Long-Term Test: 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe LT

Inside Line's long-term test of the 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe LT is complete. Over the Rocky Mountains and through the woods of Big Bear, we added more than 21,000 miles to the SUV. Even the skeptics walked away from this one surprised.

Why We Bought It
For 2007 the Tahoe sat on a new platform and received an inside-out redesign. We chose the E85-capable 5.3-liter V8 paired to a four-speed automatic transmission. Backed by an engine with Active Fuel Management technology (in which cylinders can be deactivated under light throttle loads to improve fuel economy), GM claimed the Tahoe could achieve class-leading fuel-efficiency. A year of ownership would test this claim.

We also believe in second chances. The Tahoe limped away from a towing-intensive comparison test with its archrival, the Ford Expedition, shortly before our decision to purchase one was final. It deserved another shot.

When our long-term fleet roundtable discussions concluded, there was one unanimous agreement. We needed a four-wheel-drive SUV to replace our Jeep Commander — you know, the one that was involved in a comparison test of Jeep versus tree. The tree's victory made the Tahoe a logical choice.

Durability
We never seemed to need more than the 5.3-liter V8 could offer. Whether towing or climbing twisty mountain roads, the Tahoe held its own.

Edmunds.com Editor in Chief Karl Brauer used the Tahoe to tow his 1970 Plymouth GTX from Denver to Los Angeles. Brauer praised the SUV's performance. "The vehicle's engine and transmission temperatures dealt with desert heat and steep climbs, all while towing 6,000 pounds. The Autoride load-leveling suspension likely accounts for why the vehicle can remain so comfortable and composed, whether carrying a single passenger and no cargo or a family of four while towing an old muscle car."

Our Tahoe was chosen by Inside Line Editor in Chief Scott Oldham to haul his family northeast of Los Angeles to Big Bear Lake. On the long-term blog pages Oldham noted, "I'd put the Tahoe's seat comfort, highway ride and in-city maneuverability up against any truck in its class. Plus, this big thing handles. Half the road trip is winding two-lane and the big Chevy never put a tire wrong. On the way up the hill from 2,000 feet in altitude to 7,000 feet, the big V8 delivered the grunt, and the Chevy's brakes handled the long ride down the hill without complaint."

Engine performance withstood scrutiny, but inside the cabin we found chinks in the Tahoe's armor. They came in the form of a navigation screen and third-row seat.

Several of us had trouble using the navigation touchscreen effectively. Its color scheme and menu are similar to that in a 2007 Cadillac Escalade we tested, but with one major difference: The Tahoe's screen is much smaller. Senior Content Editor Erin Riches makes mention of this in the logbook. "The interface isn't quite as user-friendly as the Escalade. Its soft-touch keys are smaller and the digital clock readout is barely legible from the driver seat. The volume knob to the left of the screen is also smaller than I would like. Although it is better packaged overall than its predecessor, this is not an example of that progress."

We collectively chastised the Tahoe for its antiquated third-row seats. Even with these seats folded forward, the rear cargo space was limited. More often than not we removed them completely. Director of Vehicle Testing Dan Edmunds did just that prior to his annual Oregon vacation. Edmunds writes, "I knew right away that the third-row seats had to come out and stay behind in our garage. I took out two suitcase-sized units and passed them over the bathroom scale. They were 63.5 pounds apiece."

Over the course of 12 months we were thankful that we loaded up our Tahoe with optional equipment. Wireless rear-seat entertainment silenced antsy children during long trips. Parking sensors and a back-up camera prevented bumper damage, while the power liftgate prevented damage to our back muscles. Second-row captain's chairs that fold at the push of a button were also a nice hernia-avoidance feature.

We experienced what appeared to be a software glitch with the navigation system. In the Tahoe, a given address would not appear. But the same address was clear as day on both our Audi Q7 and Honda Odyssey. Perhaps the fix was a simple update, but dealer-installed updates during normal service did not address the issue.

On two occasions the Tahoe failed to start. First it was because we ran the headlights with the engine off, and then we overused the radio on accessory mode. Each time the battery was solely in use for about 20 minutes. With the help of jumper cables the SUV started right up both times, but we found it hard to believe there was such limited juice in the battery.

