Comments on: Review: 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid

By: Carlson Fan

Carlson Fan — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 15:25:54 +0000

If you tow something heavy enough to require a trailer with tandem axles and have a family then you need something like the Tahoe. Too many of us boaters, campers, snowmobilers, ect. out there with families that need vehicles like this so don’t expect them to go away anytime soon. What you will see is people that have no business owning them opting for something that makes more sense.

I think a better route for GM would have been to stick diesel in these which you’ll see in a few years anyways. The hybrid system is a nice start though.

By: energetik9

energetik9 — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 14:28:12 +0000

Hybrid or not…it’s still a gas guzzler. GM built this for marketing reasons, not because of some desire to do better by the environment or to produce a better truck. GM built this because it was trendy to say “hybrid” and probably because there was some tax incentive to do so. Not that much different from that misdirected effort to build their flex-fuel ethanol vehicles. Its cars like this that causes me to say that GM is getting what they deserve.

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Fri, 10 Apr 2009 11:18:56 +0000

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By: dolorean23

dolorean23 — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 16:18:46 +0000

According to the owner’s manual, the 2008 Grand Caravan with 4.0L and heavy duty “sport” suspension, 6 spd tranny with tranny cooler (for TOWING), is limited to 3500 lbs towing. Of course, this was written by litigation fearing bean counters who are deliberately going to put the smallest number possible for towing in there, so as to not be sued by some moron who’s transmission threw up after towing 10,000 lbs.

However, in Europe as Paul Niedermeyer has pointed out, VW station wagons are pulling camping trailers all over the autobahn. As long as the weight of the balanced trailer doesn’t exceed the weight of the vehicle pulling it, it can pull it. This doesn’t mean when I pull my ‘95 Cobra (3300 lbs) on its car trailer (1400 lbs) that I’m pulling mad G’s on the highway. Staying around 60 mph works well enough for me, my wife, three kids, our luggage and the dog, plus trailer. It can do it, still gives me 17 mpg, as long as I don’t overtax it and take it to its service checks. 22000 miles now and no problems, knock on wood.

The reason so many SUVs have a Solid Rear Axle instead of IRS is because you can tow more with this setup and its CHEAPER by far. One reason for this is you have minmal horsepower and torque loss from the engine to the diff by this set up, especially in a straight line; perfect for towing.

By: KixStart

KixStart — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 18:42:09 +0000

Ronnie Schreiber,

It wasn’t going to sell, anyway. The people who buy these don’t care about saving the planet but they might be interested in saving money on fuel if fuel prices climb.

GM’s problem is that there are cheaper ways to save money on fuel…

The Traverse, for example, gets similar gas mileage (probably a little worse in the city, a little better on the highway), holds 7 or 8 people (I can’t remember the last time I saw a full SUV, anyway), holds lots of stuff and suffers just a 1K lb loss in tow capacity. For thousands less.

This thing was insanity from the get-go.

By: SupaMan

SupaMan — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 11:34:47 +0000

A diesel Tahoe would’ve probably gotten better mileage. All this “Hybrid SUV” business is just a way for GM to say, “See? We can do it too…and do it in our trucks!”. Ugh…if I need to tow something I’d rather get a Duramax equipped Silverado (or Sierra) in a crew cab configuration.

By: Ronnie Schreiber

Ronnie Schreiber — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 22:32:41 +0000

The two-mode hybrid system used in the Tahoe is designed around a sophisticated automatic transmission with two built in electric motors. GM decided to make the first version compatible with their highest volume vehicles, body on frame light trucks. When the drivetrain was planned 3 or 4 years ago if you add up all the Silverado/Sierras, Tahoes, Yukons, and Suburbans, that may have been more than 1.5 million vehicles a year. Improving the fuel efficiency of that fleet by 25% would save more fuel than making a 40mpg econobox.

Unfortunately the system is expensive so you almost have to go with early adopter premium pricing.

By: davey49

davey49 — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 22:27:53 +0000

technically the XL Escalade (ESV) is a gussied up Suburban.
carlos.negros- don’t care about statistics and reports. If you flip a Tahoe it means you did something wrong.

