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In 1983,
Too bad for GM
New 4.2-liter DOHC I-6, solid secure ride, terrific seats. Side view mirrors too small, limited rear visibility, $34.8K sticker.
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In 2001 it introduced new standard-sized SUVs--the upscale GMC Envoy, the Chevy Trailblazer and the orphaned-at-birth
Envoy's big ace is its new 4.2-liter inline-six engine which pumps out 270 hp and 275 pound-feet of torque at 3,600 rpm. This terrific engine is the only power plant currently available in the Envoy--and all that's needed. The V-8s in the Ford Explorer delivers only 239 hp, and the Jeep Grand Cherokee's two available V-8s (235 hp or 265 hp) all have fewer horses than the Envoy's new six.
The well-equipped $34,760 Envoy SLT (with all-wheel drive) has plenty of pep and does a respectable job at fuel efficiency for a 4,600-pound vehicle: 15 miles per gallon in the city, 21 on the highway. (The base model Envoy is the SLE, which stickers for $29,720 in two-wheel drive and $31,945 in four-wheel drive.)
In contrast, the Jeep Grand Cherokee's ancient I-6--which dates back to the days of American Motors--puts out only 195 hp, pulls 600 fewer pounds than the Envoy yet only matches the Envoy on the EPA highway mileage standard. At the moment gasoline is cheap and the cost differential between regular and premium isn't a big deal. But it's nice to know that the Envoy's new motor requires only 87-octane (regular) gasoline.
In short, the Envoy delivers the efficiency of a six but the power of a V-8. And with five- and four-cylinder derivatives of the new six in the works, GM should realize some cost savings from building several versions around a single architecture.
Still, the Envoy isn't for everyone. Who should buy it and who shouldn't? Read on.
From The Driver's Seat | Should You Buy This Car? | Specs
From The Driver's Seat
The Envoy is a truck, not a jacked-up station wagon. This means that when equipped with a 4.1 axle ratio, the four-wheel-drive version of the Envoy can tow trailers weighing as much as 6,200 pounds. Drive the Envoy over railroad tracks and you'll be reminded that this isn't a cushy luxury sedan. In short, car shoppers who want the silky smoothness of a conventional sedan plus the practicality of an SUV are best off skipping the Envoy and looking at crossovers such as the Lexus RX300, Toyota
GM went to great lengths to make the Envoy's truck frame as rigid as
The other plus--and this is a big one--is that GM engineers did a terrific job of dialing out the rough ride and handling often found in hard-core trucks. The Envoy comes with independent short- and long-arm front suspension and five-link solid-axle rear suspension. All Envoys have standard
The Envoy has a manageable step-in height of 18.2 inches. This facilitates exit and entry--particularly for passengers long in the tooth. An optional running board ($350 list) only adds to the ease of ingress and exit.
As for driving, variable-ratio power steering makes the Envoy easy to maneuver around parking lots, and a 36.4-foot turning diameter (almost six feet tighter than that of its predecessor) further enhances maneuverability.
At higher speeds the Envoy's steering is tight and locked on center. Drivers won't have a problem bringing the Envoy to a stop, thanks to its four-wheel vented disc brakes with standard four-wheel antilock braking system (ABS). Front rotors are 12 inches in diameter, rears are 12.8 inches. On the whole, the vehicle is quiet and cruises effortlessly at 65 mph. But when taking off from a full stop, the Envoy won't win any awards for interior quiet--engine noise intrudes under full acceleration.
Still, we're talking about a family car and, inside, the Envoy has one of the better cabins in the GM realm. The vehicle earns high marks for ergonomics, layout of controls and fit and finish.
Nonetheless there's not that much to distinguish it from the less pricey Trailblazer--which also has the same new inline-six engine For example, the Envoy has the same two-tone gray dash and, yes, plastic is everywhere. Sure, it is a higher quality of plastic than what is found on many U.S. cars and parts of the cockpit are attractively set off with brushed faux-nickel trim (you'd be hard-pressed to realize it's not metal) and the center pod is surrounded by acres of plastic wood--something that in many luxury cars actually comes from trees. A smaller gripe: The radio's main control knobs spin too easily and feel cheap.
