Several months ago my wife and I picked up our new 2000 Jimmy, the third we've owned. This fact alone should give you a idea of my feelings on this vehicle. We first leased a Jimmy in 1996, trading again in 1998 and again this year. The previous two were driven an average of 36,000 miles each and traded in at lease end. As for dependability, these have all been excellent. Only the 1996 has ever seen a garage and that was taken care of under warranty for some injector trouble.

The styling of the vehicle is, in my opinion extremely nice. The only disappointment is the fact that the 2000 is almost an identical twin of the previous two. The vehicle is a bit difficult to hand wash due to it's height. The styling of the interior is also very similar to the previous two. I have found the Jimmy easy to drive, giving the driver a clear view of the road in all directions with minimal blind spots. The seats are comfortable and with lumbar supports and six way power anyone can be comfortable driving the vehicle. The driver's cupholders are a bit hard to use as it becomes necessary to squeeze between the dash and shifter to retrieve your cup. The gauges are fairly easy to read and controls are all within reasonable reach. We've found there to be plenty of room for us in the front and two teens can sit comfortably in the rear with sufficient legroom. If there is a knock against this SUV, I would have to say it could use just a bit more storage in the rear. The rear storage compartment is large enough for most trips, but on the last trip with my wife and two kids I was glad I was the only golfer in the car, as one golf bag and our luggage more than filled the storage area.

The engine performance of the Vortec V6 will win you no races but is more than adequate for day to day driving. I did have the opportunity to trailer with this vehicle and found it performed well causing me little notice of "pulling" as I have experienced in other vehicles.

The ride of this and the two previous Jimmys was surprisingly smooth and quiet. While the vehicle does remind you on occasions that your Cadillac is still in the garage I believe you would be more than happy with the overall driving comfort. As of this writing, none of the three Jimmys I have owned developed any annoying squeaks or rattles that some vehicles tend to, leading me to say GM has taken some pains to build a high quality vehicle.

I have decided to lease these past three vehicles in most part because I have found the terms allowed me to drive a quality vehicle for my family at a relatively reasonable cost. The lease rates on these vehicles are still favorable, one can lease a fully loaded Jimmy with a GM discount and 18,000 miles a year for about $430.00 per month with zero down. Even without the discount the payment should only rise not much more than $20.00 per month. Reducing miles or taking less options could save you considerably and still put you in a excellent SUV.

If you are in the SUV market I definitely suggest taking a test drive and pricing out one of these before making your final decision, whatever it may ultimately be.