Envoy, by any other name, doesn’t have XUV roof
Timing is everything, they say, I just never realized “they†might be talking about the automobile business. That thought occurred to me as I spent a week road-testing a 2005 GMC Envoy XUV.
The term XUV is an attempt by General Motors to differentiate among its newest SUV and other SUVs. The Envoy is GMCÂ’s version of the Chevrolet Trailblazer, similar to the way the GMC Sierra pickup is a GMC version of the Chevy Silverado. Frankly, I think the large oval grille is more attractive than ChevyÂ’s grille opening, which has a horizontal bar across the middle on both its SUVs and pickups.
EnvoyÂ’s XUV, then, is a large midsize sport-utility vehicle with an optional 5.3-liter V8 engine making 300 horsepower and 300 foot-pounds of torque. Although it is not listed anywhere on the vehicle or its engine, the 5.3 has displacement on demand, which means that at highway cruising speed, four of the eight cylinders shut down, a move aimed at improving fuel economy.
By chance, or the luck of the draw, on the day before the GMC Envoy XUV was retrieved from my clutches, an Isuzu Ascender was delivered to me. The Ascender is a large sport-utility vehicle with an optional 5.3-liter V8 making 300 horsepower with 330 foot-pounds of torque.
Huh?
Is it another SUV, or is it Memorex? Now, Memorex might be as creative a name as “Ascender,†which I previously mentioned could be a regrettable name if someone bumped you in the rear and left a dent right next to the name, because folks behind you at a stoplight might put the inflection on the wrong syllable. But the Ascender and the Envoy are the same vehicle. Closer scrutiny shows both were even built in the same plant, in Oklahoma City.
If you’re keeping score, GM produces versions of the Trailblazer/Envoy for Buick, as the Ranier, and also for Isuzu, a loyal affiliate for years, and the new Saab 9-7 is yet another version of the same truck, on the same platform, with the same engines – a 4.2-liter in-line six or the 5.3 V8. All of them have variations in grille design, thankfully, but does the world really need five (or more) of the same truck? General Motors apparently thinks so.
That was all part of my timing for the week, but it carried further.
The Envoy XUV, with an as-tested sticker price of $41,235, has EPA fuel-economy notations of 14 miles per gallon in city driving and 19 on the highway. We drove it a lot, and we appreciated the all-wheel-drive security during a late-winter snowstorm that swept across the Twin Cities and Duluth. But at a constant cruise-control setting of 75 miles per hour – all right, we cheated just a bit on the I35 outstate limit, for scientific reasons, you understand – I got 14.9 miles per gallon as an overall average. It stayed there, all the way up to Duluth, around town, and back to the Twin Cities, except for the very end of the 300-mile trip when the computer said it rose to 15.1.
Meanwhile, the Isuzu Ascender, which has a sticker of $39,468, and the exact same figures of 14 and 19 mpg, was so near identical in every feature except the rearward opening roof. I drove it almost identically with the cruise set on the freeway, and got 14.9 miles per gallon from the Twin Cities to Duluth, around town, and then back down to the Twin Cities, when, it, too, nipped just a bit upward to 15.1 at the end of the trip.
That consistency is reassuring. Or, at least it would be if it hadnÂ’t been for a couple of other bits we can attribute to timing, on the television news. ust before I got into the Envoy, there was an item on CNN where a bright young woman newscaster read an item about ToyotaÂ’s energetic plans to expand its capacity in current and future U.S. plants, while also planning on opening a couple more plants. The inevitability of Toyota passing General Motors as the worldÂ’s largest automotive company was suggested by GM officials during the recent auto show tour, but on this particular newscast, the woman said something to the effect that: “General Motors is fighting back to ToyotaÂ’s challenge by offering $5,000 rebates on some of its vehicles, including SUVs like the Trailblazer and Envoy.Ââ€
Rebates generally mean vehicles arenÂ’t selling quickly enough, and General Motors, for at least a decade, has focused its earnings on its trucks and SUVs, at the expense of developing its cars in some cases. So if GM is offering large rebates on one of its most popular-sized SUVs, itÂ’s hardly a show of strength in competition. But it was good PR.
