A remote start allows the climate system to heat or cool the vehicle's interior before the occupants get in the car. An enhanced array of audio, infotainment and safety options is also available and includes an available touch-screen navigation system as well as a DVD system with larger flip-down screen. All of this sits on the new full-size SUV platform that incorporates such features as a new, fully boxed frame, coil-over-shock front suspension and rack-and-pinion steering. The new frame offers 49 percent increased torsional stiffness and 35 percent improvement in beaming frequency, compared to previous models. The frame supports wider front and rear tracks that Larson says "enhance stability and driving confidence through a more secure road feel and a lower center of gravity." The front suspension consists of an all-new coil-over-shock design that "delivers linear, solid and unwavering ride and handling characteristics on all road surfaces. A highly-refined five-link rear suspension provides superior isolation and ride, with larger, firmer brackets that also contribute to the vehicles' precise driving manners."Larger, four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes "ensure braking performance at the top of the segment," said Larson, and "larger vented front and rear brake rotors, 50-percent stiffer dual-piston calipers, longer-life brake pads and a new, robust tie-rod-type apply system contribute to enhanced pedal feel, reduced brake noise, predictable, linear brake response and shorter braking distances." Seventeen-inch wheels are standard on Yukon , with 18-inch wheels standard on Yukon Denali. Twenty-inch wheels are available on Yukon and Yukon Denali.

A new Gen IV small-block V-8 engine series powers the Yukon family, said Larson, and offers more power than comparable powertrains in previous models.A 5.3-litre V-8 is standard at start of production in Yukon and is rated at 320 hp and 340 lb-ft of torque. Thanks to its Displacement On Demand technology, this engine also enables better fuel economy depending upon the way it's driven.The 6.2-litre V-8 of Yukon Denali is all-new, Larson noted, "with advanced technologies and lightweight materials -- including variable valve timing and an aluminum cylinder block -- contributing to the vehicle's uncompromising performance." It produces 380 hp and 415 lb-ft of torque. The smaller V-8 gets a veteran four-speed automatic, but the new 6L80 six-speed is matched with the 6.2L engine. The six-speed automatic has a wide, 6.04:1 overall ratio -- including two overdrive gears -- that Larson said will help "deliver an excellent balance of performance and fuel economy." Also, the 6L80 has a "tap up/tap down" capability that allows the driver to manually select upshifts and downshifts with a button on the column shifter.