2012 GMC Yukon SLE

The 2012 Yukon is GMC's full-size SUV, the one you cross-shop with the Tahoe and Expedition when you need three rows and serious towing. It drives with the steady, planted feel you want in a big SUV, and the steering is direct enough that you never feel like you're wrestling it. Inside, the cabin is roomy and the seats are genuinely comfortable for long trips, though storage is tight when all three rows are up. Some owners mention cracked dashboards and door handles that break, so give those a quick look on a used example. The SLE is the base trim of the 2012 Yukon, sitting below the SLT and Denali, and it gives you the same 5.3L V8 as the SLT without the leather and luxury extras. Under the hood is a 5.3L V8 with 320 horsepower and 335 lb-ft of torque, paired with a six-speed automatic and rear-wheel drive, and it returns 17 mpg combined. The SLE's standard cloth seats and manual front seats keep the price down, but you can add a trailering package for serious towing duty.