For the 2007 model year, Chevrolet rolls out its
all-new and next-generation Tahoe, a vehicle that promises to be updated and
improved in seemingly every aspect, including fuel economy. Chevrolet boasts
that its 2007 Tahoe is the first full-size SUV to break the 20-mpg barrier in
the federal government's combined fuel economy ratings; this is a feat that the Tahoe
achieves with both its two- and four-wheel-drive models. Out on the road, the
new Tahoe feels taut and the steering is precise and responsive. At highway
speeds the Tahoe is quiet and comfortable. The brakes are responsive and smooth.
Trim for 2007
The 2007 Chevy Tahoe is available in three
versions: LS, LT and LTZ.
The LS standard equipment includes dual-zone air
conditioning, cloth seating for five people, with power adjustment for the
driver's seat, 17-inch wheels, a tire-pressure monitoring system, four-wheel
disc brakes with anti-lock technology.
The LT is expected to be the most popular version,
accounting for 65 percent to 70 percent of sales. There are three variations on
the expected popular LT model:
The LT-1 package adds a cargo shade, floor console,
color-keyed door handles, heated exterior mirrors, fog lamps, custom bucket
front seats, steering wheel-mounted audio and cruise controls and a sound system
with rear audio controls with headphone jacks.
The LT-2 adds dual-zone automatic climate control,
power-adjustable pedals, a remote starter system, leather seats, an audio system
with a six-CD changer and MP3 capability, Ultrasonic rear parking assist and a
universal garage door opener.
The LT-3 adds power folding rearview mirrors with
turn signals, side-curtain airbags, 12-way power driver's seat with memory,
power-adjustable front passenger seat, Bose Premium 9-speak audio with subwoofer
and XM Satellite Radio.
The LTZ comes with 20-inch wheels, Autoride
air-assisted rear suspension, heated windshield washer system, heated second-row
seats with a power release to enhance access to the cargo area or standard
third-row seat, a locking rear differential, power rear liftgate and
rain-sensing front wipers.
Based on choices made by current Tahoe owners when
they bought their vehicles, Chevrolet expects the LT-3 to be the most popular
version.
Driving the Tahoe
Chevrolet engineers like to say that their new
Tahoe lives larger inside but drives smaller outside. The new Tahoes are
equipped with front seatbelt pretensioners that activate to hold the driver and
front-seat passenger in proper position not only in a frontal crash, but also in
a severe rear impact. GM says the Tahoe is the first vehicle to use this new
rear-impact safety system.
The 2007 Chevy Tahoe rides on a new coil-over front
suspension geometry and has a revised five-link rear suspension. All new Tahoes
have four-wheel disc brakes with 55 more square inches of swept area and 50
percent stiffer calipers. On the new Tahoe, the brakes not only are silent, but
you feel them as they begin to slow the vehicle immediately.
This is just one aspect of the Tahoe's improved
responsiveness that instills a new sense of confidence in the driver. A new
rack-and-pinion steering system, with its rack mounted on an engine cross
member, provides more immediate and precise response when you turn the steering
wheel. The ride of the 2007 Tahoe is comfortable but not at all soft or spongy.
Inside the 2007 Tahoe
The 2007 Chevy Tahoe offers 4.3 more cubic feet of
interior cargo capacity than the previous model, and that interior space has
been enhanced by sculpting out the interior door panels, the backs of the front
seats and by redesigning the headliner. The new dashboard and instrument panel
have been lowered and moved forward under the base of the more steeply raked
windshield. Third-row seats can be removed quickly to take full advantage of the
new Tahoe's cargo carrying capabilities.
Power-adjustable pedals help fit the Tahoe to
drivers of varying stature. So does an extra inch of fore/aft travel for the
driver's seat. But even with more front-seat travel, a tall person has room in
the second row because of the sculpted front-seat backs. Whether the third row
seats two or three people, there are 16.9 cubic feet of cargo space between the
third-row seat back and the closed rear liftgate.
The 2007 Chevy Tahoe's more aerodynamic body not
only cuts through the wind, but it reduces wind noise. With new acoustic
dampening measures and better aerodynamics, the new Tahoe is 20 percent quieter
inside.
Chevy Tahoe Design
The 2007 Chevy Tahoe features an all-new body with
more rounded lines, fully wrapped front lower body fascia that eliminates
air-grabbing gaps, doors that wrap over the rocker panels, and a more steeply
raked windshield. The result of the more streamlined body is better fuel
economy, according to GM. In the case of the 2007 Tahoe, a smoother appearance
doesn't mean a softer appearance. The new Tahoe is built on a wider
frame. As a result, the front track (the area spanned by the front wheels) has
increased by more than three inches and the rear track has grown by an inch,
resulting in a wider, stronger-looking stance. A pair of bulges in the hood
enhances the vehicle's visual strength.
Further boosting the Tahoe's stance are standard
17-inch wheels. But not only are 17s standard on the new Tahoe LS and LT, but
20-inch wheels are standard on the LTZ and optional on the LT.
The 2007 Chevy Tahoe is an all-new,
full-size SUV that gets more than 20 miles per gallon. The 2007 Tahoe has better
steering and braking response, Displacement on Demand engine technology and
enhanced safety features that make it an attractive choice among full-size SUVs.