The instrument panel and center stack are elegant and worthy of a higher-end vehicle. The Denali model is richer still, with a wood and leather-wrapped steering wheel and darker wood trim than the other models.

We found the touch-screen radio/navigation system easy to use, much easier to operate than in so many cars, Mercedes, for example. We set the radio stations we liked and could quickly switch from favorite XM to AM to FM stations with the push of a single button; many vehicles require switching bands, then switching stations. This ease of operation makes daily driving more enjoyable.

The switchgear is simple, and the instrumentation is clean. The console is huge, with a deep storage box and a tray on top. The glovebox is large. Two cupholders are provided in a removable tray forward of the console and they work very well. There's another cupholder in each door pocket. A slot in the dash just left of the turn signal is perfect for coins or toll-road tickets. The pedals are adjustable, to accommodate short and tall drivers with the press of a button.

The rearview camera is useful and improves safety, so we strongly recommend this option. Shift into Reverse and an image of what's behind you appears on the navigation screen. This makes parallel parking much faster and much easier, and it helps when maneuvering in parking structures and other tight locations. The camera works well at night, benefiting from the reverse lights: One night we had to back up a narrow winding driveway squeezed by trees, and it could only be done by using the monitor. It was tricky. The backup lights did a great job of lighting the road for the camera; looking over our shoulder, our naked eye couldn't see the road nearly as well. Most important, the backup camera can help the driver spot a small child or an adult behind the vehicle, possibly averting a tragedy. The system also makes hitching a trailer much easier, allowing the driver to precisely position the ball under the trailer hitch on the first attempt, which beats jumping out of the vehicle multiple times using the traditional trial-and-error method.

The Yukon XL can seat six, seven, eight or nine passengers, depending on the seats selected. Our SLT had the second-row bucket seats, with room for seven, in a two/two/three configuration.

The second row offers good leg room, at least with the two bucket seats: 39.4 inches, nearly as much as in the front. Second-row passengers have their own console, with an elbow tray and two cupholders each. They have their own audio controls too, and a front-row seat for the DVD screen that drops down from the headliner, and uses wireless headphones. The second-row bucket seats come with a console between them.

An optional power feature allows folding the second-row seats with the touch of a button on the instrument panel or C-pillar. It's slick: the seatbacks fold flat against the lower cushions, and then the seats flip up against the backs of the front seats.

Depending on the package, the third row seats two or three. Split 60/40, these seats fold and tumble, but don't fold flat into the floor like some competitors. The third-row seats flip up against the back of the second row. This fold-and-tumble feature sacrifices some quick cargo space because the seats don't fold flat, though there's still a lot of room compared to other SUVs.

Head room in the third row is good, and leg room is okay (34.9 inches). There is a great view through the wraparound glass, so it doesn't feel cramped or claustrophobic back there. But with the optional center seat, all you'll ever fit in the third row are three small kids. The kids on the end have their own cupholders. Their climate control vents are inconveniently located in the headliner over the heads of the second-row passengers, but they can be aimed rearward toward the third-row passengers' knees. The second-row passengers have their own vents in the headliner, too, over their laps.

Cargo space is where the Yukon XL excels. There's 137.4 cubic feet of storage behind the front seats, with the second row folded and third row removed. Even with all seats in place, there's still 45.8 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row. However, it's a pain to remove the third row for optimal storage space. The seats are heavy and you need some place to store them. That may be just fine for those who don't need third-row seats, but rear seats that fold into the floor are more convenient for those who do.

The lift-over height at the rear bumper is relatively high, so it's not easy to climb up into the cargo compartment to reach things, especially since there are no grab handles.