 |
| 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe Review, Specs, Price, Pictures |
Full-size SUVs arent as common as they were just a decade ago, but the big names are still towing, hauling, and carrying in ways no crossover can. For the 2015 model year, the Chevy Tahoe signs up for more of that hard work, with a revamped powertrain, a crisp new look, and more comfort and safety conveniences.
Its a derivative of GMs big pickup truck and SUV family of vehicles, so the Tahoes look is familiar. The front ends close to that of the 2014 Chevy Silverado 1500 pickup truck, but Chevy says the two vehicles dont share any sheetmetal. Elsewhere, the Tahoes very crisply folded wagon body has much more in common with the 2015 Chevy Suburban its long wheelbase companion and with the 2015 GMC Yukon.
Specs
More importantly, Chevrolet will endow the Tahoe with a new 5.3-liter V8 featuring direct injection and cylinder deactivation for better power and efficiency. The new V8 produces 355 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque and sends it through a six-speed automatic transmission equipped with a tow/haul mode and automatic grade braking function. The Tahoe is rated to tow up to 8,500 pounds.
A diet of extensive aluminum and high-strength steel helped shed around 250 pounds from the new Silverado pickup, but the Tahoes weight loss is more modest. An aluminum hood and liftgate panels help trim some flab, although new features and technologies negate some of the losses. Among them: a standard center airbag between the driver and passenger, active cruise control, blind-spot warning, forward collision alert, lane departure warning and adaptive suspension on LTZ models.
Aerodynamically, the new Tahoe improves on the outgoing model, despite sheetmetal thats lost almost all the softness introduced with the last-generation Tahoe, back in 2007. The cabin is the relief from all the hard, straight edges that define the new Tahoe: the cockpit, if you can call it that on an eight-passenger vehicle, is soothingly smooth and curved, with an 8.0 inch LCD touchscreen centerpiece and more overt car influences than ever.
Other available features include keyless entry; pushbutton start; an 8.0 inch LCD touchscreen radio with Chevy MyLink connectivity; a head-up display; a power tailgate; a cargo-management system; and up to six USB ports and six power outlets. A Blu-Ray DVD entertainment system will also be an option on the Tahoe, as will wheels sized up to 22 inches.
Engine
Last year the Tahoe dropped its hybrid edition. For the major model change, it fits just a single drivetrain, GMs latest 5.3-liter V-8 coupled to a six speed automatic transmission. Its rated at 355 horsepower and 383 pound feet of torque, in both rear-drive and four wheel drive form. GM hasnt published performance estimates or gas mileage predictions, but it does boast the Tahoe will be best in its class largely due to direct injection and cylinder deactivation.