The more significant bit of timing came in two other news items, both of which broke the same Wednesday that they picked up the Envoy. The first item was that the price of crude oil rose to a record $56 per barrel, meaning that the price of a gallon of regular gasoline, which has risen to the neighborhood of $2.25 in the Midwest, was destined to go higher by summertime.
No wonder the olÂ’ credit card took a $45 hit when we filled the Envoy. And, obviously, the Isuzu Ascender.
The second item that night was a feature where a Twin Cities TV crew went out to a Chevrolet dealer, and shot a panoramic view of about an acre of SUVs, sitting unsold. The dealerÂ’s representatives were upbeat, anticipating that this was just a lull that would change back to business as usual. But with all these things coinciding, it gave reason for thought.
Has the American quest for more power and larger vehicles, fed eagerly by GM and other manufacturers for the last few years, finally reached the saturation point? Are consumers reacting to escalating gas prices by creating the sudden drop-off in large SUV sales? Are items such as the limited fuel economy of most SUVs, and the rising tide of gasoline prices, something other than just “timing?Ââ€
Time, as they say, will tell.
Meanwhile, the Envoy XUV is loaded with features, not the least of which is an elongated body. I think the extra length gives the Envoy a neater proportion, and it also makes its most unique feature more interesting and useful. That is the power-vanishing rear roof that leaves the rearmost section open for hauling tall objects, in a completely compartmentalized area, separated from the first two rows of seats by a window. The tailgate either drops or swings to the side, opening to a plastic-shrouded area that not only can haul all sorts of grungy stuff if necessary, but can be hosed out afterward without spraying the seats inside. Push a button and the top slides forward until it disappears. Push it again, and it closes securely with the tailgate glass.
I like the instrumentation of the Envoy XUV, and the vents are simple to aim and adjust. It came with a heavy-duty trailer package and Bilstein shocks, plus 17-inch aluminum wheels. Rain-sensing wipers, headlight washers, an upgraded audio, running boards and adjustable pedals are options that boosted the price from $37,790 over the $40,000 plateau.
Standard inside the Envoy XUV are such features as four-wheel disc brakes with antilock, turn signal indicators on the outside mirrors, dual climate control, leather heated seats, and remote keyless entry.
The V8 is not as big as the 6.0-liter one found in the larger Tahoe/Suburban size SUVs, but it has plenty of power to launch the big Envoy, and it maintained freeway speed with ease. Speaking of speed, setting the cruise at 75 meant that we passed very few other vehicles, but got passed by, maybe, 20 vehicles, all but two of which were large SUVs.
One of the best features on the Envoy XUV is the round switch on the dash, by which you set your drive control. You can turn it to the usual two-wheel-(rear) drive high-speed, for most freeway cruising or dry-weather functioning, or you can lock in four-wheel-drive high or low, assuring that all four wheels will turn all the time, either in normal street speed or low off-road speed. But you also can choose what I mainly did, the full-time AWD setting that locks the Envoy in all-wheel drive and lets it regulate itself on how much torque should be distributed to the front or rear wheels.
By the way, at $2,000 less, the Isuzu Ascender didnÂ’t have the rear open-roof thing thatÂ’s unique to the Envoy XUV, and it lacked a few of the touches of the GMC. But the Isuzu had a power moonroof, satellite radio, a Bose audio upgrade, and OnStar. It had similar fake woodgrain trim on the dash, which was a lighter color than the fake woodgrain on the Envoy.
Two key differences were that the Envoy had a rear axle ratio of 3.42 while the Ascender was 3.73, which gives the Isuzu a little more low-end launch power for a 6,200-pound towing capacity. The second one is the Isuzu warranty, which is better than the EnvoyÂ’s at 3-year/50,000 miles, with a 7-year/75,000-mile powertrain and 6-year/100,000-mile anti-corrosion warranty.
