2008 Chevrolet Tahoe Quality Review

The release of GM's next-generation trucks and SUVs in 2007 ushered in a new era of vastly improved comfort and quality on the GM big boys. The 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe continues that newfound tradition of GM quality and offers one of the more comfortable rides available.

When it comes to loading the 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe with passengers, Cars.com says the front "two rows of seats hold up to six occupants, with a third row optional on lower trims and standard on the LTZ" that boosts maximum passenger capacity to nine. Inside the 2008 Chevy Tahoe, ForbesAutos suggests that "four or five burly individuals can be seated in comfort with generous leg and head room" in the front two rows, and reviews read by TheCarConnection.com are very positive when it comes to front- and middle-seat comfort. ConsumerGuide says the "seats are supportive" and there is "generous headroom and legroom," especially up front. ConsumerGuide adds that there is a "spacious 2nd row in all models...[which] can spring forward to ease access to 3rd row, though passage is still tight, and the seats must be manually restored to their original position." Speaking of that third row in the Chevrolet Tahoe 2008, reviews indicate it's probably better left to kids (or pets), and Car and Driver contends the third row is "strictly for the SpongeBob set." ConsumerGuide agrees, reporting the third row's "low-to-floor cushion forces knees-up discomfort" on adult passengers.

Although the 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe isn't the largest Chevy SUV (here's to you, Chevy Suburban), it still offers respectable cargo space. ConsumerGuide says cargo room in the 2008 Chevy Tahoe is "spacious with two rows of seats," but that falls to only "adequate for a single row of grocery bags behind the 3rd-row seat." In terms of hard numbers, Cars.com reports "with both rows stowed, maximum cargo volume is 108.9 cubic feet," but "with the third-row bench in place, cargo volume falls to 16.9 cubic feet." In order to increase cargo volume, Car and Driver points out that you can fold "the third row forward" or "remove the row, although each section of the two-piece bench weighs 65 pounds." In addition to the rear storage, ConsumerGuide states that "cabin storage is enhanced by [a] large center console bin" and "roomy door pockets in front."

The interior quality of the Chevrolet Tahoe 2008 receives praise from Edmunds reviewers who declare "the newest Tahoe boasts attractive, high-quality materials and tight build quality." That opinion is affirmed in other reviews read by TheCarConnection.com, such as the one from ConsumerGuide, which reports "assembly quality on all models tested shows strong attention to detail," adding that "most interior materials feel high-grade, though soft-touch surfaces are scarce." Kelley Blue Book notes that the 2008 Chevy Tahoe has "definitely moved up a notch or two when it comes to interior refinement and luxury, as befitting a vehicle that can cost $40,000 or more," also commenting that their reviewers were "struck by the Tahoe's quiet cabin and its inviting, upscale interior." More praise flows in from Car and Driver reviewers who feel that the interior graining pattern "wouldn't look out of place in a BMW" and point out that "gaps between parts have shrunk to just about nothing, and the Tahoe [they] drove was squeak- and rattle-free."

Speaking of noise levels, ConsumerGuide is pleased to report there's only "moderate highway-speed wind rush...[but] no undue road noise, even with 20-inch tires." Cars.com attributes this to "tight body gaps, foam-filled A-pillars and [a] stiff body-on-frame design" that serve to "reduce cabin noise."