Is this vehicle TOO big?

[Bill Barnes]

My first GM in a while was a 2001 Suburban. Traded a 1997 Ram 1500 Sport 4WD pickup on it. I loved the Sub. I traded it on a new 2005 Yukon XL SLT. A coworker and I went on a 300 mile trip to a customer site. He had a 2003 Tahoe at the time. 50 miles into the trip, he noted that my Yukon XL rode way better than his Tahoe. Three weeks later he traded the Tahoe in for a 2005 Yukon XL. We both still have them. He has 240K, I have 194K. I haven't talked to him in a while about reliability, but the only serious problem I've had was that at 84K miles, trans service showed metal in the pan. I bought a factory remand from the dealer, total about $3500. At 130K, 3rd/4th gear pack failed. Dealer convinced me to buy the reman for the original problem by offering a "service for life" warranty. When the 3/4 gear pack failed, they honored the warranty- no charge except for fluid. I love my truck!

 

[tjfish]

We currently have a 2016 Yukon Denali. It is our 5th Yukon Denali. My wife will only drive it. Our other vehicle was a Mercedes, BMW, Acura sedan and the current Cadillac XT5. Still she always takes the Yukon. It has great visibility, easy to park, make tight turns and cruises great. I use it to tow a 6000lb fishing boat. It needs some miles to keep it running good. It only has 23K miles but I will be replacing it next year with a Denali or Escalade. We love the size and drive.

 

[wetdawg]

So my transition was to a 2001-1/2 Tahoe from a 2000 Mazda B4000 Stretch cab truck (same as the Ford Ranger line). Not only did the Tahoe hold to slick roads better, when I made the next move to a 2012 Tahoe it was zero adaptation. See over traffic better than the truck, but my wife tolerates driving the Tahoe. If we're going into downtown, we take her Volvo XC60 - which she prefers for grocery store parking. Enjoy!

 

[Jon rogers]

Close to pulling the trigger on a Yukon or an Escalade, but I’m just wondering from a current drivers, is this vehicle just too big for daily use and driving? I need the space occasionally, but for most of its life it’s going to be just me and my wife. Is this thing just too big a boat to have on a daily basis, or do you just get used to it like anything else? Just don’t want to make a mistake buying something that’s hard to park and just overly huge on a daily basis...

I just went form a 2015 Escalade to a 2021 Yukon and I love it. It’s big so it is a lot of a vehicle.

 

[Linderov]

Thank you for all your replies... I'm pretty sure it will work for us. I drive a Grand Cherokee now, but with more grandchildren and more junk.. well you get the picture.

I have no garage issues, I built mine 26' sq with an 18' door on it. We plan on getting a SWB 4WD Denali diesel, Fuel economy is one of the things that attracts me to the lineup as we drive 3-400 miles at least once a month to visit my daughter and 25-3000 miles roundtrip in the winter to FL. I have spent many years with diesels and know their quirks, not afraid at all of the Duramax... We think it will be the perfect road vehicle. Our main issue is daily driving (and parking..) to stores and shopping/dining, but I plan to park as far away as necessary to stay out of the fray.

As one person mentioned above, ya , Chicago type trips are pretty scary, especially if you want to park down town. We used to take yearly trips there, but that landscape has now changed and we don't see that happening anytime in the near future. We also could drive a smaller vehicle (her vehicle..)to tight urban areas.... I'm also in the camp of the above poster of you can't really have enough metal around you, and big does = safety in my book. We used to have a late 90's Tahoe years ago, and I still miss that expansive space inside.

It would be interesting to hear what wives think about driving it, as at times we HAVE to switch vehicles for various reasons. This whole thread was prompted by my wife saying "But is this vehicle TOO big for us?" Once they get an idea in their heads, sometime its hard to dispel it !

I bought a 2002 tahoe in 2008 to tow a camping trailer. I got used to this very quickly. I love how nimble it is, and mine doesn't even have a rear camera. 220000 miles and 12 years later, we all love it. I am able to parallel park, squeeze into any normal size space, and once crossed 4 lanes of traffic in downtown Boston to make my turn LOL! MAKE WAY BEAN TOWN!

 

[Larryjb]

I bought a 2002 tahoe in 2008 to tow a camping trailer. I got used to this very quickly. I love how nimble it is, and mine doesn't even have a rear camera. 220000 miles and 12 years later, we all love it. I am able to parallel park, squeeze into any normal size space, and once crossed 4 lanes of traffic in downtown Boston to make my turn LOL! MAKE WAY BEAN TOWN!

Because modern styling/safety requirements, the headrests and sight-lines of nearly all current vehicles, the Tahoe/Suburban included, have reduced the visibility out the back. It does take more getting used to, and requires you to be even more aware of blind spots.

I don't know that I'd call a 2002 Tahoe nimble though. I would think the newer ones with rack and pinion steering and 10 speed transmissions would make the 2002 feel like a slug.

My father had a '80's Suburban and backed into a little sports car that had parked directly behind him. The sports car was so low to the ground and short it was completely hidden out the back. A backup camera would have alerted him to the car, or a kid who might dash behind when you're not looking. My 02 has the tinted rear glass. When it's dark outside you can see absolutely nothing, so a rear camera really does help. But, one doesn't need a honkin' huge screen for a rear camera. I installed a screen that replaces the rearview mirror. It takes up no space on my dash, and works really nicely.

 

[SnowBuck]

Was looking at a 2021 Denali XL or Suburban GC only to get the 6.2. So happy with my 2005 XL, sprung for new lifters. I luv the 2005 body style, larger windows, metal and chrome (less plastic) then new ones. Out of my 6 cars, it is my daily driver and I drive it like it's a metro. I wouldn't even downsize to a Tahoe. I'd rather have the room and not always need it then not have it and need it. BTW, I'm single, and get claustrophobic in todays toy cars.

 

[MSTI]

Just made the transition from 2 previous Land Rover LR4's and while the Z71 is big, it was what I was looking for and it rides and maneuvers much better than I thought it would. The air ride was standard in the Land Rover so it was nice to have that option. So far very happy with it!

 

[wsteele]

I have owned my current 2007 Yukon since new. For many years after the Yukon purchase we lived in San Francisco. I never felt the Yukon was "too big" for the city. Most luxury sedans are as long, so what you get is just better visibility. My wife is 5' tall and weighs 105 lb's, she never minded driving the Yukon in the city.

We did own a Suburban before the Yukon and I will say at times in the city it felt pretty big. We live more rural now (yea!) and the Yukon can feel downright small next to a Crewcab-Longbed F350 (lots of them around here ).

I think any "large feeling" you might have when you first get it will be gone within a few weeks.