2009 GMC Envoy Review

Overview

The 2009 GMC Envoy is a five-passenger midsize SUV that shares a traditional truck based design with the Chevy TrailBlazer. For 2009, the GMC Envoy comes back largely unchanged. Powerful engine options, remarkable passenger and cargo room with a user-friendly dashboard, and smooth-acting switchgear make it a favorable option in its class.

Power and performance

The 2009 GMC Envoy comes in SLE, SLT, and the luxurious Denali trims. The SLE and SLT trims receive power from a 4.2-liter, inline-6 engine capable of producing 291-horsepower. The Envoy Denali is powered by a 5.3-liter V8 engine that delivers 302-horsepower featuring cylinder-deactivation technology, which increases fuel economy by shutting off four cylinders at highway speeds. All the trims can be equipped with rear-wheel or four-wheel drive. The standard Envoy with the inline-6 engine offers a fuel-economy of 14/20 mpg (city/highway), while the V8 equipped Denali achieves 15/21 mpg (city/highway) with the 2WD and 14/19 mpg (city/highway) with the 4WD. The six-cylinder Envoy has a towing capacity of up to 6,300 pounds, while the V8 can tow up to 6,600 pounds.

Body and styling

The 2009 Envoy features a shield-shaped convex grille; chrome body-side moldings; wedged headlamps; and boldly defined character lines. The SLE and SLT trims of the Envoy are equipped with standard 17-inch aluminum wheels or optional 18-inch high-polished forged-aluminum wheels; the Denali gets 20-inch polished-aluminum wheels. All trims have a seating capacity of five people. Interiors come with leather-wrapped steering wheel and cruise control as standard features; power-adjustable pedals; Bose audio and navigation system; and a new Bluetooth phone connectivity are optional features.

Safety Features

Standard safety features include side curtain airbags for first and second rows; anti-lock disc brakes; stability control; and traction control. In crash safety tests, the 2009 GMC Envoy achieved the top score of five stars in side-impact safety ratings.