The GMC Envoy is a mid-size SUV manufactured and marketed by General Motors for the 1998 to 2009 model years over two generations.
Adopting a nameplate used by GM Canada, the Envoy was phased in as a trim variant of the GMC Jimmy alongside the similar Chevrolet TrailBlazer.
The second generation of the GMC Envoy replaced the Jimmy outright, again sharing a common platform with the Trailblazer; General Motors also marketed the chassis architecture under various other nameplates, including the Oldsmobile Bravada, Buick Rainier, Isuzu Ascender, and Saab 9-7X.
In line with the Oldsmobile Bravada, the Envoy was fitted with a leather-trim interior, floor-mounted shifter, and a largely monochromatic exterior with aluminum-alloy wheels.
The Envoy had many extra features not available on the regular Jimmy 4-door including: a remote trunk release, heated driver's and passenger's seats, a Bose sound system, and High Intensity Discharge headlights.
[1] GMC ended sales of the first generation Envoy after the 2000 model year as the division adopted the name to replace the entire Jimmy SUV line for 2002.
For 2005, the 5.3L V8 was updated to include the Displacement on Demand variable-displacement system (using 4 of 8 cylinders during low-load situations), increasing output to 300 hp.
Throughout its production run, the Envoy was available in three different trim levels: The base SLE trim level was produced from 2002 to 2009, and included a plentiful amount of standard equipment, including full power equipment (power front seats, power door locks, power windows, and power mirrors), keyless entry, cloth seating surfaces, an A/M-F/M stereo with single-disc CD player (later, with satellite radio), a four-speaker audio system, OnStar, aluminum-alloy wheels, a full-size spare tire with black-painted steel spare wheel, a 65/35 split-folding rear bench seat, faux carbon fiber interior trim panels, a cruise control, a dual-zone, manual climate control system, the 4.2L Vortec Inline Six-Cylinder (I6) gasoline engine, and a four-speed automatic transmission.
The uplevel SLT trim level, available from 2002 to 2009, added extra luxury and convenience features to the base SLE trim, including a six-disc, in-dash CD changer, a Bose six-speaker premium amplified audio system, OnStar, polished aluminum-alloy wheels, luxury leather-trimmed seating surfaces, dual heated front bucket seats, Driver Information Center, faux wood interior trim panels, a universal garage door opener system with a travel note recorder, a dual-zone, automatic climate control system, and a driver's memory system for driver's seat, mirrors, and radio preset settings.
Additional features included additional faux wood interior trim accents, a two-tone, luxury leather-trimmed interior, a 'Denali' emblem for the steering wheel, the 5.3L Vortec V8 gasoline engine, a power single-pane moonroof, unique chrome-plated aluminum-alloy wheels, satellite radio, and a chrome mesh front upper grille.
Derived from the Envoy XL, the XUV used a retractable rear roof and a folding "mid-gate" to create a plastic-lined reconfigurable cargo area.
In 2012, General Motors had recalled more than 258,000 SUVs in the U.S. and Canada to fix short-circuits in power window and door lock switches that could cause fires.
The recall covered Chevrolet TrailBlazer, GMC Envoy, Buick Rainier, Isuzu Ascender and Saab 9-7X SUVs from the 2006 and 2007 model years.
To improve access and rear-seat room, the roofline over the third-row seat was raised (shrouded slightly with a standard roof rack).
Externally, the vehicle was distinguished by large chrome rails above the cargo area (housing the retractable rear roof) and variant-specific taillamps.
Marketed by its ability to combine the cargo-carrying aspects of both SUVs and pickup trucks, the Envoy XUV used the midgate to partition the passenger compartment from the rear cargo area (replacing the third-row seating of the XL).
The Envoy (along with the Chevrolet TrailBlazer, Buick Rainier, Isuzu Ascender, and Saab 9-7X) were discontinued by GM during the 2009 model year.