2002 GM SUV Lineup

You’re witnessing a first for me in automotive reviewing: Combining three vehicles in one review, including one I’ve never driven. This rare and somewhat suspect feat is made possible by our friends at General Motors. They have introduced a remarkable new sport utility for 2002 to replace the Chevy Blazer, GMC Jimmy and Oldsmobile Bravada. These vehicles are the Chevy Trailblazer, the GMC Envoy and … the Oldsmobile Bravada. Why bother with a new model name when the entire line gets flushed in a couple of years? Because these three vehicles are identical in so many ways (despite PR to the contrary) and I have driven two of them, I am taking the compactor approach. Here is what I’ve found driving the Envoy and the Bravada and what one can safely assume about the Trailblazer. If upon real testing I find anything to the contrary, you’ll be the first to know.

The Good News
Note the adjective “remarkable” above in reference to this new sport utility. That stems from the Bravada/Trailblazer/Envoy’s stunning improvements over their predecessors.

Most notably, this trio is about 8 inches longer and taller and more than 5 inches wider than the previous models. That in itself gets rid of the old Bravada/Blazer/Jimmy’s biggest drawback: their too-small size. Now you have something more akin to a Ford Explorer instead of Suzuki Grand Vitara. In a market where size matters, that’s good.

The B/T/E share the same ladder frame, suspension and engine, a brand new aluminum Vortec 4.2-liter, 24-valve inline 6. Producing 80 more horses than the previous 4.3-liter V-6, this engine delivers 270 horses and 90 percent of its 275 lb-ft of peak torque from 1,600 to 5,600 rpm. The result is power that bests any other V-6 and competes favorably with the V-8s. Acceleration excels, yet fuel efficiency remains reasonable.

Reducing noise, harshness and vibration was another goal of this engine, one it also meets successfully.

In fact, making the B/T/E more refined all around was the ultimate goal of this entire makeover.

Aside from the increased size and smoother, stronger engine, GM poured great effort into shoring up this vehicle’s structure, making it significantly stiffer than the previous ones. The extra firm frame has an impact on everything from the more comfortable ride to increased handling response to an overall feeling of integrity.

All of these vehicles come with an impressive list of extras. My Envoy 4-wheel-drive included power driver’ seat, dual zone heat/air, audio with CD, OnStar navigation/safety link and the usual power accessories as standard. The Bravada added to that list a cassette player with the CD audio, fingertip controls mounted on the steering wheel and leather seats. The Trailblazer is the most simple of the three because it’s a Chevy, but even it comes nicely outfitted.


So if so much is the same here, what’s the difference in these three sport utilities? The quick answer is looks, although there are similarities there, too. In a nutshell, the Trailblazer is the plainest of the three, with a simple Chevy front end and less fuss in its styling overall. It’s the most truck-like of the three.




The GMC Envoy is a step up in style and substance, a slightly more upscale version of the Trailblazer just as the Jimmy was to the Blazer. Its bold grille and subdued Cadillac Escalade front end make more of a design statement.




The Olds Bravada is the luxury ride of the three, with a decidedly carlike nose and leaner, prettier lines all around.




The Bad News
If you really want a V8 engine, independent suspension, a third seat or lots more cargo room in this size vehicle, you won’t find them here.

Gas mileage
EPA rated at 15 mpg city/21 highway

Price
GMC Envoy 4WD: Manufacturer’s base, $31,045; price as tested, $34,415.

Oldsmobile Bravada All-Wheel-Drive: Manufacturer’s base, $34,167; price as tested, $35,472.

Chevrolet Trailblazer LS 4WD: Manufacturer’s base, $27,530.

Are they worth it?
If these sport utilities were human, the previous generation would be 14-year-olds and the current generation 35-year-olds with families, houses and careers. This new lineup of GM sport utilities is so far and away better than the one it replaces, you can’t make the statement “It’s the new Blazer” with any validity.

GM was right to rename these sport utilities (well, most of them anyway) to distance them from the previous ones. There is no comparison. The new ones are handsome, roomy, powerful and efficient. I don’t think any of those adjectives applied before.

Whether or not this new generation can take down the V8-powered Ford Explorer/Mercury Mountaineer dynasty, which has seen its own vast improvements recently, remains to be seen. But at least GM now has a credible entry in this fight.

Make that three credible entries.

Beth Stein is a life-long car buff and free-lance journalist living in Nashville. She has reviewed new vehicles in print for 12 years as a weekly columnist for Nashville’s daily newspapers and on television for Road Test Magazine and Motor Trend Television. Currently, her reviews appear nationally on Car And Driver Television.