This utility nameplate began in 1970 as GMC’s answer to the emerging two-door, truck-based sport-utility market. The early full-size versions shared their basic architecture with GM’s other full-size 4x4 utilities and became known for a rugged, open-air character in their first years, later evolving into a more conventional hardtop-style SUV layout. For the 1983 model year, the nameplate returned on GMC’s compact S-series SUV, giving the badge a second life on a smaller, more road-friendly body that kept the same basic off-road mission. Through the 1990s, the compact version was updated with new sheetmetal, more comfort-focused trim, and later a four-door body style, reflecting the market’s shift toward everyday-use SUVs. The larger full-size version eventually adopted a different name, while the compact utility carried the badge to the end of its run. Enthusiasts remember it as one of GMC’s most recognizable truck-based SUVs, spanning the classic full-size off-roader era and the later compact SUV boom.
MODEL HISTORY