.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks @Daryl.

 

@seamus: There have been a handful of times I wished we got the XL instead of the shorty. Having briefly driven a Suburban, I will admit that it's easier to park in a urban/suburban environment. You folks in FL [and other states] are spoiled with properly sized parking spots!

 

@gmtech: The booming was resolved by welding 6 dampers on the exhaust system. The vibrating was resolved with full rear axle replacement [rotor to rotor, pinion and all]. The buffeting was resolved by replacing/balancing tires to less than 12lbs RF each. 6 Continentals were replaced! I re-introduced the buffeting when I put my KO2s on and made it disappear again by replacing two and balancing them to 12lbs RF or better.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We have done that drive many times and the last was with my truck. It was an awesome drive in the Sierra, the Yukon must have been silky smooth.

Sent from Windows Phone.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks @Daryl.

 

@seamus: There have been a handful of times I wished we got the XL instead of the shorty. Having briefly driven a Suburban, I will admit that it's easier to park in a urban/suburban environment. You folks in FL [and other states] are spoiled with properly sized parking spots!

 

@gmtech: The booming was resolved by welding 6 dampers on the exhaust system. The vibrating was resolved with full rear axle replacement [rotor to rotor, pinion and all]. The buffeting was resolved by replacing/balancing tires to less than 12lbs RF each. 6 Continentals were replaced! I re-introduced the buffeting when I put my KO2s on and made it disappear again by replacing two and balancing them to 12lbs RF or better.

 

LOL yes it is a pleasure here in Florida where it is easy to be a car guy!! I lived most of my life in NYC and owning a Denali XL would have been extremely frustrating!! LOL Would have never considered it there!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Well I took my first real road trip towing my Zo6 up to Virginia from Florida w/ and open trailer. I too have been getting 19 mpg pretty easily on the highway here in Florida, pretty flat and straight. But towing up north my expectations based on similar trucks in the past were a little struggle and 10-12 mpg. Well was I dead wrong! This 6.2 and 8 speed is the bomb! Suspension was fantastic, leveled the rear, and pulled very easily. I was very impressed. Was towing about 6000 lbs. At 72-75 I was 14.9 mpg most of the way hitting 15.0!!!! The nice thing about the 8 speed is to pass or speed up you don't have to floor it like the 6 speed. It just drops to 6th or 7th gear and moves along nicely. I eventually got comfortable and started speeding up which had me at 14.3 mpg. Towing!!!! This truck just checked all the boxes! LOL Very impressed so far. Yes there are several little issues, drivers seat rock, piece of trim coming off door, steering wheel shaft has a little clunk, but overall this truck does a lot very well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

FogDucker, your comment about "firmer Denali seats" caught my attention. Did you mean firmer than your previous vehicle or firmer than a non-Denali Yukon?

 

I ask because I have been shopping for a Yukon. When sitting in the Denali I could swear the seats were firmer than the SLT. The salesperson swears the seats are the same and one just felt softer as it had "broken in" since that vehicle had about 500 miles on it.

 

I have not found anything in writing about seats being different in SLT vs Denali other than maybe the Denali name. Anyone know?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

FogDucker, your comment about "firmer Denali seats" caught my attention. Did you mean firmer than your previous vehicle or firmer than a non-Denali Yukon?

 

I ask because I have been shopping for a Yukon. When sitting in the Denali I could swear the seats were firmer than the SLT. The salesperson swears the seats are the same and one just felt softer as it had "broken in" since that vehicle had about 500 miles on it.

 

I have not found anything in writing about seats being different in SLT vs Denali other than maybe the Denali name. Anyone know?

I was comparing it to my previous vehicle, a Buick Enclave. I'm not sure if there are any differences between the slt and Denali seats.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.



×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.