MY DREAM SUV, errr XUV
Written: Feb 10 '04 (Updated Feb 04 '09)
|
Product Rating:
|
|
| Reliability: |
 |
|
| Seat Comfort: |
|
|
| Build Quality |
 |
|
| Roominess: |
|
|
|
Pros: The retractable roof, comfy ride, very powerful, features galore.
Cons: a bit uneasy on the freeways (especially in the wind), bad blind spots
The Bottom Line: If you can get passed the gas guzzling, this is an amazing vehicle. Very smart and very well designed.
|
|
|
| criteeker's Full Review: 2004 GMC Envoy XUV |
So I went into my local GMC dealer and bought a new SUV, errr, XUV. (I have not figured out what the X stands for) I bought the Envoy XUV - SLT package.
Usually, I do very in-depth research for pricing, options, colors, accessories, etc. This time, I saw the commercial and had to have this XUV. My 11 year old Isuzu Trooper served me well, but I needed a change. I went through Costco and got $500 over invoice - which was about a thousand dollar savings. I got the extended warranty and they charged me the 2WD price for my 4WD vehicle, so I saved about $800 there.
Driving Impressions:At first, I wanted the inline 4200 six cylinder engine but was quickly talked into buying the V8 for power, longevity and resale. Besides, I wanted to drive off in a vehicle that day, so they only had two V8s on the lot. This truck drives like a luxury car. It tackles speed bumps and potholes like a champ. I find, that with the V8 and the smooth ride, speeding is something I do without even noticing. 80 MPH feels like 50. The 5300 Vortec V8 engine (with its 275 horses) gets me into freeway traffic with little effort. The driver has the option of switching from 2-wheel drive, to all wheel drive and on to 4-wheel drive high ALL on the fly at any speed. The 4-wheel low must be switched into or out of gear at 3 miles per hour or less.
I have one minor gripe about the way this XUV drives on the highway. I find myself wanting to use two hands on the steering wheel at higher speeds due to the fact that the XUV will want to easily move all over the lane. This is because I tend to drive it with the window down and the roof open 90% of the time. When both are closed, the truck doesn't seem to be affected by the wind. Conversely, it handles better (than anticipated) in corners.
Interior: I opted for the leather seats...with three white German Shepherds, the cloth seats were a nightmare to keep clean. I also opted for the power sunroof and I was glad I did. Although much smaller than the Trooper's enormous sunroof, the GMC sunroof is smooth and quiet. It tilts up from the back or opens all the way with one-touch controls.
While there are many colors to choose from on the exterior, the interior only has one...a pewter gray. I like it with my white exterior. I wanted the silver, but went with the white for resale and just because the white grew on me.
Another feature that I love is the power midgate. It's a manual fold-down, but it has a piece of glass in it - like those in a limo. This feature becomes important for two reasons. While driving with the roof open and the tail gate glass down, wind will enter the driving cabin. This midgate glass will block this wind or any fumes or debris from equipment or construction materials. The other reason this midgate is useful is for those who have pets. The need for a cumbersome dog barrier is no longer.
A word about the retractable roof: Remember those space movies when siren lights flash and horns sound when the exterior air lock was opened? I get a hint of that in this vehicle. The dashboard's brain will display "Roof Opening" bells will ding and the roof will make a humming sound while opening. It's all very hi-tech, ala "Aliens." I wish there was the option to raise the tailgate glass while driving with the roof open. My fear is that the dogs can jump out of the moving vehicle. So I can either tether them to the cargo area's tie outs or simply close the roof and raise the tailgate glass half way - so they can get fresh air. The XUV has to be in park in order for the roof to open, but the rear window will open if you're moving. It takes about a normal traffic light cycle for the rear window to lower and the roof to open all the way. If you don't get the roof open all the way, there will be an annoying beep while to put it into drive. I also notice that the roof (while open) comes to rest in a very aerodynamic position. with the sunroof tilted open, the angle seems to fit in line with the open roof. Good job, guys!