By: theflyersfan

theflyersfan — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 18:38:54 +0000

shaker/davey –
I think it was in a recent issue of C&D about Ann Arbor, MI’s expanding fleet of hybrid buses.
That is above and beyond a great idea. The quicker places like NYC and Los Angeles gets them, the better.
I can’t remember (which is bugging me to no end since I’m right across the river), but I think TANK (Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky) has a few hybrid buses also. Anything that helps this region clean up its’ air is fine by me. Deep valley = lots of particulate pollution in all seasons.
I have no idea how much a diesel bus costs, but I think the article said that the hybrid bus is around $500,000.
With diesel prices all over the place, I can see many cities lining up to snag a few of these buses. The major problem of all of this has to be that the words “cash” and “starved” appear in many articles. Hopefully some of these billions being tossed around will go towards cleaner bus technology.

GM just got nailed with the “right product, wrong timing” curse. I think people would purchase the Hybrid SUVs, along with the G8, new CTS, and Malibu in 2003 but with the economy in full flush down the drain mode, a lot of people (including this person) cannot or do not want to plunk down $30K+ for a new car…so some decent GM cars are still collecting dust.

By: jerseydevil

jerseydevil — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 17:34:38 +0000

I have a choice of work vehicles – Cadillac DTS and the XL Escelade. Unless I need to carry more than 3 other people or I need a lot of luggage space, i MUCH prefer the DTS. The truck, a gussied up Tahoe after all, feels tipsy, too high, bouncy, and the front seats are not nearly as comfortable as the DTS. The third row seats are downright silly.

The truck gets about 9 mpg in mixed traffic. The DTS, about 20 mpg. An increase of 10 mpg in this vehicle would be impressive.

So I really don’t get it when people say its comfortable. Driving in it makes me a litle queasy, like seasickness. Perhaps its more comfortable than the competition, if do i thank god that I dont really need one.

By: carlos.negros

carlos.negros — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 17:31:29 +0000

davey49 wrote: “If you flip a Tahoe, you’ll flip anything.”

According to NHTSA, the chance of rollover in the 2009 Tahoe Hybrid it 24 percent.

http://www.safercar.gov/portal/site/safercar/menuitem.db847bd57e3dc1f885dfc38c35a67789/?vgnextoid=c95df2905bf54110VgnVCM1000002fd17898RCRD

The chance of rollover of a 2009 Honda Accord four door is 9 percent.

http://www.safercar.gov/portal/site/safercar/menuitem.db847bd57e3dc1f885dfc38c35a67789/?vgnextoid=c95df2905bf54110VgnVCM1000002fd17898RCRD

By: davey49

davey49 — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 15:27:29 +0000

shaker- It’s being done. My small city has 4 Hybrid buses in its fleet.

By: GS650G

GS650G — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 15:22:57 +0000

WTF doesn’t someone make a hybrid station wagon? The Prius has a lot of cargo room, it’s one of the selling points for the car a chief reason people like it so much. Can’t Toyota make a Camry wagon with that Hybrid Synergy stuff?

By: shaker

shaker — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 15:09:58 +0000

This hybrid system belongs in thousands of city buses, mated to a diesel engine.

Instead, the “fuel savings” will be spread over a much smaller # of vehicle miles – way to save the planet, guys.

By: Mark45

Mark45 — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 15:05:05 +0000

wsn :

But a hybrid, in this case, doesn’t really need a drive shaft. All you need is 10 feet long power cable to power the two rear electric motors.

It pretty much defeats the purpose of a hybrid to have a clumsy drive shaft

Well tell Toyota to remove the drive shafts from the Prius.

I don’t see the big fuss about the price. Have you checked the price of a loaded Toyota Sequoia or Land Crusier? Although I think they are all overpriced the Tahoe hybrid is not out way of line with Toyota’s equivalent while getting better mileage.

By: davey49

davey49 — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 13:32:51 +0000

ctoan- good point on the Caravan destroying transmissions regardless. I’d guess once or twice a year would probably be OK. I was thinking more like once or twice a month would be bad.
Tow rating of the GC is only 3800# max. Don’t know where the 5000# number came from.
Jack Baruth- Was that before or after the Durango was introduced?

