People have been asking me all over the Tech Tour -- and in e-mails -- how I like the Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid that I've been provided as this spring's Tech Tourmobile.
The answer is that I love it, almost wholeheartedly.
The first thing you notice about the Tahoe is that dang, it's big. For someone accustomed to driving a Chrysler PT Cruiser, an Olds Alero and a Ford Freestyle, the three vehicles owned by my family at present, at first I felt like I was driving a school bus.
But within a day or two, I got an idea of the high, wide Tahoe's outside dimensions -- you can come closer to stuff than you think, given when you lose sight of your surroundings over the Tahoe's four-foot-tall hood.
As far as driving goes, you can't call the Tahoe nimble, and yet for a 6,000-pound vehicle, it really is. I actually put it through some twisties on some Marquette County country roads and for a vehicle of its size it handled nicely and predictably. GM's Stabilitrak system probably helps here, as do the Tahoe's massive wheels and tires. The ride is only a little bit bouncy and trucky on rough roads. On the freeway, it's like riding in your living room. The noise level is pretty good as well.
The hybrid system is barely noticeable, and I gather that's the idea. When you pull slowly away from a stop sign, the vehicle starts up in eerie silence in all-electric mode. The gas engine kicks in at between 25 and 30 mph. It also cuts out below about 20 mph as you slow down, and you sit at stop lights in silence as well, using absolutely no gasoline.
The Tahoe is EPA rated at 21 mpg city, 22 mpg highway. In the real world over the past six days I've gotten 21.2 mpg over 1,295 miles of mostly highway driving.
Quibbles? Sure, a few. The interior materials I don't think are luxe enough for a vehicle that stickers well north of $50,000. My wife pointed out that the lumbar support chambers are manually cranked when they should be power-filled. It would be nice if the steering wheel was a little thicker and grabbier. And the low skirt in front, intended to boost aerodynamics, virtually assures that you can't take the Tahoe Hybrid off-road, unless you want to be buying a new front skirt every time you try to tackle a tough trail.
One nice touch is the stereo. Absolutely no need to visit the shop here unless you want a completely absurd subwoofer; the Tahoe's standard stereo kicks butt. (Oh, and since I work for a terrestrial radio station it's probably not a good idea to say nice things about satellite radio. But I'm hooked. Oops.)
My kids loved the looks of it, by the way. Not sure how many young folks are ready to make a payment that big, though.
So bottom line, as Jeff Gilbert would say -- four stars out of five.
GLITR-10/14
Ever on the search for technological news and views in and about the Great Lakes area, it\'s Matt Roush.
GLITR - 10/13
WWJ Technology Editor Matt Roush tracks technology trends across the state.
GLITR-10/10
WWJ's Technology Editor Matt Roush talks about Tech-tour
hitting MSU, also new technology for the military.
GLITR 10/9
Intrepidly trekking through Michigan's technological space-time continuum, Matt Roush's Fall Tech Tour continues.
Future Technologies 10/8
Microsoft's Craig Mundie talks with Bill Stevens about future technologies that will change how people interact
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