Article Comments - 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe First Drive and Follow-Up Test

62 messages, Last post on Jun 05, 2008 at 3:32 PM

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What is this discussion about? Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid, Hybrid Cars, SUV

Article comments for First Drive: 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe Two-Mode Hybrid - Two-mode hybrids aren't exactly new. GM has had the two-mode hybrid system working in transit buses since 2003. Today, about 700 of those buses are operating in 60 cities in North America and have just been introduced in Europe. (more)

Follow-Up Test: 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid - Bottom Line: It's better, but whether it's $9,100 better is up to you. (more)

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#48 of 62 Re: Follow-Up Test Available! [KarenS] by trueteller Feb 14, 2008 (8:05 am)
Replying to: KarenS (Jan 25, 2008 7:20 am) Not to give anyone the smelling salts, but that test didn't have very surprizing results. GM's test mule only got 18mpg combined in the 2WD version, and I wasn't expecting worlds better from tthe production TaHybrid. 19.3 mpg combined in a 2WD TaHybrid. Chevy advertises what, 21-22? For real-world driving that might be a highly inflated number. And the 4WD version will likely be 1mpg worse combined. 18mpg is nothing to write home about. They go on about what amazing thing has been accomplished here, and how the savings add up for larger hybrids, but it appears that the larger the hybrid, the less likely you are to recoup your losses. I wish this thing still got a gas-guzzler tax.
#49 of 62 Just finished a test drive :) by 68goatman Feb 20, 2008 (11:49 am)
I was amazed the smoothness of the system; I had to roll the windows down to tell if the motor was on! While going easy on the throttle, I was able to get up to 30mph on just electric power! Slick system Chevy has here. $53K was the sticker and it had navigation, sunroof and a rear seat dvd system. I took it on a 15mile test drive and got 22.5 mpg with 50/50 mix highway/city driving. Replies to this message: bbooze (Feb 20, 2008 5:55 pm)
#50 of 62 Re: Just finished a test drive :) [68goatman] by bbooze Feb 20, 2008 (5:55 pm)
Replying to: 68goatman (Feb 20, 2008 11:49 am) Thanks for sharing! I drive a lot in the city (Chicago) and I know that the electric is the primary source of power up to 30mph so I'm wondering if I'll actually get a bit better milege than the test results here. Did the dealer say anything about how much they would knock off the sticker price?
#51 of 62 RE: Cost by 68goatman Feb 21, 2008 (6:21 am)
I'll try to find out for you.
#52 of 62 Town & Country by adamgreen May 24, 2008 (11:45 am)
I see Chrysler will bring their jumbo hybrid (using the Aspen) to market as their part of this joint development, but surely the best use of this hybrid is city driving. Perhaps they're being oh-so-clever and leaving the Town&Country until early adopters take the Aspen. Why does the Tahoe Hybrid have lower towing capacity; where's the power lift-gate; cooled front seats; independent rear suspension; choice of Sirius or even paint color choices or wheel choices? And can I get one without the ludicrous GM advertising of Hybrid plastered all over it? At least it runs on regular 87 gas -- in California, that's a dollar a gallon cheaper than the current $5/gallon diesel (what a scam!) so even if the diesel is running 20% further on a gallon, this thing is breaking even on costs plus it's running electric or shut off completely when it's rolling downhill. It does shut off the engine completely if it's rolling downhill above 30 mph, right? ps. eBay has the Tahoe Hybrid in plentiful supply at or below MSRP. Some local (Bay Area) dealers start with $5K over sticker and soon start talking about the $9K over an equivalent normal Tahoe, then come to MSRP and start talking about padding the trade-in value. When there were only a few cars, the dealers were price fixing and surely had some unwritten agreement between each other to not discount, but now they're all sitting with the things in every colour and they're just wanting to sell any car at all in this economy.
#53 of 62 Re: Is the point of a hybrid lost? [gagrice] by adamgreen May 24, 2008 (11:48 am)
Replying to: gagrice (Aug 03, 2007 4:22 pm) A matter of fact from what source? I saw magazine reviews giving it poor marks for being no better than the much cheaper 460 and slower acceleration (let alone the "equivalent of a V12" nonsense from Toyota.) I had high hopes for the LS600hL because of the limo wheelbase (we need the passenger leg room) but it was sorely disappointing and will be one of those $100K cars that in two years will be all but unsalable at $40-50K -- that's a high price to pay for all but no added value (although I do like the rear seating space ... : )
