The 2019 GMC Yukon pairs an old-school SUV mentality and capability with some new-age tricks, enough to keep it from feeling like a relic.

We’ve rated the 2019 Yukon lineup, which includes the standard SUV and the longer Yukon XL body styles, at 6.2 out of 10. (Read more about how we rate cars.)

For 2019, GMC keeps the Yukon fresh by adding a budget-conscious Standard Edition Value Package as well as a Graphite Edition and Graphite Performance Edition packages to the SLT trim. Other trims include the base SLE and the near-luxury Denali, which pushes the Yukon into the territory of its platform mate, the Cadillac Escalade. The Chevrolet Tahoe rounds out the trio of GM truck-based SUVs and can be had in long wheelbase Suburban form as well, usually at a slight discount over the GMC. There are also three new metallic colors available for 2019: Dark Sky, Pepperdust, and Smokey Quartz.

Review continues below

The Yukon is offered with a choice of V-8 engines, either in 5.3-liter, 355-horsepower guise or the mighty 6.2-liter which makes 420 hp. It can also be had with either rear- or four-wheel drive and pushes the power to the wheels through a 6-speed automatic with the 5.3-liter V-8 or 10-speed automatic with the 6.2.

Thanks to the beefy ladder frame and solid rear axle, the Yukon can tow an impressive 8,500 pounds. The 5.3-liter V-8 is the thriftier of the two engines and returns surprisingly good fuel economy thanks to cylinder deactivation technology at higher cruising speeds.

Inside, the Yukon’s car-like dashboard and high-quality construction make for a pleasant experience, but you should expect nothing less at a base price of nearly $50,000. The Yukon, along with its Chevrolet sibling, is the last full-size SUV to offer a bench seat up front, but only on economically-minded models. Otherwise, two bucket seats adorn the front cabin, and passenger space gets significantly smaller as you move back in the three rows of seating. The longer Yukon XL more comfortably accommodates passengers and stuff but is a massive vehicle on the road. The third row folds flat, and with the second row upright, the Yukon swallows several suitcases and more, especially in XL guise. With the third row in place, however, the Yukon manages precious little cargo space, so opt for the XL if you plan to carry more than five people and all their stuff on a regular basis. All Yukons suffer from a high load floor, which can make loading heavy or unwieldy items a pain.

Most Yukons come equipped with a handful of safety features as standard, including anti-lock brakes, stability control, and bucket seats with a front-center airbag designed to prevent the driver and passenger from colliding in a wreck. SLT and Denali models have adaptive cruise control and automatic emergency braking as an option, as well as blind-spot monitors, lane-departure warnings, and front parking sensors.

Thankfully, all Yukons feature an excellent 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard, though a baked-in navigation system can be had for extra, as well as a monthly subscription for GM’s excellent 4G LTE in-car Wi-Fi.