Since the retractable roof is NOT insulated, the vehicle tends to get a little noisy at highway speeds. In a recent rainstorm, the water hitting the metal part of the retractable roof was a bit noisy. If you close the glass in the mid-gate, the passenger compartment becomes very quiet once again.
It goes without saying that if you need a third row of seats, the XUV is not for you. The XUV is best-suited for construction type folks or people who carry a lot of stuff with them and don't transport more than 5 people. The Yukon or Tahoe would be better for those who need a third row of seating. Since this vehicle is better suited for those with pets, a pop-out no-spill water bowl might have been nice. They offer pet tethers, so they might take it a step further and introduce an optional "pet package" where options that cater to a dog's comfort would be a welcome addition to any SUV.
The cargo area is coated with a tough-as-nails coating and is designed to be punished. If something should leak, it starts to rain, dogs who don't travel well, etc... you can simply hose out the rear area. There are vents in the floor to enable the water to fall to the ground below the vehicle. There are tie-outs on each side of the cargo walls and they offer a tie-out panel to make securing items even easier. Two gripes here: I wish they included a retractable cargo cover. And I wish they included a lockable storage box - this box is an optional add on part.
The cargo area was designed with small lips on both sides that actually support 4 x 8 sheets of plywood or drywall. With the Trooper, I had to tie stuff to my roof rack. In the XUV, they will actually fit inside - providing the rear seats are folded down. Also, the tailgate will open either downward OR to the side. In the downward position, there is an additional support strap that can be attached to support heavy loads or when it's used as a workbench.
Another amazing find: There is actually an AIR COMPRESSORin the cargo area. GMC even includes an air hose with a gauge and several air adapters for tires, air mattresses, etc. You can also purchase the optional tent set up. It attaches to the rear cargo area and becomes a mini RV.
Safety: Front air bags for the driver and passenger are standard while the front SIDE air bags are an option. 4 wheel ABS is standard. Also included: Stolen Vehicle Tracking, Vehicle Anti-Theft, child safety doors, hands-free phone (fee), roadside assistance, automatic ON Star emergency notification. The OnStar actually acts as a vehicle locater if your vehicle is stolen - I really like that! Just make sure to have the OnStar number memorized or in your cell phone. Speaking of which, OnStar also acts as a cell phone and you're issued a number for calling out or receiving calls. I would suggest just using your regular cell phone. The OnStar can get expensive.
There's also a safety feature in the rear cargo area. If someone should get locked in car (for whatever reason - such as a home invasion robbery) there is a LARGE yellow button in the rear cargo area, that once pushed, lowers the tailgate glass quickly and would enable someone to exit the vehicle very easily.
Spare tire: It's located UNDER the rear cargo area, so if it's raining, changing a flat tire can get messy. You'll need to insert a shaft into a small hole in the bumper area and crank it up or down. I see a paint job getting scratched here. Yakima offers a spare tire mount for roof racks, and I'm seriously considering mounting the tire up there. Someone should design a system where a button could be pushed to raise and lower the spare tire.
Comfort & Convenience: The following is a partial list of standard and optional* features:
Power steering, windows & door locks, tri-zone A/C, power front heated seats, sunroof*, memory settings for two drivers (seating, mirrors and foot pedals), Bose stereo system*, rear stereo with two headphone jacks, 6 CD changer, defroster for front, rear and side mirrors, steering wheel controls (for music, radio, On Star and more), compass in the rear view mirror, navigation system* and much more. I preferred saving the $1700 for the GMC GPS(global positioning) system and bought the Magellan RoadMate 700. It's far superior and runs about $1050 on the net (www.oceanelectronics.com) and around $1200 - $1400 in stores. One thing to note about the in-dash cd-driven GPS units is that once you put in a CD to use the GPS, you can't listen to a CD for the length of the trip. You'd either have to have XM radio or another music source in the vehicle.
