Basically the same / identical as Trailblazer / Envoy / Bravada and soon to be Saab Rainier is only slightly different as its All wheel drive (frome the Olds Bravada) as oppoes to 4x4 and is the only short wheelbase one to offer the 5.3 V8 Are you looking at the extended version or the shorter one ?? I6 or V8 Power ?? I researched these to death a few months ago Isuzu gives you a better warantee and its cheaper than the Envoy for basically the same car .... but none of the GM rebate programs apply
powertrain are the powertrains GM or Izuzu? In past ventures they stuck an Izuzu power plant in there GM look-a-likes.
I work at a Isuzu dealership (Honda and Chrysler also)....its the same as the GMC Envoy from head to toe but the outside sheet metal is different so that it has its own look...chassie, engines everything is the same as the GM's...better warrenty, price and there is a 3,500.00 rebate or 0% I think a 4x4 after the rebate starts at like 26,700.00 pretty close to that.
I have the Bravada and LOVE it I looked at all of the GM mid-size SUV's and it's really just a styling preference. The running gear is all the same between all the models (different combinations, but all the same). I love the autotrac 4 wheel drive. I never have to think about it, it just reacts, and in Minnesnowta, it's fantastic. The Isuzu and the GMC are identical except for sheetmetal. The Buick Rainier is the old Olds Bravada (again with different sheetmetal) and you can probably get a Bravada for a good deal since they are no longer being manufactured.
I saw a newspaper ad for these somewhere were they spelled it "Ass"ender:laugh: It was like they were encouraging SUV drivers to drive worse than they already do.
Yes I was - I was going to purchase the Envoy XL with the 5.3L V8, 3.73 gears , 4x4, posi. load leveling suspension...etc.etc.etc. The reason I wanted the XL (Longggg wheelbase) was A) Towing - longer wheelbase is better - the XL is 129"....almost the same as the Suburban/Yukon XL @ 130" b) Interior Cargo space The reason I decided not to buy right now was the way the interior space/seating is designed. I currently drive a '94 RoadMaster Estate wagon and with the second seat down, its a HUGE FLAT area - perfect for my 95 plound Chocolate Lab to raom around in as well as being able to fit nearly anything I want back there (Dressers, 4'x8' sheets of ply...etc.) The Envoy XL (or any of the other long wheelbase versions) have a third row seat thats kinda "up" on a platform from the rest of the floor. It DOES NOT remove.....by design. it does fold down. The second row seats fold and flip foward. Flipping the second row foward and lying the thrid row flat does not create a nice STURDY, even flat surface - its got gaps where the (leather) seats show, and My Lab would destroy it in no time walking around and "falling" into / onto the seats exposed surfaces. It also doesn't look like it would support any serious weight. Sure, I could remove the third seat myself but then, because of the platfirm, its uneven to the floorboard exposed when the second row seats are folded foward. They need to re-engineer this like other Co's Fold Flat seating feature GMC offers the Envoy XUV - its got a roll down tailgate window and a dual action tailgate (swing open like a door, or flip down like a conventional tailgate) and the back portion of the roof slides foward a few feet so the back compartment can hold tall things. Its also got the "Mid-Gate" like the Chevy Avalanche, another gate that houses its own roll down window - to seperate the rear cargo area from the front two sets of seats......kinda neat, But..... With the second row seats up (for seating) its very difficult to get at anything in the back - you have to go through the tailgate. With the second row seats folded and flipped foward, From the fornt seats, you also cant get to anything stored - the folded seats are in the way. Also, the rear compartment is lined with what looks like RubberMaid siding.....only cheaper. cheesey..... The REAL killer was - I found the flaw of the whole system. When i demo'd one, it was at the dealership and had been outside during a snow / ice storm the previous days. BOTH the Tailgate window, and the rooftop sliding glass would not work properly - they were jammed with Ice. The "bright" salesman was determined to show off thse features and basically RUINED the weatherstripping on the sliding top AND tailgate window by forcing the motors to work once he broke up the ice a bit - it rode over the ice chuncks and made a rather expensive mess ou: I wonder how many will be in the dealership for fixing THAT !! Clearing the snow / ice off the top is difficult too because of its height and size Sooo......then I was thinking OK, downsize and go for the BUICK - Rainier. While I like the Rainier alot, I'm not quite sure the premium being charged for its "UpClass" image is deserved - Its over 40K equipped nicely and for those kinda beans the interior finish should be quite a few notches above what it is - what it is is typical GM plastic with a bit of niceity here and there insead of, say, what you get with a Lexus interior I decided to wait it out a bit - to see if there are any year-end savings or '04 Leftovers in '05......and also to see if they UP the trim level in the Rainier or change the interior design of the Envoy XL The bottom line why I didn't purchase anything is I dont "Need" a new vehicle right now.....but it would be nice
