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]
Damn, no Canyonero Edition.
I’d love to slap Canyonero badges on a end of production Grand Wagoneer. (That was what the commercial always made me think of.)
Ummmmmmmmm so a naked attempt to steal customers from the Chevy dealer across town?
this is dumb. history repeating.
Put “value premium” buyers into certified off-lease Denalis to help keep residuals up. Or let the Chevy dealers have them. especially given the dominance of multi-channel/multi-location dealership groups.
As I’ve said before most of GMs cannibalization problems could have been solved by having only “GM Dealers” that sold every GM brand. GMC wouldn’t be clamoring for vehicles at a certain price point, Buick wouldn’t worry about cars cheap enough for a certain level of buyer etc…
How about just selling them all as GM’s and stop the madness entirely? GM cars and GMC trucks, and Chevy, Buick, and Cadillac can all take a powder. Stop wasting money making and supporting different versions of the same thing.
Coming to used car ads in 5 years: “Loaded up SLT!”
*priced like used SLT
*sold as SLT
*Actually SLT Standard Edition, for poors
Go build a Sierra SLE online and see how many “Special Value Packages” and “Editions” there are. The mind boggles and so many options can get ladled on you start to question the point of trim levels period.
I’ll stick with P.E.P. 134A, thank you very much.
Five years? Nah… Much sooner. One year. The poors will have realized they can’t swing the payments for the 84 months, and they’ll be looking to unload these for something lesser, hopelessly upside down, and buying a sketchy-looking Trailblazer EXT approaching 200,000 miles.
Why blind spot monitoring and cross traffic alert isn’t standard equipment on any vehicle over $20,000 is beyond me.
Why stop there? Bluetooth would also help the driver be more alert. DRLs (front and rear) still aren’t universally applied. There are several other older (than the two you mentioned) tech items which would seem standard by now.
When you say standard equipment, what is your perception on how things become standard?
Gad! I hate to say this but if that’s the trim level, it looks like a hearse.
I’ve always wondered why the chrome trim around the front two rows of windows but not around the rear windows of these things. It’s like 2-3 different committees designed them.
No matter how much you pay for this thing, you will still be treated like any other Chevy buyer at the dealer.
kinda the GMC Yukon Virage
This is pathetic, it’s the same thing Pontiac was doing or trying to do. GMC is fine where it is trying to f#$k with Chevy will not end well for GMC. besides i’ll take a suburban any day.
good idea.