"I'm just blown away this morning," says Jack Keebler of Motor Trend Magazine. "This thing is a real Swiss Army Knife in terms of flexibility. I'm talking about this Envoy XUV. It's got a power sliding roof that slides back. It's got a mid-gate that closes a powered window that seals the inside of the rear area."

The Envoy has all this, as well as cool features such as a dual function tailgate -- reminiscent of the station wagons of the 60s that either drops or swings open.

It also has an all weather cargo area that fits a 4 x 8 sheet of building material, which has a quick-drain system that allows it to be hosed out and be left open in inclement weather.

With Buick entering the luxury SUV market next year, GM will be expanding its offerings in this area.

"With the Buick Rainier, we now have the opportunity to get into the full fledged medium SUV market," says Roger Adams of General Motors.

"And we offer really unparalleled comfort and power and a very much of a car-like ride in a traditional SUV."

The goal is to make this type of vehicle family friendly -- and the Cadillac Escalade's built-in DVD player goes a long way in doing just that.

"I can tell you in speaking from experience as a mother, rear entertainment systems are terrific when you've got small children in the second and third row," says Susan Docharty of General Motors. "It quiets them down, and to be honest here, it provides less distraction for me as a driver."

SUVs are among the most popular and safe vehicles on the road, and will continue in their popularity, as these fun and exciting innovations make their way to the marketplace in the next couple of years.