2007 is going to be a magnificent year for new SUVS. Firstly, GM has renovated their entire line by taking a good hard look at all the consumer replies sighting “cheap interiors”, “cheap parts” and “poor handling” and has worked some type of magic to bring us fantastic new trucks and spectacular looking SUVS.
Thus far, I have test driven the 2007 models of the Yukon Denali, the Escalade, EXT, the Avalanche and now I have had the chance to meet the 2007 Tahoe. All of these vehicles are based on GM’s all new GMT-900 platform and all of them are quite similar yet, in their own way expressing some of their name brand’s charm.

So How Did I like the 2007 Chevy Tahoe?

Before I go into detail about the Tahoe, let me first say that what GM has done was basically to clone all of its new trucks one after the next. Separating them only by different engine offerings and mildly different interiors cladding, whether you buy the Denali, or the Tahoe, you are basically getting the exact same SUV. Yes, the Denali is a little more refined but, the gap in material quality is not hugely noticeable.
The only things that will change are special events and deals per brand name, the power offered by the engine, or the different lengths of vehicle you will order.
The Chevy Suburban is basically just the Chevy Tahoe – but longer.
The Yukon Denali XL is basically the Yukon Denali – just longer. It doesn’t take more than a glance to see that no matter which brand you choose, you are paying almost the same amount of money, and getting almost the same amount of quality.



EXTERIOR

One thing I never liked about the 2nd Generation Tahoe was its extremely truck like appearance and its large upright front grill with double stacked lighting fixtures. Yes it looked very aggressive but, I was disappointed by the look. I preferred the more aerodynamic, simplified look of the Ford Expedition. The Tahoe to me looked as if it had far too many design elements going on simultaneously. The 2007 Tahoe has been reworked and I must say that it looks much, much better. The front lighting has been unified into a single transparent glass cover and the grill has been given a slightly more aerodynamic look. The best part of the exterior is how the entire body and the paneling have been given a much tighter look so that it no longer appears that the front bumper is a separate part of the truck.
Soccer moms tired of their boring minivans won't mind upgrading to the Tahoe because with its small grill design, it looks far less menacing than the Denali and Escalade.
As for the rear styling, The taillights have been made much more vertical and look much more chiseled and solid. In my opinion, All of the new GM trucks appear to have stolen a lot of their design elements from the 2003 Navigator/ Expedition. For $1500 in fact, you can get the Tahoe with retractable running boards which we all know was a Lincoln Navigator first on the 2003 model.


INTERIOR

The 2007 Chevy Tahoe’s interior has taken a dramatic leap ahead of the 2006 model.
The reason for this is that GM hired Drexel Meyer, the design company responsible for the Maybach and the Chrysler’s interiors, to handle the redesign of all their new trucks starting with the Escalade on down. I was very excited to learn about this design company when I was reading about the 2007 Escalade back when it hadn't yet been unvieled and it was *hush hush*.
When I think back to the interior of the previous Tahoe, the only thought that comes to my mind is disgust. It was an amalgamation of cheap plastic and lame rubber cupholders.
The radio looked like you could pull it out of the dash by hand. There were excessive empty spaces which looked so incredibly bland, yet, when you take a look at the 2006 model Escalade, you finally understood what was supposed to go in those empty spots.
The seats were not so bad since they were adequate enough for an SUV but, when I compare those same seats to the new model, its shocking how little you really got out of your $40,000.
The 2007 Chevy Tahoe’s interior, while not as glamorous as the Yukon Denali’s, still looks ages past the last Tahoe. The center stack console has been squared up so that rather than being angled more towards the driver, both the driver and passenger can enjoy it equally. A lot of effort has been made to decrease the number of dials and knobs so that it appears there are only a few. The HVAC controls for example have been divided into two circles with 4 quadrants. The quadrants for the driver and passenger, allow single button presses to increase or decreased the temperature on their side – a dramatic change from the ugly knobs of the previous model. Then, you have the new 6.5 inch Touchscreen Navigation radio/ computer. It is very simple to use and much better than the model originally featured on the 2004 Escalade. The user interface has been made much simpler so that inputting address for navigation is quicker and easier for either occupant. On the driver’s side, we have 2 large knobs which allow the driver to switch lighting from automatic to fog/headlamps to off; and a second knob allowing the driver to switch between 2WD and 4x4 modes (if so equipped ) .
The redesigned steering wheel buttons and switches are also, very well executed and make using the radio or engaging cruise control a snap.

