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If you are like most people you probably think the only good automotive deals come from the used... Read More
Top Five New Car Bargains
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When you first imagine it, the concept of a full size 4-wheel drive SUV-hybrid just makes no logical sense at all to your brain. Why would anyone think that adding a hybrid powertrain to a long, wide and heavy SUV and think it would improve fuel economy?
Quite unimpressively in the days of 50 mile per gallon Prius hatchbacks, the Tahoe Hybrid only returns 20 miles per gallon city/21 miles per gallon highway according to the EPA. But then if you take into account that the Tahoe Hybrid could easily park two Priuses inside its huge passenger/cargo area (which seats up to 8 and offers over 100 cubic feet of cargo space with the 2nd and 3rd row seats removed) then the impressiveness of that fuel economy figure really sinks in.
And in case you were wondering, the Tahoe Hybrid actually returned 21 miles per gallon near right on the mark during testing. Granted, the Hybrid variant of this full size SUV had a very similar power output to the regular 5.3 liter V8 Tahoe motors but instead of 15 miles per gallon city, it averages 20 miles per gallon city according to the EPA.
The 2010 Tahoe Hybrid is powered by a 6.0 liter V8/electric motor combo that pumps out a very robust 332 horsepower and 367 lb. feet of torque. While the electric motor does run the Tahoe by itself at low parking lot speeds usually the battery pack acts to take some of the accelerative stresses off of the gas engine everywhere else. For instance, at passing speeds on the freeway you will notice that as the gas engine runs out of steam, the electric batteries will launch you forward like a turbo.
Yes, the 2010 Chevy Tahoe Hybrid can actually be fun to drive despite its size, the laws of physics and the usual soggy driving experience you find in hybrid cars. Make no mistake, the steering is fingertip light at parking lot speeds but that it all part of the full size SUV heritage at GM. What, would you ask BMW to stop making their cars handle curves as well in order to improve the ride? Well, of course not!
