1996 Chevrolet Tahoe Sport Utility Vehicle Review & Performance

Disguising the Tahoe's size would be a monumental task. The only way to put its size

in perspective is to park it next to a Suburban, which is almost 2 ft. longer.

Fortunately, Chevrolet's stylists have opted for the straightforward approach, making

the big Tahoes attractive in a rugged, assertive manner. Research shows that's the way

folks like these vehicles to look, and General Motors is obviously listening to what

potential owners are saying.

Whether 2- or 4-door, Tahoe shares front end sheet metal with the large C- and

K-series Chevy pickup trucks. The high, bluff front doesn't do much for aerodynamics,

but looks just right. All versions save the 2-door Sport have plenty of bright trim;

within the limitations imposed by size and basic form, the stylists have given the

Tahoe a downright elegant look.

The 4-door Tahoe rides on a longer wheelbase, making space for four large portals.

Both versions can be ordered with either a pair of rear cargo doors or a conventional

tailgate/lift glass setup. Although the rear doors make loading and unloading easier,

we prefer the tailgate because it doesn't interfere with vision out the rear window.

Three trim levels are available. A base model is confined to the 2-door only; both

versions are offered in standard LS and upscale LT trim. This year, buyers have a

choice between 2- and on-demand 4-wheel drive across the board. Regardless of model or

number of driven wheels, the standard powerplant is a 5.7-liter gasoline V8 mated to a

4-speed automatic transmission. A 6.5-liter turbodiesel is available in the 2-door 4WD

Tahoe; a beefed-up 4-speed automatic comes with it.

Regardless of engine choice or door count, Tahoes ride on the beefy Chevy C- and

K-series truck frame. Stiff and heavy, the ladder chassis gives Tahoe versatile on- or

off-road competence. Its long wheelbase, size and comfort-oriented suspension tuning

limit its off-road range to some degree--this isn't the right vehicle for the

cliff-hanging perils of the Rubicon Trail, for example--but it's capable enough for any

off-road adventures a family might be inclined to tackle.

The most noticeable interior feature is the redesigned dashboard introduced in the

1995 Tahoes. Big and rounded, it looks far more attractive than the previous

squared-off panel and holds a complete array of gauges (speedometer, tachometer,

coolant temperature, oil pressure, fuel level and voltmeter) and soft-touch rotary

knobs for headlamp and heat/vent/air conditioning controls. All switches, knobs and

buttons are backlit, making them easy to use at night.

Give General Motors one demerit, however, for not including a passenger airbag among

the Tahoe's safety features. No doubt one will be offered in time, but we believe it

should be there now.

Depending on seating arrangement, Tahoes can carry five or six passengers. Three can

ride in front on a standard bench seat; the optional bucket seats hold two, and are

far more comfortable for extended use. In standard form, the seats are covered in

attractive and long-wearing cloth that has been treated with Scotchgard for improved

stain and soil resistance; the base 2-door has durable but less attractive vinyl

upholstery. Leather seats are optional.

As expected, the sporty 2-door is best used by two people and luggage. The rear seat

has adequate room, but getting there is something of a chore and the 4-door is far

more spacious. Climbing into the 4-door's rear seat presents no challenge, of course.

There's a good-sized step-up, but passenger-assist handles take excess effort out of

this and the door openings are wide.

A side benefit to opting for the larger Tahoe is the extra cargo room freed by placing

the spare tire under the rear floor. Two-door models still carry their spare upright

in the cargo space.

Tahoes can be as plain or fancy as the owner's inclinations and budget allow. A long

list of extras are offered to make them more comfortable, including air conditioning,

tilt steering wheel, keyless entry, power assists for windows, door locks and mirrors,

a variety of sound systems, fancier paint and upholstery upgrades, side running

boards/steps that can support 600 lbs., styled steel or cast-aluminum wheels, or

easier to drive off-road electric pushbutton shifting for the 4x4's 2-speed transfer

case.

First, last and always, the Tahoes are large vehicles. As such, they lack the

maneuverability of smaller sport-utilities. That's especially true in around-town use

where the Tahoe driver has to exercise the kind of caution familiar to big truck

drivers, though the Tahoe and Yukon 4-doors are distinctly handier than the even

bigger Suburban.

That said, Chevrolet has done a good job of tuning Tahoe's suspension and power

steering to make commuting comfortable and easy. With reasonable care, these big

vehicles can be wormed into parking spaces and threaded through traffic.

On the open highway, the 4-door delivers a remarkably smooth ride, not quite up to

sedan standards, but far from trucklike. Comfort is hardly affected by load; even a

trailer (maximum weight 5500 lbs. for the gasoline-fueled versions, 7000 lbs. for

turbodiesel) does little to disturb the occupants' comfort.

The 2-door's shorter wheelbase gives it a choppier ride by comparison, but it still

copes well with all but the worst road surfaces.

Power, always a strong suit in full-size American sport-utes, is plentiful. Our

Tahoe's V8 delivered the kind of effortless performance that we normally associate

with luxury sedans, and there's plenty of reserve for passing on 2-lane roads.

Braking is another matter. All Tahoes (and, for that matter, the big Chevy trucks from

which they are derived) suffer from somehat numb, mushy brakes. They work well, but

not as well as we'd like.

This year's version of the Tahoe/Yukon 5.7-liter V8 has been given substantial

increases in horsepower (250 vs. last year's 200) and torque (335 lbs.-ft. vs. 310).

Drivers will notice the difference. The turbodiesel's ratings are unchanged; its

advantages are better fuel economy and enough torque (360 lb-ft) to deal with the

heaviest loads.