2019 Gmc Canyon Denali 4x4 4dr Crew Cab 5 Ft. Sb on 2040-cars

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Next-gen GM SUVs caught wearing new boxy bodies [w/video]

We recently drove the brand-new 2014 Chevrolet Silverado and found it to be vastly improved compared to the outgoing model. And now that The General's pickup trucks have been squared away, it's time to focus our attention onto their passenger-friendly companions, the Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon (above).
Our spy photographers have passed along a huge smattering of photos (and a video), showing the new SUVs out testing. Both the short- and long-wheelbase models were spied, and while the overall shape of the vehicles hasn't changed all that much, we expect the updates to be substantial. In addition to new powertrain options, like GM's new small-block V8, we expect the interiors of both SUVs to get massive makeovers, providing better materials throughout their cabins and quieter, more refined environments. We even hear that some trick new suspension developments may be in store for upper-end models.
Visually, these spy shots allow us to see a couple of new details on the SUVs' front and rear fascias, including LED running lamps on the Yukon and some interesting LED taillamp treatments. Of course, the obvious third party missing from this set of photos is the Cadillac Escalade, but as we reported earlier, GM is working to further differentiate the 'Slade from the rest of the fullsize SUV lineup, and is working to make the new model "much less ostentatious."

GMC unveiling 2021 Yukon, Yukon XL on January 14

UPDATE: We received a reply back from a representative at GMC confirming that the new Yukon will be revealed on January 14. The text has been updated to reflect this. General Motors is renewing its body-on-frame SUVs, and GMC's Yukon is next in line to receive a full makeover. It's scheduled to break cover on January 14 alongside the long-wheelbase Yukon XL. It's reasonable to assume we would have gotten our first glimpse at the next Yukon during the 2020 Detroit Auto Show had the event not moved to June. The new date is too close to the model's on-sale date, so GMC will unveil it during a standalone event held in Vail, Colorado, according to GM Authority. We reached out to GMC, and a representative confirmed that is indeed the reveal date for the full-size SUV. Spy shots suggest stylists took GMC's two biggest SUVs in a sharper, bolder direction. Both models share the same front end, which borrows styling cues like C-shaped headlights from the Sierra pickup. Brand-specific rear lights help the Yukon models stand out from their Chevrolet-badged siblings, the Tahoe and the Suburban, which hasn't always been the case. The standard Yukon and the Yukon XL will each grow in size, though there's no indication GMC's naming structure will change to reflect that; Yukon XXL admittedly doesn't have much of a ring to it. While we haven't seen the interior yet, we expect it's getting a generous serving of technology, including a new, touchscreen-based infotainment system. The larger exterior dimensions will clear up more space for people and gear, so average-sized adults will be able to fit in the third-row seats. The range-topping Denali variants of both models will return to satisfy those who crave sumptuousness. The sheet metal will hide much of the same hardware found under the Tahoe/Suburban duo, including an independent rear suspension added in the name of comfort and handling. Powertrain specifications should carry over, too, meaning the entry-level engine will be a 5.3-liter V8 rated at 355 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque. The list of options will include a 6.2-liter V8 with 420 horsepower on tap, and we're betting the straight-six turbodiesel available on the Bowtie-badged SUVs will also be offered at an extra cost. Rear-wheel drive and a 10-speed automatic transmission will come standard, and buyers will be able to pay extra for four-wheel drive. The next GMC Yukon and Yukon XL will go on sale halfway through 2020 as 2021 models.

GMC Hummer EV could have had the Chevrolet Avalanche's Midgate

One of the many rumors swirling around the GMC Hummer EV claimed the truck would resurrect the Midgate inaugurated by the original Chevrolet Avalanche. Although we now know there's no way to fully knock down the partition between the cab and the cargo box, the firm revealed the rumor wasn't entirely false. "There was [a Midgate] early on. We opted for the functionality of the drop glass in the back. With the package layout and things like that, it was not advantageous to pursue that one. And, the five-foot bed was kind of the industry standard in regards to price of entry in that segment," explained John Mack, the Hummer's exterior design management, during an interview with Muscle Car & Trucks. The Hummer will go on sale with a five-foot box, and it doesn't sound like a longer bed will be available, so a modern version of the Midgate would have made the model more versatile by giving users the ability to fold down the partition behind the rear seats to carry bulky items, like plywood and ATVs. It's a feature that would have inevitably made the truck more complicated to build, however, because it adds moving parts that need to be sealed. Hinges, seals, and latches in turn add weight, and complexity almost always invites high manufacturing costs. As an electric pickup built with newly-developed components, the Hummer already has enough of each. Motorists who need to carry something that's significantly longer than the cargo box aren't entirely out of luck. As Mack pointed out, the rear window drops into the partition, so owners will have the ability to haul surfboards, lumber, or anything else that's relatively long and reasonably thin by simply pushing a switch. Alternatively, the only thing limiting cargo space when the roof comes off is the sky — or, depending on where you live, bridges. Mack didn't reveal when the Midgate was dropped. GMC launched the Hummer project in April 2019, and it previously released early design sketches that show how the truck transitioned from a sketch to a prototype. As of writing, nothing suggests the Midgate will make a comeback in the near future on any member of the General Motors portfolio. It was introduced in 2001 on the first-generation Chevrolet Avalanche, which went on sale in the United States for the 2002 model year. It later spread to Cadillac's luxed-up variant of the truck, the Escalade EXT, and to the short-lived GMC Envoy XUV.