By: Ingvar

Ingvar — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 07:40:32 +0000

“I thought the rain god lorry driver was from the Dirk Gently book.”

Trust me, it’s in the hitchhiker universe of books. Although, I liked the conclusion: the lorry drivers wife didn’t belive in any of that nonsense, though she always took in all the laundry when he was planning to come home.

The Dirk Gently series had Gently randomly following people who seemed to know where they were going, and he usually ended up right where he wanted to be. Or in foggy days, on someoneelses driveway.

By: don1967

don1967 — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 05:33:14 +0000

Ridiculously over-sized soccermobile, meet global warming hysteria. Two diametrically-opposed social fads molded into a 6,000 pound monument to human silliness in the early 21st century.

At least it will give us something to chuckle about, as we try to explain it to our great-grandchildren some day.

By: Landcrusher

Landcrusher — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 05:15:51 +0000

I thought the rain god lorry driver was from the Dirk Gently book.

I don’t think the small mileage increase would offset the risk of maintenance costs with gas at even 8 a gallon. Forget it.

By: Jack Baruth

Jack Baruth — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 04:58:34 +0000

For what it’s worth, the Chrysler guys towed Showroom Stock Neons behind their second-gen minivans to a lot of races. A Showroom Stock Neon is 2650lbs and the trailer would be 1500+, so that’s in the mid-fours right there.

I’m planning to tow my Performance Touring Neon (2200 empty) on a steel trailer behind mah Flex, yo, but only in the flat Midwest.

By: ctoan

ctoan — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 04:28:57 +0000

davey49

Caravans destroy transmissions anyway. Is there any actual evidence (i.e. not anecdotal or conjectural) that a minivan will have a significantly reduced life when it’s towing at its weight rating? Sure, I wouldn’t choose one if I was a horse breeder or ran a race team, but towing once or twice a year shouldn’t do too much damage.

By: theflyersfan

theflyersfan — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 02:25:58 +0000

Didn’t they use the 6.0L V8 since it is already setup for the Displacement on Demand system for SUVs/trucks? I remember having an Impala SS rental with the 5.3L V8 and it had DoD, but I swear I read the 6L is the only engine that would work with this hybrid/DoD configuration.

Car and Driver made an excellent point about the Tahoe Hybrid. (They also got 20mpg.) They wondered why GM couldn’t put ALL of the weight saving gear in each and every Tahoe – the slimmer seats, more aluminum, streamlined bumpers and underbody, and so on. The 400lb weight savings should equal maybe 2-3mpg in real world driving and that’s like finding fuel savings out of nothing.

Of course they couldn’t slap Hybrid badges over every square inch. There has to be a “Hybrid logo delete” option somewhere.

Then again, look at the Cayenne S Hybrid coming out. That puts the “Hybrid” logo in traditional Porsche print over the doors. Tacky…

By: EJ_San_Fran

EJ_San_Fran — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 00:35:35 +0000

These days a full-size SUV needs to be able to tow 10,000 lbs or otherwise it doesn’t count.
A tow rating of 6,000 lbs is really a rating that matches a smaller vehicle (for instance the Toyota Highlander is rated at 5,000 lbs tow capacity).
Why buy a full-size SUV that can’t do the heavy duty stuff that SUVs are for?

By: davey49

davey49 — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 23:52:03 +0000

If you flip a Tahoe, you’ll flip anything.
Consumer Reports got 14 city 25 highway 19 overall with their Tahoe Hybrid. Their city mileage test is very harsh. Honda Civic EX automatic got 18/43
They really need to up the tow rating to 10K and make this a Suburban.
A lot of people tow trailers or boats. It’s a big market.
It would also be fun watching said Caravan owner who is towing 5000# replacing his/her transmission every 30K miles.
I’ll never buy a vehicle with a sunroof.
The Hybrid is way too expensive, and the Ford Expedition does have the fold flat 3rd row. I’d sacrifice the mileage.

By: carlos.negros

carlos.negros — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 22:51:08 +0000

Who needs this top-heavy, flip-prone visual impediment?

Does it handle well? What can it do, besides tow a trailer or a giant boat?

This earns four stars and the Toyota Venza earns one? I guess this shows the total subjectivity of car reviews.