One of the best perks of a long-term-test program is having the opportunity to drive the winner of Motor Trend's Sport/Utility of the Year for an entire year in numerous real-world situations. Our '02 Envoy came packed with all the goodies, including 17-inch alloy wheels, tranny cooler, foglamps, Bilstein shocks, four-wheel disc brakes with ABS, OnStar, a dual-zone HVAC, and power everything. To that we added GMC's Professional Technology Package, which scored us heated seats, a locking diff, six-disc in-dash changer, and every mother's delight: a DVD player for the rear seats.
We have nothing but praise for the I-6's low-end torque and the air-assisted-suspension's comfortable-yet-firm ride. On the other hand, complaints regarding the interior have begun to appear in the logbook. The tilt steering wheel is poorly designed-its detents are spaced too far apart to provide a satisfactory position for every driver; even when turned to its lowest setting, the stereo is still too loud for some; and the lack of thigh support in the rear seat make it uncomfortable for long trips.
With the ski season in full swing, we still look forward to loading up the Envoy with our skis and boards and heading to the powder.