XM satellite radio is also an option. My salesperson told me that I had it in my XUV, and when I found out that it was not in the truck, I convinced the sales manager to install an XM head unit at NO CHARGE. They did and I love it.
The L.E.D. read out on the dash: The dash has a very sophisticated control center that controls driver 1 and driver 2's preferences. They include mirror settings, alarm horn or lights, curb view mirrors, foot pedal placement, seating prefs, and much more. The XUV knows which set of preferences to adjust to depending on which key fob is used to open the vehicle. Very smart!
More Specs: Horsepower is 275 @ 6300 RPMS, torque is 275 @ 3600, Displacement is 4160ccs, MPG: 15 & 19, steering is rack & pinion, turning diameter is 41.3, length: 208 inches, width: 75 inches, wheelbase: 129 inches, height: 77 inches, ground clearance: 8 inches, curb weight: 5,042 pounds, front and rear headroom: 40", front leg room: 41", rear leg room: 37", front & rear shoulder room: 59", standard payload: 1258 lbs, max towing: 6400 lbs, Max GVWR: 6375 lbs, Tires: SBRP245/65R17 BSW, Gas tank: 26 gallons.
A note to those buying ANY new vehicle: When I bought my new XUV, I signed a paper that stated that it only had 29 miles on the odometer. It actually had 259. So I made them change the number to reflect it. This is important because the warranty starts from THAT number - NOT from zero. So my bumper to bumper warranty covers the vehicle until 36,259 miles and the extended warranty - until 75,259 miles.
Aside from the manual, there are two audio CDs to help with OnStar and the basic set-up of the vehicle.
Blind Spots: The HUGE side blind spots can be remedied with the small stick-on blind spot mirrors available at any auto parts place, but the tailgate is so high - it's really hard to see behind you. I have a tow ball that extends out from my vehicle and I'm afraid of it puncturing someone's radiator when I'm backing up - but welcome the rear-ender (evil snicker). So I thought about installing a small rear view camera system - similar to those found on large RVs. It would engage when I put the XUV into reverse and I could see what was behind me. I actually bought the SmartPark 2000 (got it from JC Whitney.com) - this thing beeps at me when I'm getting close to an object and beeps louder and faster just in time to avoid contact. GMC might think about making either of these an option for this vehicle in the future.
Precious Cargo: I have three dogs - they are my life. I travel with two of them in the far back section and with the window down and the roof open, I was always worried that one or both might jump out while in motion. So, I bought them all harnesses and the attached carabiners to both ends of a choke chain. The choke chain is used as a tie-out device NOT around the dog's necks. I attached one carabiner to the cargo hook in the XUV and the other end to the K9 harness. The dog's necks are not in any danger and I no longer worry about a dog getting hit in traffic or the freeway.
Final Thoughts: The retractable roof, smooth ride, heated seats, the memory seating, air compressor and the raw American power, made me LOVE this XUV - BIG TIME! Check it out at www.GMC.com - tell 'em Criteeker sent ya.
UPDATE: I noticed that when I lower the tailgate, the rear window wiper blade assembly leaks washer fluid. I called GMC and they are aware of the issue. They said I can drop by my dealership (it's open until midnight) and have it remedied by installing another check valve.
UPDATE 2: I'm REALLY satisfied with the customer service I'm getting from GMC and the dealership. I bought from The Rydell Group of Van Nuys, CA. They have gone out of their way to help me with after-purchase issues. The XUV is so new, that any accessories are tough to find at this time. My customer satisfaction liason, Lynn Butts, has really been a great help. This is my first GMC vehicle, but these folks (both the dealership and GMC in general) really care and want to help with anything. I really must say that GMC is a company that I'm impressed with. While other dealers or car makers kiss your tush BEFORE the sale, these folks have made me a happy camper. I would buy another GMC product in a heartbeat.
