GMC Envoy XUV

The short-lived GMC Envoy XUV was an interesting idea that never caught on.  Part of the Envoy lineup, which itself was a more upscale GMC Jimmy, the Envoy XUV was both an SUV and a pickup truck.  The roof over the cargo area retracted into the main roof to open up the bed, allowing owners to fit tall or oversized items.  A hard plastic interior with drainage holes meant the area was easily washable.  The tailgate swung out to the side, like a normal SUV, or retracted its own window and folded out like a pickup truck, to extend the bed.

Where the regular Envoy had three rows of seats, the XUV only had two, with the backseats separated from the cargo area by a Midgate divider.  The window in the Midgate also retracted (making the enclosed cargo area a good spot for dogs), and the Midgate folded down, along with the rear seats, for even more cargo space.  The area could even be used as a makeshift sleeping area, especially with an optional tent cover.  Otherwise, the Envoy XUV was much like an SUV, available in either rear-wheel or four-wheel drive, and with either a 6-cylinder or 8-cylinder engine.  Two trims were available -- the base SLE or more upscale (read heated and power leather seats) SLT.  All came with full power features, cruise control, CD player, dual front-side airbags, and ABS brakes, but traction control was optional.  

Though engine power was lacking for a vehicle of this size, and the gas mileage hovered in the teens, drivers were generally impressed with the handling and smooth ride.  The major draw was the cargo versatility and functionality, but despite much praise in this area from drivers, the Envoy XUV never lived up to GMC's expected sales and was discontinued after 2005.