Regardless of whether a big, hulking SUV is car- or truck-based, not all of them are created equal. As we found out during our time with the 2019 GMC Yukon Graphite Performance Edition, size doesn’t always equal exceptional practicality. Family-friendliness also extends beyond a vehicle’s ability to carry people and their equipment; its ability to entertain, keep devices charged, and coddle passengers are also important factors.
Premium Pricing, Mass Market Feel
Step inside the 2019 GMC Yukon, and you’ll find that its price tag doesn’t translate to the quality of its interior. Despite the soft surfaces near touchpoints, the ambiance inside the Yukon’s cabin feels mass market. The harder plastics feel brittle, and the controls lack the tactility you expect from a vehicle that costs an eye-watering $74,790.
If Your Infotainment System Ain’t Broke…
…DON’T FIX IT. General Motors’ multimedia systems (with the exception of Cadillac’s CUE) put user-friendliness at the forefront. Big icons, a responsive 8.0-inch touchscreen, physical shortcut buttons, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay integration, knobs, and a logical layout make the Yukon’s interface a breeze to use. No need to pull out the owner’s manual for this one.
Premium Audio System in Name Only
On certain trims, the 2019 GMC Yukon can be had with a nine-speaker Bose audio system. Unfortunately, it’s not integrated properly for this application, and it sounds muddled. Crank it up, and you get excessive amounts of bass and treble even when they’re set to their lowest levels. The system also lacks a surround sound function, which could’ve helped create a richer, more encompassing soundscape inside the cabin.
No Dead Mobile Devices in This Family Truckster
With up to seven USB ports, the 2019 GMC Yukon makes dead devices a thing of the past on road trips. No more fighting or flipping coins for who gets first dibs to juice up.
Barstools for Thrones?
You’d think a big, hulking SUV would have comfortable seats, but once you make yourself comfortable in the 2019 Yukon, you’ll immediately notice that you don’t sit in the front seats or the available second-row buckets. Instead, you sit on top of them; they feel like barstools with seatbacks, especially with their lack of thigh- and side support.
Uneven Flooring
Explore the 2019 GMC Yukon’s interior a bit more, and you’ll notice that the floor rises up as you move toward the back. As a result, the third row sits higher than the first and second rows, limiting its usability and forcing passengers to eat their knees.
4+3 in a Pinch
Along with the raised floor, the Yukon’s third-row bench is quite narrow. Even though there are belts for three, you wouldn’t want to sit back there for a long road trip; there’s no room to stretch, and the seats are flat and unsupportive.
Fixed to Limited Flexibility
In most modern crossovers, the second row slides forward and back to give third-row passengers more legroom. Unfortunately, these second-row bucket seats only recline, which further limits the Yukon’s passenger carrying capability.
Grocery Bags Only
With every seat folded, the 2019 Yukon offers plenty of space for big, bulky items; when you’re carrying people, though, your cargo capability is limited. GMC says there’s 15.3 cubic feet of cargo space with all seats up, or 51.7 cubic feet with the third-row seats down. However, it’s all height and width; there’s not enough depth, limiting what you can put back there to grocery bags and small items. There’s a small underfloor storage cubby behind the third row, but even that’s shallow.
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