These days, versatility and practicality are crucial characteristics for car buyers, with SUVs, crossovers, and pickup trucks dominating in sales. In the search for that perfect niche combo, segment lines are often blurred, but that’s nothing new – GM has been doing it for decades, as evidenced by models like the innovative GMC Envoy XUV.
For those GM fans drawing a blank right now, the GMC Envoy XUV was a five-passenger SUV / truck introduced for 2004. The Envoy XUV’s main party trick was its retractable rear roof section, which could slide forward to reveal an open rear bed like a pickup truck, providing copious rear cargo room. Move it back, and the XUV would function more like a traditional SUV, with an enclosed rear section.
The GMC Envoy XUV also came with a mid-gate section that divided the passenger compartment from the cargo area, while the rear tailgate could be opened laterally, swinging from side to side, or dropped down like a traditional tailgate. The cargo area was also waterproofed and incorporated drainage, making for easy clean up.
Despite its long list of clever features, the GMC Envoy XUV failed to sell as well as expected, and in 2005, General Motors discontinued the model outright. Now, however, one YouTuber has managed to track one down with 172,176 miles on it, scooping it up and providing a rundown on everything interesting that it has to offer, not to mention everything that broke in the nearly two decades its been on the road.
This video is about thirteen-and-a-half minutes long, and provides a walkaround on the vehicle’s exterior, interior, engine bay, and various fault codes. Funny enough, the video also includes the GMC Envoy XUV commercial GM aired way back in the day, which is fun the watch as well.
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Comments
This was mine mistake Bob Lutz wishes he has a second chance at. There tried to stop him but he pushed it through and regretted it since,
What I thought would have worked better is a Avalanche version of the mid size SUV where the added opening space would be even more useful.
We own one and its been one thing after another. The slide feature no longer functions, the rear door no longer opens. We loved it when it worked. Paid $500 to have it fixed, worked for a day and is no longer working again.
ITS NOT A V 6 !!! OMG!!!
That party trick was seen first on the Studebaker Lark Wagonaire in the very early 1960s.
Loved that Envoy, the GMC Swiss knife station wagon. Relatives owned the local Stutabaker, Packard & Mercedes dealership, remember the sliding roof wagon, being a little kid I thought what a cool wagon, When word came out that the GMC version came out was seriously considering one. My cousin and her husband bought a new Envoy (regular not the sliding roof), turned out to be the biggest lemon they had ever bought. Remember Jerry saying he felt like they should charge rental fees to GM as it spent equal amounts of time between their house garage and the dealership shop lift lol! When the Acadia came out they traded right away, I said wow with the Envoy lemon surprised to see them stay with GMC, but they said the Envoy was the only GMC they had a problem with. The Acadia was wonderful and they loved it and traded for a redesign body in recent years.
I have a 2004. It’s an interesting vehicle but when you fix one problem you get 2 more.
Had an ’02 SLT and it was fairly reliable. It’s problem was that it was a magnet for bad drivers. Four times it was hit while either parked or stopped at a red light. Got to know the body shop guys on a first name basis – not an aspirational goal.
I looked a longtime for the correct one. My 1st one ,Clifford, was a 2004 Envoy Xuv SLT 5.3L AWD in the premium red metallic tintcoat paint color with a pewter interior. It was a stunning combination and recieved complimentary comments on its appearance constantly. I bought with 120k miles the roof worked perfectly but the midgate did not, I subsequently replaced the regulator and it returned to full function. The vehicle was in generally very good condition and once given a complete and full service was always reliable and never left me stranded. I loved it very much and other than the full service, just did full brakes and tires and the front lower control arms, upper arms which for its age and mileage was not unreasonable. The rear airbags had been converted to coils for towing b4 I bought it. This suv for its size and weight drove like a Cadillac ( in the best way) while still handling surefootedly and holding it’s own better than it should’ve had the right too. I put 60k miles on it and was sad when it met an unfortunate demise this winter. I was distressed and pineful enough to search for another one to replace it. There are never many around for sale especially in the top spec 5.3L 4wd SLT.
I’ve been fortunate to have found one almost as nice as mine, unfortunately not that beautiful red though, with even more options than mine originally had. It was reasonable for its condition and miles. My XUV’s both were purchased from the original loving owners, that’s the key to getting a good one.
If GMC made this today it would be a hit, it was ahead of it’s time and misunderstood.
I look forward to the continuing adventures with this unique and practical beast of burden.
The suppliers were told to tool for 50,000 units per year. The floor was very difficult to tool and manufacture. Scrap rates were above 80% on the floor long after launch. And there was a change in floor suppliers during production. That cost alone certainly ate up any possibility of a profit on these.
I’ve had 3 of them and loved them, still driving 2 my first one was totaled when my son took on a oak tree but came away with not a scratch. All have 5.3 SLT we use them for pickup trucks all the time. One has 170,000 miles the other 135,000. Maintenance is the key. Wouldn’t be afraid to get in and head out for California or Florida with either one.
When these first came out we wanted one but they were too expensive. We are preparing to move and need a truck with a bed to haul garbage and feed. After searching online all the trucks we could find were over $3,000 and/or well over 150,000 miles. I finally found a one owner inline 6 2wd in the beautiful red with custom flame paint with only 44,000 miles. The rear tailgate regulator needed to be replaced ($90 from Amazon, 1.5 hour installation), the digital guages and fuel guage were the only ones that worked ($30 repair kit on Amazon and 1hour repair time), rear speakers didn’t work (replaced all speakers took less than an hour), bought an FM transmitter to add Bluetooth ($20 from Amazon), detail-paint repair and headlight restoration ($200), LED light replacement for all lights ($80), completely changed all fluids and filters ($180), and might need new tires due to the age of the tires ($500 including spare tire). We ended up a little over our target price of $3,000 but we got a vehicle WAY under the mileage we were expecting for $3,000 and we’ve seen multiple videos and read many stories of these inline 6 versions lasting well over 300,000 miles. With the 2wd it will be much cheaper to maintain and repair. The 4wd has the drive shaft go through the oil pan for some odd reason. After reading that we were ok opting for the 2wd especially with such low miles, original owner, and affordable price. We’ve towed with it and have even hauled a Honda V6 motor in the bed so far. If you keep all the latches and tracks clean they will last a long time. The midgate didn’t always recognize that it was closed so I cleaned the latches and even the most gentle close fully secures it and the system recognizes it’s closed. The drivers seat stopped moving forward once it was all the way back. I disconnected the wiring harness and cleaned everything then reconnected it and it works like a charm. The original owners were elderly people and only used it to take their dogs to the park so there was a LOT of hair in it. If you can find one buy one, especially the inline 6 2wd, it has the least amount of issues.
I have owned 8 Envoys, a Trailblazer SS and a Saab 97x. I currently own an XUV, a 2wd Denali XL, a 4wd Denali and a Saab 97x. 219k on the XUV. MAINTENANCE IS THE KEY. I give them a birthday present every 25k miles. I have added horsepower, handling and paint. Each have won shows. I’ve owned 297 cars and trucks but am now perfectly content with Envoys.