GMC Yukon Adding An Extra Rung to the Trim Ladder

No, there’s no Denali Light model in the works, but there will be a new choice for buyers seeking a low-end GMC Yukon or Yukon XL. General Motors’ truck-only division apparently has a mid-year addition planned for the body-on-frame SUV that effectively creates a one-up-from-base trim.

To bastardize an old Dodge slogan — if you can handle less content at a lower MSRP, you could be Yukon material.

The new trim level sits solidly in the middle of the $8,100 gap between the entry level SLE and mid-level SLT. According to CarsDirect, order guides show the SLT Standard Edition carries an after-delivery price of $55,695 — a healthy move up from the SLE’s $50,395 MSRP, but a marked decrease from the SLT’s $58,495 sticker. Interestingly, a long-wheelbase Yukon XL in this new trim rings in at $100 less than a regular-length Yukon SLT.

If you’re a buyer who ranks seating and size over standard content, this model could be your new daydream material.

Naturally, the SLT Standard Edition carries over the same 5.3-liter V8 and six-speed automatic transmission seen in both the SLE and SLT, but certain creature comforts stage a disappearing act to warrant the lower price. Among those vanished goodies are a proximity key and push-button ignition, heated steering wheel and rear seats, folding side mirrors with turn signal indicators, front-seat ventilation, four-way lumbar adjustment (two-way becomes the standard), and a hands-free power liftgate.

One missing safety feature — which some buyers wouldn’t go without — is blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert. As well, adaptive cruise control is no longer an option.

CarsDirect notes that the most obvious market for the new Yukon trim is would-be Chevrolet Tahoe LT buyers. While moving up to a Yukon SLT Standard Edition from the lesser Chevy sets you back an extra $1,800, you’ll still gain added features in the process.

[Image: General Motors]