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2003 4x4 of the Year

Choosing a Winner in Our Biggest Test Ever!

Photography by 4-Wheel & Off-Road and Jp Staffs, Frank Kaisler

GMC Yukon 1500

This year the Yukon 1500 has the distinction of being the truck we were most likely to forget in the parking lot during a drivers' rotation. We have always liked the looks of this SUV, but this year it seems to lack identity in a field of look-at-me SUVs. We wouldn't say the Yukon looks dull, but compared to the face-lift that Chevrolets got for 2003, the GMC looks quite conservative. Don't worry, we didn't invite the Yukon 1500 just because it looks different. We invited it to compete because GM is now offering it with its Stabilitrac system. Over the last three years our judges have admired the control that GM engineers have been able to get from the four-link coil-sprung rear suspension. So when GM equipped the '03 Yukon with this new vehicle stability control system we wanted to see how it would effect what we think is an all-around good-handling vehicle. Our first tests with Stabilitrac came on some twisty two-lane roads where we tossed the truck around to see how intrusive Stabilitrac would be. It turned out that most testers were not even aware that the system was acting to correct the direction of the vehicle until the driver's information center in the dash told them so. We like the way Stabilitrac supplemented our driving without hindering our will. Of all the stability systems in the test our judges agreed that Stabilitrac has the best on-road performance.

Off-road, Stabilitrac let us down by not being as effective as the Toyota or Ford systems at modulating the brakes. The Yukon could still climb the nasty hills (even though the Stabilitrac-required Borg-Warner transfer case has a higher low range than the NV246 it replaces), but it required even more tire-killing throttle to conquer the same terrain. In the rocks we'd much rather have a mechanical limited slip because it's against our nature to use lots of throttle in certain situations--especially with such little ground clearance. We'd love to see Stabilitrac get updated with better off-road software.

General

Manufacturer: GMC
Model: Yukon 1500
Base Price: $36,805
Price as Tested: $40,798
Options as Tested: Second-row captains' chairs, third-row 50/50 split bench seat, power sunroof, 6,900-pound GVW rating, 3.73:1 gears, Stabilitrac, polished cast-aluminum wheels

Engine

Type: OHV V-8
Displacement (liters/cubic inches): 5.3/327
Bore & Stroke (inches): 3.78x3.62
Compression Ratio: 9.5:1
Induction Type: Sequential, multiport fuel injection
Fuel Required (octane)/Capacity (gallons): Flex fuel engine, 87 or ethanol compatible/26
SAE Peak Horsepower: 285 @ 5,200 rpm
SAE Peak Torque (lb-ft): 325 @ 4,000 rpm

Transmission

Type: 4-speed automatic overdrive
Model: 4L60E
Ratios: First: 3.06:1; Second: 1.63:1; Third: 1.00:1; Fourth: 0.70:1; Reverse: 2.29:1
Transfer Case

Type: 2-speed, full-time with electronic shift
Model: Borg-Warner
Low-Range Ratio: 2.64:1

Axles

Front Type: IFS with AAM 8.25-inch centersection
Rear Type: AAM 8.6-inch
Hubs: Automatic
Ratio: 3.73

Suspension

Front: Upper and lower A-arms/torsion bars
Rear: Live axle, 4-link with track bar and coil springs and automatic load leveling

Steering

Type: Power-recirculating ball
Turns Lock-to-Lock/Ratio: 3.25/14:1
Turning Radius (feet): 38.3

Wheels

Size (inches): 16x7
Material: Cast-aluminum

Tires

Size: P265/70R16
Brand: Firestone Wilderness LE

Brake System

Front: 12.01-inch discs with ABS
Rear: 13-inch discs with ABS

Weight (pounds)

Curb Weight: 5,050
Advertised GVWR: 6,900

Mileage

EPA Estimate (city/hwy. mpg): 14/17
As Tested (mpg): 9.86

Acceleration

Standing ¼-mile (seconds @ mph): 18.72 @ 78.29

Braking

60-0 mph (feet): 160.72

Dimensions (inches)

Wheelbase: 116.25
Overall Length: 201
Overall Width: 93
Overall Height: 75
Front/Rear Track: 65.25/66
Front/Rear Overhang: 38/46
Minimum Front Ground Clearance: 7.625

Likes

*Understated looks
*Excellent seats
*Stabilitrac (on-road)

Dislikes

*Transfer case low range
*Wimpy tires
*Stabilitrac (off-road)

Bottom Line

Off-road capability sacrificed for better on-road stability

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