MSRP Range: $34,000 to $41,400
Invoice Range: $30,000 to $36,500
Price Quote
MSRP As Tested: $36,880
Versions: LS, LT, Z71
Vehicle Category: Full-Size Sport Utility Vehicle
Engine Location: Front Engine
Drive Wheels: Rear-Wheel Drive Rear-Wheel Drive or optional Four-Wheel Drive with low-range gears.
Engine As Tested: 4.8-liter, Single Overhead Cam, V-8 cylinder, 275-horsepower at 5,200 rpm and 290 lb-ft torque at 4,000 rpm. Optoinal engine 5.3-liter, Single Overhead Cam, V-8 cylinder with 285-horsepower at 5,200 rpm and 325 lb.-ft. torque at 4,000 rpm.
Transmission As Tested: 4-Speed Automatic
Fuel Economy (city/hwy): 2-Wheel Drive - 14/18. 4-Wheel Drive - 13/17
Standard Safety Features: Driver and front passenger, front airbags, 4-wheel disc brakes, "> Antilock Braking System, Daytime Running Lights
Competition: Ford Expedition, GMC Yukon, GMC Yukon Denali, Hummer H2, Toyota Land Cruiser, Toyota Sequoia
As companies around the world scramble to create so-called crossover vehicles, it's refreshing to see a truck that doesn't pretend to be something else.
Chevrolet spits in the face of wimpy SUVs by flaunting the gruff truckness of its full-size Tahoe, a vehicle that feels at home towing a boat, driving on trails or simply picking up groceries. It's the real thing, baby.
While its interior has the refinement and comfort you'd expect in a high-end sedan, everything else about the Tahoe looks like a truck, feels like a truck, sounds like a truck, and if you have the guts to lick it, probably tastes like a truck, too. That's because the Tahoe is rugged and versatile, a format that made it the best-selling full-size SUV in the country by beating the Ford Expedition and Dodge Durango in a battle of domestic brutes.
More than anything else, versatility made the Tahoe a winner, as it can be configured to suit nearly any need. It has over 104 cubic feet of cargo space with the second-row seats folded forward, and an optional third-row seat means it can accommodate up to nine passengers if you stick with benches.
Two powerful V8 engines (4.8-liter or 5.3-liter Vortec varieties) provide enough zip for the 5,050-pound vehicle to accelerate briskly on freeway ramps, and with proper equipment they can tow up to 7,700 pounds. The big V8s act like frat boys at a keg party, though, as they wildly chug gas. Expect 18 miles per gallon on the highway and a pathetic 14 mpg in town with th 5.3-liter motor.
While it's nice to have the capability to drive off the pavement and tow big payloads, most buyers will keep their SUV on smooth roads without a trailer. With this in mind, Chevy made the Tahoe comfortable and fairly easy to drive around town, but its poor steering feedback, mushy suspension feel and less-than-stellar side visibility emphasize the obvious -- it's a truck.
Inside, though, is a completely different story. Nice materials, a great sense of spaciousness and a surprisingly quiet cabin make it a terrific place to spend long trips on the highway, and several key changes helped refine the Tahoe for 2003.
Among them:
- StabiliTrak, a stability enhancement system, improves performance on slick surfaces or for emergency maneuvers. When it detects a loss of traction, it automatically adjusts engine torque and brake pressure to keep the vehicle pointed where the driver wants it to go.
- Safety is enhanced with new dual-level air bags and sensors that determine who, if anyone, is riding in the passenger seat. The passenger side airbag will deploy less forcefully if it detects a child in the seat, and both front air bags deploy more gently in low-speed wrecks.
- Electronic throttle control makes the bulky engine feel more lively, improving response when you mash the accelerator.
- Tri-zone climate control means the driver's side, passenger side and rear part of the vehicle get individual controls.
A couple of fun additions this year are optional XM Satellite Radio and a rear-seat DVD player. The satellite radio is a great option for people who frequently go on long trips, since it keeps a perfectly clear signal with 100 channels no matter where you drive. The DVD player is perfect for families, as its roof-mounted screen flips down and wireless headphones keep the kids content.
The Tahoe truly is a do-it-all vehicle whether hauling a family to the Grand Canyon or carrying sweaty workers to a job site. It's ideal for people who need real versatility in a rugged package, but only if they can live with the compromises that come with driving an authentic truck.
MORE DATA
Where Built: USA
Seating: 6 (or 4 with bucket seats.) With optional 3rd row seat, Tahoe can carry 9 passengers.
Number of Rows: 2, or optional 3rd row seat.
Crash Test Ratings for 2-Wheel Drive:
- NHTSA Frontal Impact/Driver Crash Test Rating: Not Tested
- NHTSA Frontal Impact/Passenger Crash Test Rating: Not Tested
- NHTSA Side Impact/Front Seat Crash Test Rating: Not Tested
- NHTSA Side Impact/Rear Seat Crash Test Rating: Not Tested
- NHTSA Rollover Resistance Rating: **
- IIHS Frontal Offset Crash Test:Not Tested
Crash Test Ratings for 4-Wheel Drive:
- NHTSA Frontal Impact/Driver Crash Test Rating: Not Tested
- NHTSA Frontal Impact/Passenger Crash Test Rating: Not Tested
- NHTSA Side Impact/Front Seat Crash Test Rating: Not Tested
- NHTSA Side Impact/Rear Seat Crash Test Rating: Not Tested
- NHTSA Rollover Resistance Rating: ***
- IIHS Frontal Offset Crash Test: Not Tested
Length in Inches: 198.8
Warranties: 3 years/36,000 miles bumper-to-bumper, 6 years/100,000 miles corrosion, 3 years/36,000 miles free Roadside Assistance.
Weight in Pounds: 5,050
Maximum carrying capacity (payload) in pounds: 1,672
Towing Capacity in Pounds: 2-Wheel Drive - 7,700. 4-Wheel Drive - 7,400
Gas Tank Capacity in Gallons: 26.0
Destination Charge: $815
