2011 Chevy Tahoe Philadelphia

See Our New 2011 Chevy Tahoe Philadelphia, PA

Handling of the 2011 Chevy Tahoe

The Tahoe rides quite well for a big, heavy utility and drives much less like a truck than its predecessor. We won't say it drives like a car, at least any car less than 10 years old because those have also advanced.

The Tahoe uses independent front suspension and five-link rear suspension with coil springs at both ends. There is noticeable body roll, some pitching on frost heaved interstates and nose-dive under heavy braking, but these characteristics are expected in a truck and do a good job of communicating how hard you're pushing it while maintaining stability. Multiple suspension tuning choices are offered, with a smooth ride setup standard on most, Autoride providing real-time damping and self-leveling rear on the LTZ, and the Z71 package for off-road use. The Z71 is firm and set-up more towards speed over rough terrain than softness for ultimate articulation, and the Autoride proves useful on variable road surfaces or towing; do remember automatic leveling on the truck is not a substitute for a proper weight-distributing hitch.

We prefer the smaller-diameter wheels over the 20-inch wheels. The ride was comfortable but not at all soft or spongy with the taller tires on the 17-inch wheels, and a truck with 20s got us along a winding road only slightly faster than 18s and that difference is easily attributed to the 20-inch tire being more performance oriented. The 20-inch wheels might look nice, but they come with tires with nearly three inches less sidewall area and thus provide much less cushion for absorbing bumps along the way. We recommend you try the 20s before you buy.

2011 Chevy Tahoe Design

The Chevrolet Tahoe features a crisp design with curved edges, fully wrapped front fascia that eliminates air-grabbing gaps, doors that wrap over the rocker panels, and a steeply raked windshield.

One result of the streamlined body is optimal fuel economy, according to GM. Automotive engineers judge wind-cheating aerodynamics by a factor known as the coefficient of drag: The lower the number, the easier air flows over it. The Tahoe has a Cd of 0.36. The Hybrid is even more slippery, with a Cd of 0.34. However, total drag also includes frontal area, and the Tahoe's substantial frontal profile means it isn't as low-drag as a much smaller vehicle with a slightly higher Cd.

Up front, the Tahoe features a clean interpretation of Chevrolet's two-tier front grille with a central bowtie logo. Tow hook openings flank the license plate frame and they are, on cars so equipped, flanked by fog lights. The sides of the Tahoe have little ornamentation, yielding a smooth design. Windows aren't shrunk in the name of style and offer a decent view; unlike the Suburban the rear side windows do not roll all the way down. And at the rear, the liftgate has separate opening glass to offer easier loading of small items and the bumper top is ribbed for safer roof loading.

Interior of the 2011 Chevy Tahoe

The spacious interior of the Tahoe can be enjoyed from any of the three rows of seats. The driver sits up high with a good view of the road; steering wheel/seat/pedal/instrument placement is such that the eye is drawn to right of center. With tilt wheel, power seat (with manual backrest adjustment on some) and available adjustable pedals most drivers should find a proper, safe driving position. Roof pillars are narrower than on a Hummer but they are still substantial; taller drivers mentioned the top of the left windshield pillar and shorter drivers the pillar behind the right side door and the third-row seat which should be left folded when not occupied.

Front and second row seats have leg and headroom just slightly larger than Chevrolet's shorter outside Malibu and Impala sedans, but many inches more in hip and shoulder room that makes three-across in the second row a realistic proposition. It's worth noting that the Hybrid's lighter-weight front seats are also thinner; they don't feel any less comfortable than the standard seats but they add more than an inch to rear seat knee room and we'd like to see them standard everywhere.

A yank on the second-row seat lever (or push on the optional button) flips the seat up for access to the third row. We sat in the third-row seats and found that short-to-average adults fit, though they will likely feel insulted if kept back there more than 10 or 15 minutes. The Tahoe's rear suspension design means there is no foot well behind the second row; the seats sit on the cargo deck like very well upholstered beach chairs.

2011 Chevy Tahoe Lineup

The 2011 Chevrolet Tahoe comes in LS, LT, LTZ, and Hybrid trim levels. All those are available with rear-wheel drive (2WD) or Autotrac four-wheel drive (4WD).

The Tahoe LS and LS 4WD come with cloth upholstery; tri-zone manual climate control with rear controls; split front bench seat; power driver's seat; 60/40 split-folding second-row bench seat; 50/50 split-fold third row; tilt leather-wrapped steering wheel with radio controls; cruise control; Bluetooth; intermittent wipers front/rear; power locks, windows and heated mirrors; remote keyless entry; side assist steps; AM/FM/CD stereo; XM satellite radio; automatic headlights; theft-deterrent system; luggage rack side and center rails; front recovery hooks (on 4WD); color-matched door handles; trailer hitch platform with seven-wire harness; six months of OnStar Directions and Connections service; and P265/70R17 tires on alloy wheels.

The Tahoe LT and LT 4WD get leather; rear headphone jacks and audio controls, six-way power front bucket seats with console; fog lamps; three-zone automatic climate control; adjustable pedals; park assist; automatic locking rear differential; and remote start. A Luxury package for LT adds auto-dimming inside and driver mirrors, power folding and heated exterior mirrors with turn signals and reverse-tilt, heated first- and second-row seats, HomeLink, and a power liftgate.

The Tahoe LTZ and LTZ 4WD upgrade to 12-way power perforated leather front seats, heated and cooled; heated second-row seats; driver memory system; Autoride suspension; power liftgate; power-folding reverse-tilt mirrors; auto-dimming inside and driver's side mirrors; chrome trim; Bose Centerpoint audio system; navigation; rear-view camera; XM NavTraffic; and 20-inch polished aluminum wheels with 275/55R20 tires.

Conclusion

The Chevrolet Tahoe offers cargo space, passenger accommodations, and towing capacity. It's a full-size truck and handles like one, offers the versatility of real low-range four-wheel drive, while delivering a good ride and a pleasant interior. The Hybrid model gets decent mileage in the city and the standard version is a better highway-cruiser value

Some information for this review was obtained from NewCarTestDrive.com