As mentioned, the GMC Envoy is available in two wheelbase lengths: 113 inches for the standard Envoy, and 129 inches for the Envoy XL and Envoy XUV. In terms of overall length, the Envoy XL is 16 inches longer than the standard Envoy, and it's nearly 9 inches longer yet more than 4 inches narrower than the standard GMC Yukon. One way to distinguish an Envoy XL from the standard Envoy is to look at the rear doors. Envoy's rear doors are interrupted by the rear fenders. Envoy XL, with its length stretched amidships, has enough space for full-size rear doors.

The Envoy XUV is about an inch longer than Envoy XL, and an inch and a half taller. At first glance it resembles the XL, but take a closer look, and you'll see that the XUV's rear side windows, the windows that look into the cargo bay, wrap subtly into the roof, where they meet the tracks for the sliding roof section. The tracks themselves are integrated into the luggage rack, a clever design. The XUV also has unique, larger taillights that wrap up over the tops of the rear fenders. From the rear, the XUV looks even more raked-forward than the Envoy and Envoy XL. Visually, the XL and XUV look too long in the back end with respect to the front proportions.

The XUV features a unique, dual-function tailgate. The tailgate power window can be raised or lowered at the touch of a button. With the window fully lowered, the tailgate can be dropped for ease of loading and unloading. Or it can swing open to the right, allowing bumper-level access to the cargo area.

As mentioned, the Envoy shares its platform with the Chevrolet TrailBlazer and Buick Rainier, but the Envoy's styling looks more sophisticated to our eyes than that of the other mid-size SUVs from General Motors. Envoy has a wide-mouth black grille with a big ruby-red logo that says GMC in no uncertain terms. Sleek and clean are the distinct headlamps, round fog lights and pouty front bumper with a wide, slim slit at the very bottom. Strong beveled shapes extend along the Envoy's clean sides and around the wheel wells, and help make the Envoy look imposing. Envoy dispenses with the TrailBlazer's showy fender flares, by housing its standard 17-inch wheels inside hefty wheel openings that are part of its trapezoidal design theme. The rear bumper is stepped for its full length, and includes big round backup lights. From behind the wheel the Envoy seems to be raked, as you look down over the strong hood.