TAHOE 2007 Preview

Edited from Car and Driver

In January 2006, the GM will begin rolling out its 2007 full-size trucks. One of the first to arrive will be the Chevrolet Tahoe.

According to GM, the full-size-SUV segment accounts for about 750,000 sales annually, with the corporation currently cornering about 60 percent of the market. Although GM doesn't forecast any growth for the segment, it's hoping the redesigned trucks will steal sales from the competition. To this end, GM has built these new trucks from the ground up. A fully boxed frame promises 49-percent-better torsional rigidity, a new coil-spring front suspension replaces the old torsion-bar setup, and a rack-and-pinion steering system promises better road feel. Powering the trucks are several pushrod V-8s. The Tahoe lineup begins with a 290-hp, 4.8-liter V-8, and the next step up is a 320-hp, 5.3-liter V-8 with Displacement on Demand, a system that shuts off cylinders when they are not needed. The largest engine for the Tahoe is a 6.0-liter V-8 equipped with variable valve timing that will come in two versions with either 350 or 355 horsepower.

A slippery new body with tighter panel gaps boast lower drag coefficients that are intended to increase fuel economy. For the fashion conscious, Tahoes will get optional 20-inch wheels.

But it is inside where the new trucks have perhaps improved the most. New dashboards and seats greatly enhance the Tahoe and surpass the competition. The materials are far better than anything ever used in a GM truck, and they're better than what is in most GM cars. To increase visibility, the dash sits lower and closer to the windshield, thus giving the illusion that one is sitting higher.

For the safety conscious, the new trucks will come standard with stability control with roll-over mitigation enhancements and optional curtain airbags. Larger brakes with improved anti-lock control, along with tire-pressure monitoring, will be standard.

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