#54 of 62 Make it 30 mpg and less sticker premium and we can talk. by adamgreen May 26, 2008 (10:27 pm)
What's the compelling value in the proposition of the vehicle with such a high price premium that it takes years to just break even? Is it really so rewarding to go 20 mpg instead of 18 mpg? In my case, I have a diesel SUV getting 16 mpg and in California, diesel is over $5/gal and some places are already at $5.50/gal. This Tahoe Hybrid is drinking 87 RON gas (aka "California water" at about $4/gal. So 20 mpg is at least a 20% improvement and 87 is probably going to stay at least 20% below diesel. I'm prepared to call that a 40% reduction in cost per mile (plus the diesel has high maintenance costs.) The diesel SUV has averaged about 30K miles per year for over two years. My "next" year at an average of say $5/gal diesel and 16 mpg would be 30,000/16*5=~$9500. A nominal 40% reduction would be say $4000 in very round figures. I could "break even" on an MSRP Tahoe versus a Tahoe Hybrid in two years. Break even. Wow. Or I could look at the '08 Tahoe being unchanged from an '07 and get one of those for about $15K off MSRP. Or get at least $5K off an new '08 Tahoe. Just look at dealers trying to sell V8 anything over Memorial Day weekend -- the deals in the paper were like the huge discounts we saw back in '05. The buyer has this market. I think I'd rather get a heavily discounted brand new Ford Expedition and keep $10K in my pocket for gas money. And the resale on this first generation of GM hybrid will be pennies on the dollar once the "next" version comes along with improvements. I have an '05 Prius and enjoy the high mpg. The only "appeal" in the Tahoe Hybrid would be getting (relatively) high MPG from it (say 30 mpg) but just barely getting close to mini-van MPG numbers is pretty useless and for a heavy full-size SUV, the Tahoe Hybrid is rated to only 6000 lb towing capacity. And the 4WD version has low profile skirts and low rolling resistance tires. What's that word the kids are using these days? F A I L : ) Replies to this message: peralta (May 27, 2008 2:53 am) gagrice (May 27, 2008 5:55 am) adamgreen (Jun 05, 2008 10:28 am) and 2 more... adamgreen (Jun 05, 2008 10:21 am) nedzel (Jun 05, 2008 10:45 am)
#55 of 62 Re: Make it 30 mpg and less sticker premium and we can talk. [adamgreen] by peralta May 27, 2008 (2:53 am)
Replying to: adamgreen (May 26, 2008 10:27 pm) It is already in the market. It's called the Highlander Hybrid. There will soon be the minivan hybrid. Replies to this message: gagrice (May 27, 2008 5:55 am) adamgreen (Jun 05, 2008 10:28 am) volkov (Jun 05, 2008 10:52 am) and 1 more... adamgreen (Jun 05, 2008 10:21 am) nedzel (Jun 05, 2008 10:45 am)
#56 of 62 Re: Make it 30 mpg and less sticker premium and we can talk. [peralta] by gagrice May 27, 2008 (5:55 am)
Replying to: peralta (May 27, 2008 2:53 am) Anyone looking at full sized SUV is not interested in the LITTLE Highlander. Especially the WAY over price HH. There is a real bad deal for the buyer. About $7,000 premium for a ONE MPG gain on the highway over the regular Highlander. Plus the towing on the HH is much lower than the standard Highlander. I think a better case can be made for the Tahoe Hybrid than the HH. Not by much though. There are many full sized SUVs with BIG discounts right now that are much better choices. Now is the time for buying a big SUV before the Oil bubble bursts. It is going to happen and those that took a huge loss downsizing will be kicking themselves. Replies to this message: adamgreen (Jun 05, 2008 10:28 am) volkov (Jun 05, 2008 10:52 am) gagrice (Jun 05, 2008 3:32 pm)
#57 of 62 Tank per tank fuel economy hybrid vs non hybrid by peralta May 27, 2008 (1:49 pm)
If you look closely on owners' input of fuel economy on various sites including fueleconomy.gov, even if the Highlander hybrid is only 1 mpg better on highway, tank per tank the hybrid is 40% better (17 mpg vs 24 mpg). Now if all the roads have no traffic lights, no intersections, no traffic jams, no speed limit below 30 mph, no stop signs, no tool booths, just plain driving from point a to point b in a highway speeds, then without a doubt the nonhybrid beats the hybrid. I did a round trip from NYC to CT in a sienna minivan (100 miles) and got 30 mpg. On steady speed, the sienna registers 33-36 mpg. On similar trip, my HH only got just above 28 mpg. The HH can only register 30-32 mpg on steady speed but when it is time to fill up, my HH gets 30 mpg but my minivan gets only 24 mpg (most of the time it is only 20-22 mpg). It makes me frustrated that I am not getting excellent fuel economy on the highway in my HH but at the end of the day the hybrid still wins by a large margin.