There are a number of other buttons and switches such as the driver’s pedal toggle, towing mode toggle, stabilitrack toggle and a few others. What I am most impressed with is that the designers at GM were able to make all of these switches very neat with a high quality feel, yet allow them to maintain a stylish quality. Tahoe’s centerstack even has some wood accent paneling on them which looks very nice and can be cleaned very easily.



SEATING

The main seats are heated buckets that are 12-way adjustable. The main seats are moderately plush leather and will prove comfortable for long drives so long as you can get into a comfortable driving position.
The headrests are removable which will really come in handy should you decide to upgrade to dual headrest LCD monitors from an aftermarket manufacturer.
The second row can have a 60/40 split folding heated bench seat with adjustable headrests and fold-down center armrest or, you can opt for two power fold bucket seats which leaves a space in the center of the vehicle for 3rd row occupants to walk through.
Unlike the Escalade, you can not opt for a "climate package" which offers heated/cooled seats and a heated steering wheel. Most previous Tahoe owners won't miss this though.

I am a bit disappointed with GM’s redesign in regards to seating. Part of the reason I have a problem here is because GM has lowered the roof line slightly to make the truck sleeker. Secondly, to make room for the new 2nd row seat design, the seat track of the front seats has been left well forward of a more comfortable position.
The drivers and passenger seats are fully reclineable and can adjust to a number of positions. Unfortunately, as I have pointed out in my review of the Escalade and the Denali, the steering wheel does not feature power telescoping. This means that if you are a driver reclining, you’ll have an uncomfortable arm stretch as you drive which can get downright painful during a long drive.

The second row and 3rd row passengers don’t have much more space than they did in the previous Tahoe. There is enough space for most adults and children who are shorter than 6 feet tall, but, for taller people or "larger bodied" Americans, this truck simply does not offer enough space for any type of movement so it may become cramped during a long drive.

The one notable addition here is Tahoe’s inclusion of the new GM “powerfold” 2nd row seats. In case you are unaware how the powerfold seats work, the seats are designed to close themselves into a fold under spring tension. This action is automatic however. The only thing the button does is release the seat so that the spring tension can automatically throw them forward and fold them. The major problem I have seen is that the powerfold seats cannot be fully folded forward unless the driver’s and front passenger’s seats are fully forward. If you need to recline at all and are thinking about having a Tahoe to carry things, I wouldn’t look here, I’d look at the Avalanche instead. The seats do not fold flat. Even worse, the 3rd row bench seat would need to be completely removed for carrying wood and supplies. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that if you do a lot of shopping or are looking for a truck with plenty of trunk space, you shouldn’t look at the Tahoe at all. There is barely any space at all between the 3rd row and the bay door. The 3rd row seat comes in a split bench format and each part weighs over 60 pounds so you will definitely need to store it in your home or elsewhere if shopping is on your mind.
If you are looking for a full size SUV where the seats fold flat and out of sight for your carrying needs, you need to look for a 2006 Ford Expedition