We went to S&J Chevrolet in Cerritos, California, for our Tahoe's maintenance needs. We were quite satisfied with their level of service and weren't overcharged. We have a Chevrolet outlet near our office in Santa Monica, but aren't confident in its performance.

The aforementioned battery issue was resolved by S&J. As we suspected, the battery was partially at fault. It barely passed a dealer-performed load test and was subsequently replaced under warranty. A contributing factor to our no-start problem was an open technical service bulletin, which required a software update to the truck's computer. Our service advisor explained these two fixes would "eliminate the incorrect power drain."

Total Body Repair Costs: None
Total Routine Maintenance Costs (over 12 months): $115.92
Additional Maintenance Costs: None
Warranty Repairs: Reprogram computer and replace battery
Non-Warranty Repairs: None
Scheduled Dealer Visits: 2
Unscheduled Dealer Visits: None
Days Out of Service: None
Breakdowns Stranding Driver: Battery died twice

Performance and Fuel Economy
Acceleration from zero to 60 mph took the Tahoe 8.5 seconds and the quarter-mile passed in 16.4 seconds at 85.3 mph. Surprisingly enough, these results were identical both before and after our long-term test. A predictable improvement in braking from 60 mph at the conclusion of our test shortened the stopping distance to 134 feet, a 16-foot improvement for this 5,700-pound SUV.

After the brake tests, Senior Road Test Editor Josh Jacquot noted, "Frightening panic-stop behavior. With worn dampers, the Tahoe bounces off its front bumpstops several times. This wouldn't offer good directional control if you needed to steer."

The Tahoe recorded 0.70g around the skid pad, limited by its stability control system and P265/70R17 Bridgestone Dueller tires. Regarding the Tahoe's 56.2-mph slalom speed, Jacquot commented, "Ultra-slow responses combined with lots of suspension wind-up make this truck dangerous in any quick transition."

Our average fuel economy in the Tahoe after 21,000 miles proved to be 14.6 mpg. Coincidentally this was also our average during the Tahoe's 1,100-mile towing exercise between Colorado and California. And it's just short of the 15 mpg that the EPA estimates for the Tahoe in city driving. We were unable to reach the estimated highway fuel economy of 21 mpg and struggled to reach 19 mpg. On the other end of the spectrum, we observed 10 mpg on numerous occasions. The active fuel management system didn't seem to help us much.

Best Fuel Economy: 18.8 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 10.0 mpg
Average Fuel Economy: 14.6 mpg

Retained Value
Our Tahoe arrived loaded with optional equipment and a hefty price tag. Its total MSRP was $49,865. By the time we completed our 12-month review, Edmunds' TMV^® calculator valued the SUV at $30,898. It depreciated 37 percent over one year of ownership.

While this number seems high, competitive SUVs are right on pace with the Chevrolet. A similarly equipped Ford Expedition loses 36 percent of its value under the same circumstances, and Jeep's Commander matches the 37 percent depreciation of our Tahoe.

True Market Value at service end: $30,898
Depreciation: $18,967 or 37 percent of original MSRP
Final Odometer Reading: 21,507

Summing Up
Truck-based SUVs aren't typically popular with our group. We are disappointed that they drive like trucks. Their large dimensions make simple errands around town difficult. They use a lot of gasoline. When this test began, the Tahoe was up against a tough crowd.

Once we accepted the limits of its genre as a whole, we could appreciate this multifunction family hauler for what it is. Optional equipment enhanced the driving experience for all passengers, and its V8 was suitable for any challenge we could muster.

Reliability issues were limited to a faulty battery, which is forgivable when you're stranded at the local brewery. Different circumstances might have soured our milk a bit, but we were fortunate. With the battery replaced, the Chevy never missed another beat.

The Chevrolet Tahoe can be big and clumsy, but over time many of us agree that its utility outweighs the dynamic limitations. We spent the past year towing hobby cars, hauling lawn mowers and shuttling passengers. We didn't take it to carve canyons on the weekend or drag race our neighbor's Expedition. This test reminded us not only that the Tahoe has the kind of multidimensional utility that you can't find in another package, but also that this Chevy can be perfectly compatible with daily driving.

The manufacturer provided Edmunds this vehicle for the purposes of evaluation.