2017 Chevy Tahoe – Albany, NY

Versatile Performance

The 2017 Tahoe is equipped with a single engine option. That engine option is a 5.7-liter V8 engine that puts-out 355 horsepower/383 lb.-ft. of torque. It’s mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, which is the only transmission available for the Tahoe. That transmission delivers power to the rear-wheels, where locking rear differential is present, or to all four-wheels when 4WD is active. If you are looking to enhance the 4x4 capability of the Tahoe even further, then a single-speed transfer case is available as an option, helping to promote better 4x4 performance in lower gears, in a nut shell. If you decide to equip either one of the Z71 Off-Road or Max Trailering package, then you’ll end up getting a two-speed transfer case to help with towing and off-road performance.

But, what if I told you both of those times were returned by the same solitary engine?

The 2017 Tahoe is equipped with a single engine option. That engine option is a 5.7-liter V8 engine that puts-out 355 horsepower/383 lb.-ft. of torque. It’s mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, which is the only transmission available for the Tahoe. That transmission delivers power to the rear-wheels, where locking rear differential is present, or to all four-wheels when 4WD is active. If you are looking to enhance the 4x4 capability of the Tahoe even further, then a single-speed transfer case is available as an option, helping to promote better 4x4 performance in lower gears, in a nut shell. If you decide to equip either one of the Z71 Off-Road or Max Trailering package, then you’ll end up getting a two-speed transfer case to help with towing and off-road performance.

When the Tahoe is equipped with the Trailering package (and other proper equipment), you’ll be able to tow up to 8,600 pounds. If it’s a four-wheel drive model, that towing capacity drops slightly to 8,400 pounds.

While acceleration and fuel-efficiency is less of a concern for SUV and truck buyers, it’s still important to go over it.

The Tahoe is a larger vehicle, and heavier than a sedan by a decent amount. Because of this, the fuel-efficiency seems quite abysmal. For two-wheel drive (rear-wheel drive) models, the Tahoe will return 16 mpg city/23 mpg highway (19 mpg combined). On the bright side, four-wheel drive models only see a slight loss in fuel-efficiency, returning 16 mpg city/22 mpg highway (18 mpg combined). Honestly, that’s quite good for this model when compared to older generations. These EPA estimates are also better than other competitors in the class.

In the acceleration department, the Tahoe can reach 60 mph in about 7.1 seconds. Even if acceleration isn’t necessarily a large concern, it’s still important to note that this is a strong 0-60 mpg time for full-size SUVs. Then again, the Tahoe has always had strong acceleration thanks to its history of always having the option to put a V8 under the hood.

For safety, the 2017 Chevy Tahoe gets all of these features standard: traction/stability control, trailer sway control, antilock disc brakes, full-length side curtain airbags, front-seat side airbags, an optional airbag that fits between the two front-bucket seats. Chevy’s new Teen Driver technology is also standard, along with rear parking sensors and a rearview camera. You’ll also get 3 months of OnStar, which is a subscription-based system that provides you with numerous services, such as roadside assistance, remote door unlocking, stolen vehicle assistance, turn-by-turn navigation, and Automatic Crash Response.

That’s a lot of standard safety features. But, Automatic Crash Response and Teen Driver technology stand out among all the others. So, let’s go over those first.

Automatic Crash Response is a feature that comes courtesy of OnStar. If the system’s sensors detect a collision, they will alert an OnStar Advisor. That Advisor will be automatically connected to your car. Then, that Advisor will ask if you need them to notify emergency services for you. If you do (or don’t respond after a short time), the OnStar Advisor will send emergency vehicles to your location through high-accuracy GPS tracking.

Teen Driver technology is a suite of features all designed to let the parent promote safe driving habits for their teenager; even when the parent isn’t in the vehicle. With the in-vehicle report card, you can view multiple sources of information by inputting a PIN that you set. This information could range from how far the car drove to whether any of the driver assist safety features were activated. You can also set certain parameters like an overspeed warning, muting audio until front passengers are buckled-in, or even setting a limit on the audio volume completely.

Available safety features are front parking sensors, forward collision warning with low-speed automatic braking, safety-alert driver seat (vibrates to warn of a collision), rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring, and lane departure warning/intervention.

It has quite an extensive list of safety features, whether you’re looking to keep the safety features standard or add a few.

A Utility-Oriented, Spacious Interior

Perhaps the first thing you’ll notice about the Tahoe’s interior is how easily it is to see your surroundings. For a vehicle this large, there is a surprising lack of blind spots. Materials quality is also quite above average for this class. Since it’s an SUV, tall drivers will be able to fit comfortably in the front and second-rows. Although, a high-floor and thick cushions on the third-row seats might make feel some taller passengers cramped. Then again, what third-row seating design isn’t slightly cramped?

Front legroom comes in at 45.30 inches, second-row leg room at 39.00 inches, and third-row legroom at 24.80 inches. For head room, you can expect 42.80 inches in the front, 39.00 inches in the second-row, and 38.10 inches in the third-row seating. In total, the 2017 Tahoe is able to seat up to either 7, 8, or 9 (9 on the LS trim only) passengers, depending on configuration. As a side note, there’s also 14 charging locations spread throughout the cabin, along with a 110-volt three-pronged outlet. The available second-row bucket seats can also be heated.

When it comes to storage space, there’s plenty of it. Compared to other competitors it might be below average, but that doesn’t inhibit its versatility. With the option to store behind the third-row, second-row, or first-row, chances are you’ll find a storage configuration that works for you.

Behind the third-row seating, there’s 15.3 cu. ft. Second-row seating comes in at 51.6 cu. ft. with the third-row seating out of the way. Behind the first-row (with both the second- and third-row seats out of the way) you can store up-to 94.7 cu. ft. of storage space.

Like I said, below average for the class. But, 94.7 cu. ft. of storage space is plenty of room to store whatever it is you need to transport.