My Baby the Gmc Envoy
IT'S big, bold and brawny and the GMC Envoy and roared its way into the heart of this reviewer.
I'm a country girl and no matter how much someone tells me there are competitors that handle better, I love the rugged appeal of my Envoy.
It looks tough without being too masculine and polished but not too sleek. It's chunky and solid and makes me feel safe every time I get behind the wheel.
But I don't want all image and no substance and my Envoy takes me across the farm, negotiating the ruts and mud without tossing me about like a coin in a spin-drier.
Yes, it's comfy, and if worrying about comfort seems a bit girly for you boys, I bet you'd be glad of all that posterior-padding after you'd driven about on rough terrain for an hour or so.
I can also hitch up the trailer and drive into town for a load of horse feed without feeling like Rowdy Ruffman of the Range. It tows like a dream, whether the trailer contains a 1000 lbs of horse or 5000 lbs of fence posts. Maximum towing capacity is 6600lb .
Then there's its roominess. I can pile in five of my girlfriends for a night out on the town and still have room for our over-sized Balenciaga bags.
On the negative side, I'm aware that there are comparable trucks that do better miles per gallon and in the present economic climate, that's a consideration. As I said before, the handling could be better but I've driven other SUVs and haven't noticed much difference. I'm used to my Envoy now and don't even think notice a slight, very slight, looseness.
I have also read concerns about its reliability. Well, I've had mine for almost a year now and it's run like a dream without a glitch, even in sub-zero temperatures and 100F+ heat.
Now for a bit of ungirly technical stuff. All Envoys have a 4-speed automatic transmission and are available with rear-wheel drive or 4-wheel drive that can be left engaged on dry pavement and includes a low-range gear for off-roading.
I have the standard SLT version which, like the SLE, has a 285-hp 4.2-liter 6-cylinder engine. The more luxurious Envoy Denali has a 300-hp 5.3-liter V8 with GM's Active Fuel Management cylinder deactivation.
A wireless cell phone link is newly available on the 2009 Envoy.
It seems the Envoy model will be discontinued next year. When I come to looking at a replacement, I will no doubt check out the crossover SUVs. I have my eye on the GMC Acadia but I know I will miss my Envoy.
