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Chevrolet Tahoe wagon boosts engines and expands cabin space
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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TELLURIDE, Colo. -- Nubby all-terrain tires on Chevrolet's full-size Tahoe sport-utility wagon crunch gravel in twin tracks on a rocky ledge well above timber line as the smart transfer case automatically distributes power between front and rear wheels to maintain traction as we inch over a high mountain saddle in the Colorado Rockies.
It's a dicy traverse through thin air and wispy clouds where one wrong turn or lateral slippage of the wheels would send this 2.5-ton hunk of metal and machinery careening down a steep slope of scree.
Riding in the Tahoe, though, we don't fret (or allow eyes to drift down the treacherous slope) because the big wagon contains heavy-duty mechanical hardware backed by forceful power and complex safety systems to take all of the work out of driving but also boost confidence.
Actually, our test vehicle represents new generational designs for the Tahoe wagon series, following a switch for editions of 2000 to the chassis of Chevy's full-size Silverado pickup truck. As a result, the Tahoe shows new exterior styling, more space in the revised cabin for hauling people and cargo, a new pair of V8 engines with increased power and efficiency, and more on-board safety gear as well as sophisticated controls for suspension, traction and brakes to improve the ride quality and handling traits.
It comes in half-ton 1500 series with three trims and a choice of rear-wheel-drive or all-wheel traction.
The new design expands Tahoe's boxy structure by 2.8 inches in height and 1.8 inches in width while chopping the wheelbase by 1.5 inches and reducing the overall length by almost an inch. This shorter but wider and taller package creates more room in the cabin for heads, legs and shoulders of riders -- with headroom increasing an inch or more in front and back while second-row legroom grows by 2.2 inches.
In the revamped cabin, Tahoe for the first time offers a third-row bench seat split in 50-50 sections. Adding the third bench raises the passenger count to seven.
All aspects of Tahoe's design trace to the structural system of the Silverado pickup, which includes an innovative three-piece modular ladder frame with boxed center section for rigidity and hydroformed front and rear sections for extra strength to carry suspension elements.
Front and rear track widths were expanded to form a broader and more stable platform. Interestingly, cabin floor height drops by an inch for easy step-in by riders yet the chassis maintains a generous ground clearance of ten inches.
The new suspension system brings independent front components using torsion bars and a five-link independent arrangement in the rear with coil springs.
A switch to torsion bars in the front suspension decreases the size of Tahoe's turning circle -- by 1.5 feet for rear-wheel models and 2.4 feet for the four-wheel-drive version. The shorter turning circle makes the wagon easier to maneuver, particularly when parking.
An optional Autoride rear suspension device employs continuously-variable road-sensing damping with air-leveling shock absorbers for precise control over bumps.
The Z71 off-road chassis package adds 46mm Bilstein gas-charged shocks, tuned springs, jounce bumpers and stabilizer bars plus 16-inch all-season tires to dampen the harsh treatment when away from pavement.
Another optional suspension kit -- the Z82 heavy-duty trailer package -- improves Tahoe's trailer-towing ability by installing a hitch platform, seven-pin trailer harness connector, trailer brake controller harness plus a temperature gauge for the automatic transmission.
Two new Vortec V8 engines, smaller in size but more powerful than the previous V8s by General Motors, motivate the Tahoe.
A base plant, displacing 4.8 liters from an iron block with aluminum cylinder heads, churns out 275 hp at 5200 rpm and torque to 290 lb-ft at 4000 rpm.
Tahoe in either LS or LT trim mode gets a 5.3-liter V8 that nets 285 hp and as much as 325 lb-ft of torque.
With increased strength and torque capacity from these engines, new trailer ratings apply. For the Vortec 4.8-liter V8, figures run to 7100 pounds for a Tahoe 2WD model and 7800 pounds on the 4WD. The Vortec 5.3-liter V8 jumps to 8100 pounds for Tahoe 2WD and as much as 8800 pounds with a 4WD Tahoe.
The automatic transmission with optional trailer-tow package adds a push-button on the shift lever that lengthens the time between gear shifts and quickens the sequence for power assistance when pulling a loaded trailer.
Tahoe's optional four-wheel traction mechanism links to GM's automatic Autotrac system with the active transfer case delivering on-demand all-wheel traction. Driver turns a dash-mounted switch to shift quickly and effortlessly between full-time all-wheel traction, rear-wheel or four-wheel high and low settings.
In all-wheel mode, the intelligent system can move seamlessly from rear-wheel-drive traction to a mode which locks power equally on front as well as rear wheels.
External shape and form of Tahoe mirrors the design of super-sized Suburban, as both wagons borrow styling from the Silverado truck and share the same face.
The powerful front-end looks muscular and serious, with a broad horizontal grille and wraparound composite headlamps underscored by bright chrome on the bumper. Higher, a shapely multi-tiered hood runs up to a raked windshield, while flanks bulge from wheel flares on fenders.
At the tail, choices come from two gate designs -- either swing-out dual cargo doors or a top-hinged aluminum lift gate with tilt-up glass insert.
In the expanded cabin, seats were revised to improve comfort and function. A bench or twin buckets mount up front, followed by a second-row bench and the optional third bench that folds and flips to make room for more cargo.
Analog gauges in the instruments panel include speedometer and tachometer, while a new screen displays messages for engine management.
Storage bins appear throughout the cabin, as do 12-volt power outlets.
Deluxe appointments increase up the model ladder, with two-tone leather seats for Tahoe LT and options extending to premium audio equipment and a power sliding sunroof.
The Limited also dresses up the exterior in Onyx Black with ground effects and polished aluminum wheels.
Further, with the Z71 off-road package coupled to the Limited, Tahoe shows black brushguard and taillamp protectors, a black assist step and chromed aluminum wheels.
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| Vehicle Specifications: |
| 2000 CHEVROLET TAHOE Specs |
| Description: |
Full-size sport-utility wagon |
| Model Options: |
Full-size sport-utility wagon |
| Trim Options: |
Tahoe, LS, LT/Z71 |
| Wheelbase: |
116.0 inches |
| Overall Length: |
198.9 inches |
| Engine Size: |
OHV 4.8-L V8, OHV 5.3-L V8 |
| Transmission: |
Auto/4 |
| Drive: |
Rear 2WD, 4WD Autotrac |
| Braking: |
Power 4-disc/ABS |
| Airbags: |
2 (front) + 2 (side) |
| Towing Capacity: |
5.3-L 4WD: 8800 pounds |
| Gas Mileage: |
4.8-L 2WD: 16/21 mpg, 4.8-L 4WD: 15/18 mpg, 5.3-L 2WD: 16/20 mpg, 5.3-L 4WD: 15/18 mpg |
| Price: |
$ 25,000 to $ 42,000 |
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