UPDATE 3: Okay, so one of the "big shots" called GMC HQ and spoke with the part tech and they found the correct roof "bar kit" for my truck. Not only did they find the correct one, they located one and they had a guy drive about 55 miles to pick it up and drive it back to my dealership. AND...it should have cost an additional $100 - but they charged me the same price that the other racks cost. WOW! FYI: any of you Envoy XUV owners want a roof rack....use this part number: 12497469 Bar Kit. It needs to be THIS one because it needs clearance for the retractable roof.
UPDATE 4: I noticed three more things that this vehicle is missing... When I open the hood, there could/should be a retractable work light and on the rear seat, there could be a fold-down arm rest for the rear passengers.
One thing I miss (that was on the Trooper) are the power folding side-view mirrors. This is key in countries like Japan and Italy where they have thin streets, but I used to LOVE folding the mirrors in while in parking lots so people would not bang into my mirrors. Also good to have when the sun is coming into your eyes (from behind) and on the freeway when motorcycles are passing too close. While the XUV mirrors do fold in manually, the cool factor is gone. = (
UPDATE: First Oil Change I'm one of those guys who changes his own oil every time. For my first oil change, I figured that I'd go to one of those oil/lube chains. After being told that it would be $60 (including the 6 quarts of synthetic oil) I opted to change it on my own. After spending $40 on Mobil One Synthetic oil and the Mobil 1 filter, off to my garage I went. I've heard of some ridiculous oil filter placement before, but next to the Jimmy (where the front tire needs to be removed) this is lame. The original filter was SO TIGHT that after a few oil filter tools and a few scraped knuckles, I finally got the darn thing off. In order to remove the filter, you'll need to remove the skid plate via four screws. There is a hole in the skid plate to access the oil drain plug and the filter, but it's really cramped quarters. There is a cross member directly under the filter housing, so when removing the filter, be prepared for major oil clean up.
After spending $40 on the oil and filter, is it worth $20 for a guy to change the oil and filter? Had i known what a headache removing the filter would be - YES! That way, THEY can deal with that headache. Afterall, the second change should be easier for me to do...providing they don't over-tighten the filter.
SAD UPDATE: It seems GMC has turned its back on the XUV after only 2 years of production. The following was the response to my email to GMC...
Thank you for contacting GMC and for your interest in the 2005 GMC Envoy XUV! We acknowledge and appreciate your continued loyalty to GMC. Production of the Envoy XUV will conclude on March 31, 2005. While this is not an easy decision to make, we are faced with the reality of a changing marketplace. The decision to end Envoy XUV production allows GMC to focus our marketing resources on the core of the Envoy lineup...including the Envoy XL Denali which begins production at the Oklahoma City plant next week. The Envoy Denali and Envoy XL Denali represent fresh entries in the fast growing mid-size luxury SUV segment, and will more than replace the volume we experienced with the Envoy XUV.
As always, we will continue to support the remaining XUV's with the appropriate levels of incentives. We appreciate your support of the Envoy XUV model over the past 18 months and look forward to the launch of the all new Envoy Denali and Envoy XL Denali models.
UPDATE 1/17/09: After almost 5 years and 52,000 miles, I still love this vehicle. One thing is annoying though. The panel that sits on the left side of the driver's seat keeps breaking off. I keep repairing it with Crazy Glue and it keeps breaking off. UGH!
UPDATE 2/4/09 - Transmission: Ever since I bought this Envoy, I noticed that the transmission was slipping from time to time. Each of the three times that I took it into a dealership, they told me that's normal for that particular transmission. I always just lived with it. Well, two weeks BEFORE my extended warranty had expired the transmission died and in five years, I only put on 52,341 miles. I was stressed that GMC would find some reason not to cover it, but was pleasantly surprised that they installed a new transmission with a 3-year / 100,000 mile warranty on it. Whew! Dodged a bullet on that one. I'm usually the guy this stuff happens to just after the warranty expires.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 40225.00
Condition: New
Model Year: 2004
Model and Options: SLT, sunroof, extended warranty
|
|
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.