Long-Term Road Tests

After 2,000 miles in our long-term Chevrolet Tahoe it's clear that GM got most of this vehicle right. The combination of ride and handling characteristics is impressive for a 5,500-pound, truck-based SUV. Both the wife and I agreed on the confident handling, even over the high-speed hilly and twisty sections of Interstate 70 as it crosses the Rockies.

Capability (and likely long-term durability) appear well sorted, as the vehicle's engine and transmission temperatures dealt with desert heat and steep climbs, all while towing 6,000 pounds. The Autoride, load-leveling suspension likely accounts for why the vehicle can remain so comfortable and composed, whether carrying a single passenger and no cargo or a family of four while towing an old muscle car.

The gripes list is short, but worth noting. First, the seats were described as "too muschy" by the wife, and I would agree. They are fine for normal around-town use, but spend all day in them and you'll note a sinking feeling that leaves the backside slightly sore.

The navigation system offers a clear display and effective touchscreen controls, but entering a destination proved problematic. Basically, I could never enter a city or street address. I know the system is capable of inputting these elements, because I could see the buttons on the screen. But they were non-functional, leaving me only street and cross street to work with when entering a location. Yes, I'm sure there's some setting that simply needs to be adjusted... but after going through the menus and looking through the owner's manual I couldn't find it. Happy to hear the solution from someone more versed in the vehicle's nav system than I, but even if the setting is easily changed it is way too hard to find. I'll label this a design flaw.

The only other real problem was a driver's mirror that fluttered with every vehicle vibration. Adjusting the mirror's angle had no effect on the problem, and the (right)passenger mirror was sharp as a tack, so it appears to be a mounting problem that has left the mirror loose enough to jiggle. You can still see things in the mirror, but reading a license plate ain't easy. We'll have the dealer check this at the next visit.

As I said, minor issues overall, and not enough to disuade buyers looking for a comfortable, confident and capable cargo carry-all. I still wish people wouldn't buy these vehicle unless they really need one, but if you need one, this is a good 'un.

Karl Brauer, Editor in Chief, Edmunds.com @ 19,548 miles