Up front, all of the switchgear and ancillary controls are mounted close to the driver. Climate controls and audio controls are easy to use yet are quite sophisticated in their operation. We enjoyed the Bose nine-speaker stereo with subwoofer. Rather than embedding the antenna in a window for fashion reasons, the Yukon uses an external antenna for improved radio reception. For 2004, OnStar and XM satellite radio share a single, low-profile exterior antenna.
The Panasonic DVD Passenger Entertainment System ($1295) includes a seven-inch flip-down screen for second-seat passengers; plus two sets of wireless (infrared) headphones with independent volume control, a wireless remote control and three sets of auxiliary video and audio inputs. The wireless headphones are light and comfortable, and the display offers a crisp picture. For 2004, the DVD player and sunroof are packaged together in the Sun, Sound & Entertainment package.
Safety is enhanced by dual-stage front airbags. Side-impact airbags are optional ($350) on SLE and SLT, standard on SLT Plus and Denali. New for 2004 is a tire-pressure monitoring system, which continuously checks inflation pressures in each of the four tires and flashes a graphic on the instrument cluster should air pressure in one of them drop below a specified level. Next Page