We should all be driving one of these

Now that's a pretty big statement for an automotive journalist to make, but trust me, it has nothing to do with my being in the back pocket of GM and them throwing me huge bundles of the folding stuff to make it (I wish!!!).

It doesn't even have much to do with the overall feel of the vehicle, nor the number of bells and whistles which GMC has added to the Yukon for 09

No, in my opinion, everybody should drive one of these simply for their own personal peace of mind, and to make our roads safer for everyone!

Now that I have you totally confused, let me explain....


Two-stage hybrid system

You see, what impressed me the most on the 2009 GMC Yukon Hybrid was the way in which its two-stage hybrid system works, or perhaps even more to the point, the way that it displays the benefits of that technology to the driver.

In truth, to fully explain how this highly sophisticated system works would be an article all by itself, so I'll try to break it down to the basics... The vehicle is powered by a 6.0L V8, which the company has designed to shut down 4 cylinders and operate as a V4 when full power is not required, as in highway use. It also carries a hybrid system, which, if you're careful on the throttle, will run purely on electric power at speeds under 40kph. In addition to that, if and when required, the system can combine both of these systems.

Pretty ingenious eh! However, the best part, and perhaps the most important part of the system, is the way your fuel consumption figures are displayed right in front of you on the dashboard readouts. The centre display shows precisely what mode you are in at any given time, it even indicates when you are recharging the system through regenerative braking, and has a gauge on the instrument binnacle which displays instantaneous fuel consumption figures.


Smooth driving

Honestly, I spent a few minutes reading the actual Litres per 100 kms being consumed, and watching the pretty pictures on the center unit and I was hooked. I was a smooth driving, environmentally friendly, speed ticket avoiding slow poke

I noticed that every time I put my foot down hard to over take on the Highway, the vehicle went from V4 mode into thirsty V8 mode. I also realized that my L/100 kms numbers then jumped like crazy. Obviously, having to pay my own gas, I wasn't having that, so I adjusted my driving style accordingly.

No more racing starts from the lights. No more, "I'm in a big SUV, watch me rip past you like you're standing still on the highway". No, everything became silky smooth all of a sudden. I was smoother on the gas pedal, smoother on the brakes, and if I'm totally honest, a little smoother in my mind.