DRIVING and HANDLING

Two V8s are to be offered when you shop for a new 2007 Tahoe . The smaller one is the 4.8 liter which produces 290 horsepower (at about 5400 rpm). This engine will be standard in late 2007 on the 2WD drive Tahoe according to the dealer. The bigger is a 5.3 liter V8 with 320 HP which is offered on Chevy’s LTZ 4WD model. This is the most powerful engine you can get for your Tahoe and right now, it is the only engine available for purchase. If you are a driver who wants a Tahoe simply to travel back and forth to work, to school or on vacations, I would opt for the smaller 290 Horsepower V8 simply because it will offer you marginally better gas mileage and save you over $5000 since its not as expensive - before you factor in the fuel savings costs. The 5.3 Liter had a factory sticker claiming 14 MPG CITY and 19 MPG HIGHWAY which is coincidentally almost exactly what I’ve been seeing on all the new GM trucks with the exception of the Escalade.
The Chevy Tahoe includes GM’s version of Variable Valve Technology which deactivates/reactivates valves of the engine in order to save fuel and cut back on power when it is not needed. The engine throttles up to full displacement when you are passing another car on the highway but if you are coasting in the center lane long enough, the Tahoe will throttle down so that only 4 out of 8 valves are pumping out horses. I was slightly disappointed that the Tahoe’s gas mileage isn’t better, but, on the bright side, the Tahoe comes prepared for Ethanol E85 flex fuel (85% Ethanol, 15% gasoline) which will most likely become a major fuel source in America by 2010 and most likely be cheaper than gasoline.
I found that the Tahoe drove very well. I actually enjoyed the Tahoe more than the 2007 Cheverolet Avalanche and the 2007 Denali. Firstly, I noticed that the Tahoe didn’t have as hard steering as the Avalanche and I was able to make turns around corners with a much lighter touch than I did with the Avalanche and the Denali. The Tahoe did not have anywhere near the acceleration that the DENALI and the Escalade had, but, I felt that despite this, it was still a very powerful SUV since I was able to jump off of lights without having to lead foot the gas pedal.
Thanks to the new GMT-900 truck frame which delivers on its promises of being stiffer and stronger than its predecessor, many Tahoe drivers may make the mistake in believing they have actually stepped into an Escalade. Rightfully so, the Tahoe and the Denali, both feel so smooth on the road that Escalade comparisons are inevitable. As I have mentioned in my opinions on the Denali and the Avalanche, the ride is supremely better in GM’s latest breed of trucks than it has ever been before. Not even the 2006 Escalade can best this new Tahoe and that’s saying a lot since the Tahoe is around $15,000 less than the 2006 Escalade and over $30,000 less than the 2007 Escalade.
I never ever got the feeling that the Tahoe was traction slipping even when I was gunning the engine and moving forward at high speeds. Some SUVS such as the Nissan Armada have given me "slip" of the rear wheels when I did quick accelerations but the Tahoe feels very planted.
I also noticed there is no creaking, and no squeaking of any kind out of this new Tahoe that I’ve heard in many other SUV’s. When you pass over speed bumps, Tahoe quickly regains its composure so that you do not feel the all too common “see-sawing” where the car pitches up and down wildly.

Perhaps because the new Tahoe has been made slightly lower and with a wider wheelbase, there is far less of a rollover feeling when cornering. This may also be due to GM's computer controlled auto leveling devices at work behind the scenes. I was simply amaized how quickly this big SUV was able to whip around corners even at speeds near 20 mles per hour. Equally enjoyable is the reduced wind noise and the smooth flowing feeling you get when your doing 65 on the highway. I drove the Tahoe a couple of times on the Southern State Parkway to get a feel for it and it drove like an airplane on cruise. Even passing over gravelly terrain was barely noticeable. The few potholes I came across were almost ignorable as Tahoe passed right over them without much shock.

One thing I was dissapointed with is that while driving the truck, there is no independant Driver's Information center in the dash. Instead there are two small L.E.D panels that show basic things like Odometer and trip odometer, as well as the current Drive selection.
I wished there was a centermost L.E.D screen like on my Escalade EXT that could be independant of the others so you could choose headlamp delay, door lock delay and other settings - but, more importantly, to display Navigation computer directed "next turns" and "distance to target destination" info. The new Chevy's have lots of traditional guages to show oil temperature, battery power,etc - while the Escalade only has 4 guages and uses the D.I.C. to show you everything else including tire pressure warnings and Nav turn signals. It just looks so much nicer.