Depending on consumer needs, those wanting the biggest Suburban/Tahoe type SUVs can still get them, and enjoy the room and power that comes at the cost of faltering gas mileage. For most, it would seem that the Envoy (and siblings) would probably be big enough and powerful enough to tow or haul almost anything. Trying out the very efficient 4.2-liter in-line six might be advisable, because that engine will get better fuel economy and still has enough power to satisfy most hauling jobs.
If you need to haul home a 10-foot tall palm tree from your neighborhood nursery, the Envoy XUV with the slide-opening roof could be the perfect vehicle. The only trouble is, once you have your palm tree home, it might be awhile before you find something else so tall that youÂ’d need that open roof.
Final Five final day gets recycled as Frozen Four semis
Big arena, great crowd, and fantastic hockey, with North Dakota facing Minnesota and Denver taking on Colorado College, in a classic menÂ’s college hockey doubleheader of legendary rivalries.
Wait a minute. That was two weeks ago, on Saturday, March 19, on the final day of the WCHA Final Five at Saint Paul’s Xcel Energy Center. They were highly entertaining games, with North Dakota – the fifth-place finisher in the WCHA season – taking down third-place Minnesota 4-2 in the league playoff third-place game, and Denver slipping past Colorado College 1-0 in a battle for the playoff championship between regular-season co-champions.
They were such entertaining games that the hockey gods apparently determined that they should be replayed. So the two games will be redone, at Jerome Schottenstein Center in Columbus, Ohio, on Thursday, April 7 as the semifinals of the NCAA Frozen Four.
There were debates, even among the participating coaches, about how much importance there was on those WCHA playoff games. There will be no such debate at the NCAA Frozen Four. Denver (30-9-2) and Colorado College (31-8-3) meet in the 1 p.m. first game next Thursday, while Minnesota (28-14-1) and North Dakota (24-14-5) collide at 6 p.m., both Central time.
In fact, the WCHA could truly make it a sweep by winning the Hobey Baker Memorial Award as well, because Colorado College linemates Marty Sertich and Brett Sterling were named to the final three, along with Cornell goaltender David McKee, as the “Hobey Hat Trick.†The winner will be named in Columbus during the NCAA Frozen Four Friday, between the Thursday semifinals and the Saturday championship game.
Perhaps the last time all four competing coaches could be aligned in total agreement was in discussing Sertich and Sterling. Scott Owens, their coach at Colorado College, said he couldnÂ’t pick one over the other. The other three coaches, who have to stop them, instead of benefiting by them, felt the same.
“Both are extremely dynamic, and I think they’re the best two players in college hockey,†said Denver coach George Gwozdecky.
“Sterling is a natural goal-scorer and the way they played against us, IÂ’d have to choose him,†said North Dakota coach Dave Hakstol. “But Marty Sertich has had such a great year, obviously heÂ’s very deserving too.Ââ€
Minnesota coach Don Lucia said: “If I had to choose, IÂ’d choose to have ‘em on my team. Sterling is tough around the net and a great goal-scorer. Sertich is more of a playmaker, very quick, and theyÂ’re like a hand in a glove – they work together so well. TheyÂ’re both deserving winners.Ââ€
ThatÂ’s just a peripheral attraction to the tournament, however. The main event is the all-WCHA tournament.
ItÂ’s true that getting five teams among the 16 NCAA tournament entries gave the WCHA a tremendous advantage over, say, the CCHA, which had only Michigan and Ohio State, or even Hockey East and the ECAC, which both had three teams selected. Michigan, for example, had to beat two WCHA teams to reach the Frozen Four. The Wolverines beat Wisconsin 4-1, and led Colorado College 3-0 before the Tigers rallied for four unanswered goals and a 4-3 victory. Had the four regional winners been bunched into one regional, it would have been wildly competitive, but only one would have advanced. However, the NCAA tournament committee split the WCHA teams to send them to all four regionals. All four could have failed to make it, if they werenÂ’t deserving.
