Road Test: 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe LTZ 6.2L 4x4
In the early days of the SUV craze (way back in the 1990s), General Motors slapped an extra set of doors on a few of its models and quickly dominated the sport utility market. The two-door, full-size Blazer became the four-door Chevy Tahoe and the rest is history. Now in its third generation, the Chevrolet Tahoe has seen competition sprout up from just about every major automaker while battling surging gasoline prices last summer and a slumping economy now. While the casual SUV user might be turned off from the pricing and fuel economy, anyone in the market for a truck this size will find that the Chevy Tahoe is practically unbeatable.
Assembled in Arlington, Texas alongside the Cadillac Escalade and GMC Yukon, the Chevrolet Tahoe competes against vehicles like the Ford Expedition, Dodge Durango, Nissan Armada and Toyota Sequoia. For 2009, the Tahoe is available in four trim levels: LS, LT, LTZ and Hybrid. Having the opportunity to check out the GMC Yukon Two-Mode Hybrid last year, Chevrolet gave us a fully loaded 2009 Tahoe LTZ 6.2L 4x4 that has a starting MSRP of $50,900, but our test model quickly jumped up to $57,335 with a bigger engine, bigger wheels and enough tech goodies to keep the driver and all of the passengers happy.
2009 Chevrolet Tahoe Exterior & Styling
Redesigned for the 2007 model year, the Chevrolet Tahoe was already an attractive SUV, but the highline LTZ gives it an even more aggressive look and stance. Up front, the plastic grille inserts are replaced by chrome, cross-hair mesh inserts that really sets off the tone of this big SUV, and the side door handles and side mirrors are trimmed with matching chrome. Our test model came in a soothing Gold Mist Metallic hue that prevented the Tahoe from looking gaudy with all of the added chrome. This specific Tahoe LTZ was equipped with a set of stylish chrome 20-inch wheels which came as a $500 option (try finding a set of four 20-inch wheels and tires for that price aftermarket!).
2009 Chevrolet Tahoe Interior & Layout
Inside, the Tahoe LTZ offers plenty of luxury and a welcoming atmosphere as is expected from any vehicle pushing the $60,000 mark. Most of the Tahoe’s interior surfaces were covered in either a soft, lightly colored leather or contrasting dark wood trim. Like the Yukon, all of the controls, knobs and buttons are easy to use and easy to reach without overwhelming the driver. While the front two rows of captain’s chairs were roomy and comfortable, we were surprised (and so were our passengers) at how much room the third-row seats offered, but the front seats were definitely the place to be with power adjustable positioning and heating and cooled seat backs and bottoms (the middle row captain chairs had just the heat function). Bluetooth connectivity, XM Satellite radio and a premium Bose audio system all come standard on the LTZ trim level. The model we tested also came with a $4,790 Sun & Entertainment package that included a touch-screen navigation system, rear seat DVD entertainment system and a power sunroof. We were a little disappointed at the speed of the navigation system changing screens and updating, but the large, easy-to-use display more than made up for it. In addition to navigation and stereo controls, the display was also a monitor for the rear view back up camera.
Maximum seating for the Tahoe is nine passengers, but this model came with second-row captain chairs dropping the occupancy down to just seven. One trick feature on this particular Tahoe is that both second-row captain chairs tumble forward automatically at the push of a button (located on either inside B-pillar or the front overhead console), which makes ingress and egress to the back seats an easy task. Since GM chose to stick with the rugged design of a solid rear axle instead of giving in to an independent rear suspension setup (which I’ll go into further, shortly), it made offering fold-flat seats impossible. In the Tahoe, the only way get a long, flat loading surface is to fold all the seat backs down but taller items can fit if the rear seats are removed and the middle row seats are folded. Although the Tahoe is much larger than the Ford Flex we tested, the Flex seems to have the ability to swallow bigger items in its cavernous cargo area with all of the seats folded completely flat.
2009 Chevrolet Tahoe Power & Performance
While all Tahoe models come standard with a V-8 engine, our test model came with the top-of-the-line option under the hood, Chevrolet’s E85 capable 6.2-liter V-8, as a $1,095 option. With 395 horsepower and 417 lb-ft of torque, the Tahoe is a workhorse with the upgraded engine option. The four-wheel drive system is easy to operate with a turn knob located right next to the headlight switch. Drivers can choose between two-wheel drive, manually engaged four-wheel drive high or low and automatic four-wheel drive system that determines the proper mode. GM’s rugged six-speed automatic transmission provides smooth shifts and has a manual shift mode or a hauling mode for optimal shifting in any situation. Altogether, the 2009 Tahoe LTZ with the upgraded V-8 and four-wheel drive gets an EPA estimated 12 miles per gallon in the city and 19 mpg on the highway, which must have been downright painful last summer.
The main advantage that the Chevy Tahoe has over its competitors is the ability to carry up to nine passengers as well as haul up to 8,400 pounds. A solid rear axle with a five-link suspension may prohibit the use of fold-flat seats, but it improves the maximum towing capacity which just goes to show that Chevrolet is more concerned about the Tahoe performing well than fitting in with the crowd. Besides, Chevy thinks that if you want to swap towing capacity for a more versatile, yet equally spacious, interior, there is always the 2009 Chevrolet Traverse full-size crossover sitting in the same dealership showrooms – and it gets better fuel economy, too. One of the 2009 Tahoe’s biggest accomplishments is receiving a full five star crash test rating from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for frontal and side impact protection. For a vehicle with almost nine inches of ground clearance and off-road ready approach and departure angles, the three-star rollover rating shouldn’t be too surprising.