This is advertised as a luxury performance SUV. For those transitioning from a car to a SUV "type" of vehicle, then this may be a logical step. For those who have many years of driving SUV's (as in body on frame 4wd), this is much more "car like" than Truck. The intended cargo for this vehicle is people, preferably front seat occupants with LONG legs to enter and exit over the wide sill, smaller statured people for the second row and children (grade school) for the 3rd row. There is cargo space either with or without the 3rd row flat. Placing and retreiving groceries is very easy. The height is just about perfect for most grocery getters. Sporting equipment (like Hockey gear bags) would be another use for this area.
The rear section is not as "dog friendly" as other SUV's, meaning that the floor area is not one complete flat surface when all seats are folded. There are gaps between the seats when folded flat, which are places for legs and paws to get stuck/caught.
The NorthStar V8 is very smooth. Manually shifting the transmission results is quick accelerations. The MRC (magnetic ride control) along with the side bolsters in the seats provide substantial stability when most SUV's would be suffereing from body roll. The performance of this vehicle is sound indeed.
The soundsystem is good, providing reasonable acoustics for this space. The XM satellite radio will provide enough choices for every driver. Jazz, country, new age, top 40 and the list is almost endless.
The interior materials are rich in appearance and texture. Doors are solid. The UltraView roof operates quietly and smoothly. At 6000 miles I have not experienced the roof noise that some have noted. Find a winding road on the coast at sunset with the roof open and good tunes playing, and this is almost a religious experience.
The style of the vehicle is strong and edgy. Either you like it. Or you don't. The slope on the nose gives a clear view of the road, however learning the dimensions of the vehicle from the Drivers seat will take some getting used to for those who are used to seeing the hood. The 18" wheels provide a nice "fill" to the wheelwells.
Overall, this is a Luxury Cross-over vehicle with a performance soul. A true SUV it is not. If your primary cargo is a young family and you want a bit of pizazz in your driving, then this is a great vehicle. If you are more interested in Luxury than performance, or truly need an SUV for truck capabilities, then this might be a bit much on the tradeoffs.
Eitherway, drive one. Then decide for yourself. Many GM dealers let you have them overnight. It really makes a difference to park it in your own garage. Stand back and look at the lines. It certainly is a beauty.
Great review. Thanks for the dog info. I'm strongly considering one of these, and my primary cargo is canine.
But whatever I get, I'm planning to build a cushioned, carpeted base to lay down over the folded-down seats, so the cracks may not be a problem for me.