“Look at how competitive this tournament was,†said Minnesota coach Lucia. “Even Mercyhurst and Bemidji State played very well, and both of our games went overtime. Colorado College had tough games with both Colgate and Michigan. So it was a very competitive tournament.Ââ€
Hakstol, in his first year behind the Fighting Sioux bench since replacing Dean Blais, echoed LuciaÂ’s stand. “The NCAA committee did a great job of creating great regionals. Minnesota had the home-ice advantage, maybe, but they had to beat Maine and Cornell to win. Otherwise, Denver had to beat New Hampshire, and CC had to beat Michigan, basically in their backyards, and we were fortunate to get past both Boston University and Boston College, right in Boston.Ââ€
No question, the results prove the WCHA teams defeated the best teams from all the other conferences in the country. The bigger question is, will anybody outside the WCHA care about the Frozen Four? Is the fact that the Frozen Four is all from one conference good for general college hockey interest, or is it possibly a negative?
“First of all, college hockey is cyclical,†said Denver coach George Gwozdecky. “But I donÂ’t think this is a bad thing for the Frozen Four. In fact, it might be good, because of the uniqueness.Ââ€
Colorado College coach Scott Owens agreed. “I donÂ’t think there is a downside to it,†he said. “Actually, itÂ’s a unique story. If it was something like a three-year trend, it could potentially be bad, but itÂ’s never happened before.Ââ€
Hakstol said: “ThereÂ’s no negative at all, in the large picture.Ââ€
At Minnesota, Lucia explained how the results proved the merits of the WCHA. His Gophers tied for third in the WCHA chase, then lost 3-0 to Colorado College and 4-2 to North Dakota to place fourth in the WCHA tournament. However, they turned around to beat both Maine, 1-0, and Cornell, 3-2, in NCAA regional battles, both of which went overtime.
“We certainly knew, at the Final Five, that getting four WCHA teams to the Frozen Four was always possible,†said Lucia. “Our league is so strong that we know if we can finish in the top half of the WCHA, we’ll be OK nationally. Look at last year, when we made it to the NCAA but got knocked out by Duluth, then Duluth got knocked out by Denver, and Denver went on to win the national title.
“One other thing is that all four of these programs have very strong commitments from their institutions.Ââ€
That commitment is indicated by the glistening arenas that house all four entries.
“Our program got into the new World Arena after playing in the biggest firetrap west of the Mississippi for 50 years,†said Owens, whose CC Tigers remain the top seed among the Frozen Foursome.
MinnesotaÂ’s Mariucci Arena, amazingly enough, is the oldest of the four, but remains one of the standards used by teams, including the Minnesota Wild, when they plan new buildings. Colorado College got its new World Arena downtown in Colorado Springs, after the legendary but long-outdated and tiny Broadmoor Arena was razed. North Dakota has the ultra-luxurious Engelstad Arena. And Denver has its new Magness Arena.
As of next week – the final week in this memorable and unique college hockey season – all four WCHA teams will leave those state-of-the-art arenas behind and try to make Ohio State’s new Schottenstein Center their home away from home. It will be the first NCAA hockey tournament to consist of all four teams from one conference. But what a conference.
About the Author
John Gilbert is a lifetime Minnesotan and career journalist, specializing in cars and sports during and since spending 30 years at the Minneapolis Tribune, now the Star Tribune. More recently, he has continued translating the high-tech world of autos and sharing his passionate insights as a freelance writer/photographer/broadcaster. A member of the prestigious North American Car and Truck of the Year jury since 1993. John can be heard Monday-Friday from 9-11am on 610 KDAL(www.kdal610.com) on the "John Gilbert Show," and writes a column in the Duluth Reader.
For those who want to keep up with John Gilbert's view of sports, mainly hockey with a Minnesota slant, click on the following:
Click here for sports