FIRST LOOK: 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid

[Flybrian]

First Look: 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid

[Drew Dowdell]

Good good.... now I need to see an Avalanche Hybrid

[loki]

looks good, just the lower grill looks odd to me

[DetroitNut90]

They had one at the Washington Auto Show...people must not have realized what it was, because there wasn't much of a crowd around it (or the Yukon Hybrid for that matter). I like the front-end treatment, but the rims are questionable, and I'd opt for the roof rack if available.

[bowtie_dude]

Apparently luggage rails are bad for fuel economy?

[Paolino]

Apparently luggage rails are bad for fuel economy?

They add weight and wind resistance is my guess...

[aaaantoine]

looks good, just the lower grill looks odd to me

That's apparently the "Look, it's a hybrid!" trim for this particular GM hybrid.

[bowtie_dude]

They add weight and wind resistance is my guess...

How much can high-strength plastic weigh?

[jbartley]

How much can high-strength plastic weigh?

They're not just plastic, there is metal. and the rack roof create ALOT of disturbance.

the grille looks funky, but the batteries require all the extra ventilation they can get, and it's more streamlined.

Edited February 14, 2007 by jbartley

[roadwarrior]

They're not just plastic, there is metal. and the rack roof create ALOT of disturbance.

the grille looks funky, but the batteries require all the extra ventilation they can get, and it's more streamlined.

Yes, on some cars worse than others. I've heard japanese minivans where the roofrack howls at 50mph, and the howling turns into an ear-piercing whine by 70mph. The one on my aztek is usually pretty quiet, though it does rattle around a bit in turbulent air. Ditto the one on my fiancee's Tahoe.

[jlbunting]

So what should we expect for MPG?

[toesuf94]

I have been in love with my Tahoe since I picked her up a year ago. Seriously - there is not a car or truck out there that will ever replace my Tahoe as my daily driver. With that said - I would trade mine in INSTANTLY if this thing performs near what I heard it will do. Plus it will be fun to pull up next to the family of 5 stuffed in a Prius and point to the sticker on the back. I have heard rumors of nearly double the mpg over the standard 5.3 4 spd...but that is unconfirmed at this time.

I WANT ONE!!!

[-Camaro-]

Is this GM's own hybrid technology? I know this is probably ignorance talking, but I've read that they leased Toyota hybrid technology and used it in their own vehicles.

[Z-06]

Is this GM's own hybrid technology? I know this is probably ignorance talking, but I've read that they leased Toyota hybrid technology and used it in their own vehicles.

It is the first vehicle to use the hybrid technology using the teaming with DCX and BMW

[Drew Dowdell]

Is this GM's own hybrid technology? I know this is probably ignorance talking, but I've read that they leased Toyota hybrid technology and used it in their own vehicles.

you're thinking Ford and Nissan.

[siegen]

So what's the mileage supposed to be like anyway? Is it going to sacrifice any towing ability?

[rinkeedink]

22.7 MPG

"GM calls the Tahoe/Yukon Hybrid's transmission an electronically variable transmission, which has no fixed gear ratios as in a conventional automatic, nor any belts and pulleys as in a CVT. GM says this hybrid system promises to improve fuel economy 25 percent. That means a Tahoe Hybrid would average about 22.7 mpg. "

Read the article here:

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Autos...rticleId=108854

YES!!

[siegen]

Almost 23 mpg in a vehicle that seats eight and can tow up to 6,000 pounds? Hybrid technology may well save big SUVs from extinction.

I hope not. I look forward to the day they are gone.

[Drew Dowdell]

Did the 5.3 or 6.0 have VVT before? According to this article.... it's there now in at least one of them

[Newbiewar]

They're not just plastic, there is metal. and the rack roof create ALOT of disturbance.

the grille looks funky, but the batteries require all the extra ventilation they can get, and it's more streamlined.

yea if you remember at all when they were designing the gmt900 tahoe they said they put the anetena in the window because it cost like .05 mpg... so... they are doing everything they can...

[G. David Felt]

QUOTE

Almost 23 mpg in a vehicle that seats eight and can tow up to 6,000 pounds? Hybrid technology may well save big SUVs from extinction.

I hope not. I look forward to the day they are gone.

Amazing how you can be so ignorant. There are plenty of people who need an SUV for towing and hauling that a Prius or any other Asian auto can not do.

On top of that, my wife and I used to think like most of my fellow Pacific Northwest Tree hugging, granola munching Greenies. Try getting a call one day that your wife is in the hospital due to a semi not paying attention to road conditions and rear ending your wife car and hurting her back. She now will live for the rest of her life with reduced quality of life due to the lack of protection small auto's have.

Until there is a better fuel source, Screw all hybrids and small cars. My wife drives a Escalade and I drive a customized Suburban, my daughter drives a Durango as does my son. Never again will I put their safety and quality of life above saving oil.

Plus at 6'6" tall, I am tired of not being comfortable. I do not care that my gas bill is over $100 a week to fill my suburban. Yes I realize I spend close to $1000 a month on gas for my family, but comfort and safety is worth more than the cost of gas.

I will just pick all small car owners out of my grill. If you can get that small gutless auto to move then take public transportation and stay off the road.

Edited October 9, 2007 by dfelt

[Drew Dowdell]

Try getting a call one day that your wife is in the hospital due to a semi not paying attention to road conditions and rear ending your wife car and hurting her back. She now will live for the rest of her life with reduced quality of life due to the lack of protection small auto's have.:

False. If you get rear ended by a semi, the jarring motion will be just about the same in a Prius or an Escalade.

Big SUVs have a greater propensity to flip and in general have fewer safety features.

You are most safe in something like a Taurus AWD with side impact airbags or an '08 Malibu which "covers every interior surface with an airbag"

[PurdueGuy]

Full size truck-based SUVs have their place. They may be used by some in situations where something much more efficient would do, but there are plenty of situations where no other vehicle will do. In the case of my wife & I, our Suburban works great as our "other" vehicle. 2 Saturns make great daily drivers, while the 'burban works great for hauling people and/or stuff, towing, and going places cars and crossovers would not do well at all, and probably get stuck in many cases. I'm not even talking about off-roading, but just rough roads. Welcome to the western US.

May truck-based SUVs live on, and may vehicle owners gain wisdom in understanding what vehicles will meet their needs best.

[K.C.]

This thing is a game changer.