2016 Chevrolet Tahoe Road Test and Review

2016 Chevrolet Tahoe Front Three Quarter 10 ・ Photo by Benjamin Hunting

The 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe stands tall as a leader in the rapidly-shrinking class of traditional full-size SUVs. As most of the rest of the industry shifts to lighter, more car-like crossover designs, Chevrolet continues to campaign the Tahoe as its truck-based do-everything solution. With enormous amounts of interior space, the ability to transport as many as nine passengers at once, and excellent towing capability, there are few SUVs as versatile as the Tahoe.

That being said there are a number of trade-offs associated with certain aspects of the Chevrolet's less-than-modern roots, especially when contrasting the people mover against the hyper-competitive crossover segment. After a week behind the wheel, I found a lot to love about the Tahoe's ability to get the job done, but also realized that not everyone might appreciate the balance between new-school and old-school that this Chevrolet SUV represents.

All the passenger room you'll ever need.

The 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe is suitably enormous, and its sheer bulk makes an impression each and every time you approach the vehicle. Fortunately, the Tahoe isn't just big for the sake of being a moving mountain; it actually puts all of that automotive real estate to good use by way of an equally-capacious passenger compartment.

Chevrolet's full-size SUV is one of the few vehicles left on the consumer market that can still be ordered in a nine-passenger configuration, with a bench seat swapped in up front to deliver three-across accommodations from stem to stern. Granted, you have to stick with the base LS model to take advantage of the extra seat, but the choice is there. All other versions of the Tahoe alternate between seven and eight-passengers, depending on whether you opt for second row captain's chairs or not. You won't suffer all that much in the third row of the Tahoe, even as an adult, and the second set of seats is even more comfortable thanks mostly to the box-like shape of the vehicle.

The tall cargo floor is a bit of a challenge.

One would think that the 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe would be able to translate its human-hauling wizardry into class-leading cargo space, but unfortunately this isn’t the case. In an unusual turn of events, a recent redesign has seen the Tahoe trade maximum cubic feet for an extra dose of convenience.

Specifically, the Tahoe's third row now offers a push-button folding feature, which flips the seats into the floor rather than requiring that you somewhat clunkily remove them and then find a place to store the (admittedly not-light) set somewhere in your garage. It works quite well, but because the Chevrolet rides on a solid rear axle as part of the platform it shares with the Silverado pickup, there's no real room under the floor of the vehicle to hide the disappearing row. This has caused the cargo floor at the back of the SUV to rise up, making it more difficult to lift bigger items into the vehicle—like say, a stroller, or a golf caddy.

It's also eaten into the amount of available room. With the third row in place, you're looking at 15.3 cubic feet of storage, which is less than you'd find in the trunk of a full-size sedan. Collapse the back seats and you're up to 51.6 cubic feet, which is roughly equivalent to the total hauling capacity of the average compact SUV, while folding down both rear rows reveals 94.7 cubes—enough to be useful, but well behind what you'd find in a modern minivan, and almost 20 cubic feet less than what's available from the Chevrolet Traverse full-size crossover.

Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Drives like a truck—but a very comfortable truck.

The 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe's previously-mentioned live-axle design goes a long way toward informing its ride. With a substantial curb weight riding on a suspension setup more adept at towing than handling bends in the road, the Tahoe can feel a bit ponderous in certain situations, particularly in an urban environment when trying to dart through holes in traffic, or on more challenging two-lane roads. On top-tier LTZ models, it's possible to take advantage of GM's excellent magnetically-adaptive suspension system, which goes a long way towards improving the Chevrolet's road-holding. But on the mid-level LT that I drove, there's no such buffer to be found.

Still, while the Tahoe isn't exactly an athletic performer, it's certainly good at keeping you coddled. It's not so much that the SUV offers a soft tune for its shocks and springs, but rather that its bulk encourages a more reserved driving style that fits well with the capabilities of its platform. You quickly become used to planning out lane changes and cross-traffic intersection maneuvers, and although titanic in its heft, the Chevrolet's square proportions make it relatively simple to park—if you can find enough room to berth it alongside a concrete quay or tuck it into a yellow-lined slip at the mall.

Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Power is good, fuel economy, not so much.

There is but a single drivetrain available with the 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe, a 5.3-liter V-8 engine that can be relied on to produce 355 horsepower and 383 lb-ft of torque. A six-speed automatic transmission handles the shifting duties for the SUV, and you can spec a four-wheel drive system if you want the additional traction in wet or snowy weather. Off-roaders will note that you also get low-range gearing with 4x4 Tahoe models, and you can further augment the vehicle's all-terrain prowess by way of the Z71 Off-Road package and its more rugged suspensions system, skid plates, and knobby tires.

Power-wise, the Chevrolet's V-8 is fine for most situations. You won't exactly be blown away in a straight line, however, as there's a lot of mass for that 5.3-liter unit to motivate. This helps explain the poor fuel mileage you're likely to see from the Tahoe in daily driving, particularly around town: the EPA rates the SUV at 16 mpg city and 23 mpg on the highway. Those numbers aren't bad for its class, but they lag behind similarly-sized crossovers.

Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Good luck finding a better SUV tow rig.

Of course, a car-based crossover like Chevy's own Traverse or the Ford Flex can't offer nearly the same lofty tow rating as the 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe. With 8,600 lbs of trailering capacity on tap, the Tahoe is one of the best options for anyone who needs to pull not just a heavy camper or boat, but also requires enough seats to accommodate the family in the process. It's an excellent substitute for a full-size pickup, particularly with its covered and secured cargo area—but keep in mind that most Americans never tow more than 3,500 lbs, which means you should be sure you absolutely need the Tahoe's towering trailer talent before plopping down your hard-earned dollars.

Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Long features list nips at luxury segment.

The 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe isn't a luxury model—that status is reserved for the Denali edition of the SUV's GMC Yukon twin—but a look at the features and options you can load into the vehicle reveals that it certainly isn't far off the premium mark. All versions of the truck come with a 4G LTE Wi-Fi internet hotspot, which is a rarity in its class, while items such as heated leather seats, a power liftgate, a sunroof, a navigation system (as part of the Chevrolet MyLink infotainment interface), and a Blu-Ray player for second-row riders is also in the cards. Once you get into LTZ country, you'll find available keyless entry and ignition, a heated steering wheel, 20-inch rims, HID headlights, cooled front seats, adaptive cruise control, and a head-up display.

Photo by Benjamin Hunting

An exceptional complement of advanced safety features.

The 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe also impresses with its available complement of safety gear. Standard with the SUV are a rearview camera and parking assistance, but base LS models can add a package that includes a forward collision warning system, a lane departure intervention system, and automated high beam headlights (all of which are standard on the Tahoe LT). You also get GM's excellent safety alert seat feature, which vibrates the driver's seat on either side to let you know where a potential threat is located. A blind spot monitoring system is available with the Tahoe, while the OnStar telematics system (which can automatically notify first responders in the event of an accident) is included with every version of the Chevrolet.

Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Much more expensive than you would think.

Despite a lack of luxury pretensions, getting behind the wheel of the 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe requires a substantial outlay of cash. The starting MSRP for the SUV is listed at $48,195, a figure that jumps by $18,000 if you select four-wheel drive and the LTZ trim level. Pile on a few options and suddenly you're paying $70,000 for a Chevrolet that doesn't have the word "Corvette" sitting alongside it on the registration. It's also considerably more expensive than a comparably-equipped Silverado pickup—or the equally-capacious Traverse full-size crossover. Look outside the GM family and you'll find it's a similar story with other traditional SUVs like the Ford Expedition, and to a lesser extent, the Nissan Armada: rolling palaces that are premium cruisers in price, power and features, lacking only the badge.

Photo by Benjamin Hunting

2016 Chevrolet Tahoe: Pros & Cons

: •    Excellent passenger room •    Strong towing capacity •    Handsome looks •    Good power •    Available four-wheel drive •    Comfortable ride •    Long list of available safety features and luxuries : •    More expensive than comparably-sized crossovers •    Fuel mileage is alarming around town •    Not as much cargo space as competitors •    Bulky size likely takes it off the list for many drivers

Photo by Benjamin Hunting