2007 Chevrolet Tahoe Road Test

PHOENIX Chevrolets 2007 Tahoe is a completely different vehicle, and you can feel that after a couple of miles.

With a 5.3-liter V-8 and 320 horses on board, there’s plenty of power, but the overall feel is one of sophistication and comfort. The V-8 shuts down four cylinders in cruising situations, resulting in a segment-best city/highway mileage of 21.3 miles per gallon for a two-wheel-drive model.

Goals for the redesign included a more precise driving feel, more power, improved fuel economy, and a refined interior, and Chevys engineers scored on every point.

Since the Chevrolet Tahoe is the best-selling full-size SUV, bringing out a new model, even in a time of slowing SUV sales, is significant. 

Chevrolet has sold 1.6 million Tahoes since 2001, and the industry forecast is for 750,000 full-size SUVs to be sold in 2006. Chevy hopes the new Tahoe will help maintain its share of that business.

The Tahoe is but one model of a family of SUVs. Each GM SUV is built on an entirely new chassis with a fully boxed frame, coil-over-shock front suspension, rack-and-pinion steering, and wider front and rear tracks. The wheelbase remains at 116 inches for the Tahoe and 130 inches for the Suburban and corporate siblings, the Cadillac Escalade ESV and GMC Yukon.

The Tahoe can be equipped with three rows of seats, although the split-folding rear seat takes up almost all of the cargo space. Shipments to dealers begin this month. Other models will follow later in the year.

The climb out of Phoenix on the highway toward Payson, Ariz., showcased the seamless ability of the engine to shut down four cylinders when they aren’t needed. It was impossible to feel when the engine was running on four or eight cylinders.

Making these new trucks quieter was a major goal. Sound-deadening components are used in the headliner, door seals, and firewall. The engine gets a special cover and noise-reducing alternator.

A stiffer frame reduces vibrations and enables the suspension to be more compliant. As we bumped down the Apache Trail gravel road, the new coil-over front suspension and revised rear axle kept the truck steady and sure over washboard surfaces. The tendency for the rear axle to step out in these conditions has been nearly eliminated.

GMs StabiliTrak vehicle stability control system is standard, and it is designed to help mitigate rollovers. Side-curtain airbags with rollover protection are optional.

Refinement shows up in various ways. First, the styling is clean and crisp. Four-millimeter shut lines and body seams are on par with world-class luxury cars. Chrome trim is used in small, tasteful doses. Reclining the windshield reduces aerodynamic drag, lowers wind noise and improves fuel economy. Seventeen-inch wheels are standard and 20-inch wheels are optional. Anti-lock, four-wheel disc brakes are standard as well.

General Motors’ new interiors have vastly improved styling. The instrument panel has elegant gauges, few seams and surface textures like those of a Cadillac. The dash has been moved down and forward for better visibility and a feeling of spaciousness. A band of brushed aluminum trim separates the top and bottom sections. Fancier models have woodgrain trim on the console and in place of the brushed aluminum band. Though the woodgrain is an appliqu, it looks real and gives a touch of warmth and luxury to the cabin.

Controls on the center stack are elegantly styled and easy to use. They have a quality feel that was missing in previous models. Convenience items include OnStar, a power fold-and-tumble second-row seat that eases access to the third-row seat, a power-assisted rear liftgate, remote vehicle start, heated front and rear seats, rear parking assist, a rearview camera, navigation system and a rear-seat DVD system with an 8-inch LCD screen. Power adjustable pedals, rain-sensing wipers, a tire-pressure monitoring system and heated windshield-washer fluid are other handy options.

2007 Chevrolet Tahoe

Specifications 

Standard Equipment (Partial list)

• 5.3L V8 engine with cylinder deactivation
• 4-speed automatic transmission
• Alloy wheels
• Trailer hitch
• Privacy glass
• Roof rack
• Running boards
• 4-wheel disc brakes with ABS
• Stability control
• Automatic headlamps
• 6 person seating capacity
• Cloth upholstery
• 6-way power drivers seat
• Power windows
• Remote power door locks
• Heated power mirrors
• Cruise control
• Tilt steering wheel
• Dual-zone air conditioning
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel
• AM/FM in-dash single CD player with CD MP3 Playback stereo with 8 speakers
• OnStar telecommunications service 

LT Model also adds… (Partial list)

• Front bucket seats and console for 5 persons total seating capacity
• Separate rear audio
• Front fog/driving lights 

LTZ Model also adds… (Partial list)

• Dual-zone automatic climate control air conditioning
• Leather seats
• 12-way power front seats
• Heated front seats
• Memory driver’s seat
• Bose premium speaker system with 9 speakers including subwoofer in center console
• 6-disc CD changer
• Side head curtain airbags
• XM satellite radio
• 20 inch polished aluminum wheels and tires
• Heated windshield washer fluid system
• RainSense intermittent wipers
• Autoride bi-state variable shock dampening with rear air-assisted load-leveling
• 3rd-row vinyl 50/50 split-bench 2-passenger removable seat
• Power release heated 2nd-row seats
• Power liftgate

Major Available Options (some options are only available as part of an option group)

• Leather seats with 12-way power adjustment
• Remote vehicle starter system
• Heated seats
• Bose premium audio system
• 6-disc CD changer
• 20 inch polished aluminum wheels and tires
• 3rd Row Removable Vinyl 50/50 Split-Bench Seat
• Power liftgate
• Locking Rear Differential
• Rearview Camera System
• Power adjustable pedals
• Rear Seat DVD Entertainment System
• Power Sunroof
• Side Head Curtain Airbags
• DVD-based navigation system with voice recognition
• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• Homelink Universal Home Remote