OPTIONS AND LUXURY?

The best addition to the 2007 TAHOE that I recommend is the Navigation Radio. I wouldn’t recommend buying the Tahoe without it. It’s a 6.5 inch touch screen navigation radio built into the truck and under warranty by GM. The Navigation radio also includes a 6 disk CD changer that can read MP3’s off of CD-RW disks and includes a line-in jack for you IPOD users out there. This option is around $2000 but it has already been factored into most of the vehicles since the dealers seem to order Tahoe’s fully loaded so they can move them right off the floor rather than ordering them. The Navigation computer can also play DVD videos when the truck is in park mode.
There are towing packages to consider as well as the optional, $300, rearview camera. If you already have ultrasound, the camera may not be necessary since Tahoe has an easy to see out of back window. However, many parents of young children might consider the rearview camera since it is the sure way to make certain young children running wild in the yard are safe. When you throw the Tahoe into reverse, the rearview camera system automatically comes on and you can look into the Navigation’s LCD screen to peer behind the truck. The camera naturally is only available with the Nav Radio.
There are also wheel and tire combinations to consider if you must have a shiny new set of chrome rims on your new ride. Honestly, I HATE all of Chevy’s rim styles. I couldn’t help but notice how ugly they all are. You’re better off going to the aftermarket if you desire chrome wheels because Chevy’s choices are terrible. If the dealer has already installed them, I suggest you make a fuss about them so you get the truck cheaper. The dealer would rather discount the rims that risk losing the sale something I have learned very well in my dealings with Cadillac.
There is also a $1300 roof-mounted DVD player available to keep the kids or other rear occupancy happy and quiet. Personally, I think GM asks too much for features like these and I would instead suggest you go to an aftermarket shop and have LCD monitors installed directly into the removable headrests connected to an XBOX or PS2. Of course, if you live in a region where this is an impossibility, the Panasonic DVD player offered in Tahoe is not bad at all…just overpriced.

OVERALL

The 2007 is an excellent choice for family getaways, small group travel, carpooling, all around family use and general utility needs. The prices I’ve seen in the Chevy dealership were all below $46,000 loaded which is not bad at all considering the inclusion of the moonroof, nav computer, alloy rims and rearview camera. The Tahoe is a very attractive offer and I’ve noticed that a lot of people in my area are purchasing them. For a GMT-900 truck, the Tahoe is the least expensive offer since the Denali costs about $8000 more, loaded, and the Escalade costs almost $40,000 more, loaded. What’s funny is that you are getting the equivalent space of both the more expensive trucks and comparable quality to the Denali. The Escalade however is the “top dawg” since it features far more chrome and more show off features yet it does not offer you the simplistic, utility and flexibility that the Tahoe does by being cheaper, less costly to fuel and less of an investment.

GM did an absolutely fantastic job remaking this SUV.


If you are in the market for a CHEVY TAHOE 2007 for large SUV needs, you may also want to take a look at the FORD Expedition XLT, since it is larger, roomier and about $8000 cheaper, and seats 9 rather than 7.
Tahoe is nice and all, but, Expedition is still the champion of America’s large SUV’s.
Also, keep in mind that though GM is offering "spectacular" deals on the remaining 2006 Tahoe's, there is no reason at all to pick the 2006 over the 2007. If you can't afford the 07', go back, save your money and THEN purchase it. The 2006 pales in comparison.



My Reviews of GMT-900 trucks:

ESCALADE: http://www.epinions.com/content_241990143620

AVALANCHE: http://www.epinions.com/content_241034301060

YUKON DENALI: http://www.epinions.com/content_242261134980



FORD, LICOLN & MERCURY TRUCKS

2007 FORD EXPEDITION http://www.epinions.com/content_270741048964

2007 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR http://www.epinions.com/content_258470416004



OTHER SUV'S

NISSAN ARMADA http://www.epinions.com/content_242021469828