Envoy has a full set of gauges, onboard message center, trip computer and GM's OnStar service, which provides emergency roadside service, directions and other services. Our SLT tester had seats covered in leather; the front power seats are terrifically comfortable and have separate heating controls for the back and bottom. The seat back has one temperature setting; the seat bottom has three (high, medium, low). Envoy allows memorized settings for two drivers for the seats, radio controls and side mirrors.
As for utility, the rear seats are a two-thirds split and fold down. With the seats down, the Envoy has 80 cubic feet of rear cargo room (nearly the same as the $34,700
Overview | Should You Buy This Car? | Specs
Should You Buy This Car?
The Envoy SLT comes truly loaded. Among features that owners can program on the Envoy: activation of headlights, backup lights and beep of horn when the doors are unlocked via the remote key fob. There are separate front temperature controls for driver and passenger--for which GM claims occupants can set to as much as a 25-degree difference in temperature. Backseat riders have separate air vents and controls as well as separate audio controls and headphone jacks. The steering wheel contains controls for the audio system, climate controls and trip computer.
Do you need all that? It depends. A lot of people really do want the flexibility to preprogram two driver settings and to alter temperature output between driver and passenger. And not listening to your kids' music is a huge bonus, too. However, we wish GMC had also focused on the little things.
For example, visibility is one of the vehicle's weaker points. Although it's a good thing for rear passengers to get headrests, these obstruct the rear view--although they can be removed, which defeats the purpose of them being there in the first place. Bigger objection: Side mirrors are too small. The mirrors are programmed to move when the vehicle is put into reverse gear--allegedly to improve rear visibility. This feature is useless if you aren't parallel parking. And otherwise you may find yourself constantly fidgeting with the mirror adjustments because you can't see enough of the rearview.
And while we're listing our complaints, the GMC is guilty of the same crime as other luxury utemakers--they've given the Envoy body-colored plastic-clad bumpers similar to those found on most passenger vehicles. Hey, truck designers, shouldn't SUVs have something more durable--particularly on surfaces likely to receive some abuse in daily usage?
On the other hand, the styling of the Envoy was completely retooled in 2001 and this is now one of the more distinctive standard-sized sport utilities on the road.
Bottom line, though, is that the SLT tester we drove had a sticker over $36K--and the problem is that if you want one option, you're often stuck with something else you don't need. For example, the Envoy has built-in headlight washers. These are standard. It is also a little hard to understand why a trailer hitch is included with the SLT package and can't be deleted for credit. All these extras push the Envoy into Lexus RX300 territory. Fine, the RX is smaller and underpowered, so the Envoy wins that battle, but versus a similarly equipped Acura MDX the fight is much tighter.
The GMC truck may win the horsepower battle here, but the interior of the MDX is much cleaner and less cheap-looking. If GMC were smarter, they'd keep the price down on their SUV and make it seem like a bargain versus the swift-selling Acura.
Sure, this is GMC's most competitive sport utility in decades, and you can get better financing deals on it than the Acura. Plus, if a five-seat Envoy seems a bit too small for your growing family, the seven-seat $33,820 Envoy XL, coming this spring, may be worth the wait. But, when you go SUV shopping, you should either limit your options choices or drive an Acura MDX, too. It might also be worthwhile to check out the less-expensive Chevy Trailblazer, which offers many of the Envoy's advantages at a lower sticker price.
Overview | From The Driver's Seat | Specs
Specs
Manufacturer Contact: The General Motors Web site
Color Options: Black Onyx, Fire Red, Indigo Blue Metallic, Magnetic Red Metallic, Medium Sage Green Metallic, Monterey Maroon Metallic, Pewter Metallic, Polo Green Metallic, Sandalwood Metallic, Summit White
Suspension Type: Double A-arm; rear: five-link solid axle
Acceleration: 0 to 60 mph: 8.8 seconds (est.)
Engine Type; Displacement: Inline six; 4.2-liter
Horsepower: 270 @ 6000
Torque: 275 @ 3600
EPA Mileage: 16 city, 22 highway
Overview | From The Driver's Seat | Should You Buy This Car?