Accelerate Mpls

I wanted to start this review off by stating how much I really like the current Chevrolet Tahoe. As far as larger body on frame SUV’s go, I like it a lot. When I received word I would have a Tahoe Hybrid to review, my first thought was how interesting it would be. Since I like the regular Tahoe, would I like the hybrid? After a week, lets dive in and find out.

The exterior of the current Tahoe is terrific. Changes were necessary in many areas on the exterior for the Hybrid model. These changes were for improvements to aerodynamics, which include a different grille, new lower air dam which is much lower to the ground, slight sculpting in the rear rocker panels and other little things. The wheels are also a different design, and are wrapped in low rolling resistance tires. The Tahoe is a sharp vehicle but the lower front air dam on the hybrid looks somewhat awkward to me. The lower ground clearance in the front meant I scraped the front end on a few driveway entrances. This is a full-size SUV in which I can scrape the bottom front air dam on a driveway entrance. That somewhat bothered me! I also like the non-hybrid grilles slightly better. Other then the front end and wheels, you will not notice a huge difference between the hybrid and regular Tahoe aside from the hybrid badges. Though I am not a huge fan of all the necessary aerodynamic changes, the Tahoe is still a looker and the hybrid model is not that much worse.

I also like the interior of the regular Tahoe and not many changes were made for the hybrid.  The battery pack resides under the second row of seats.  They can tumble fully forward.  The third row tumbles forward but does not fold flat like the current generation Ford Expedition and can be fully removed, but they are not light.  Make sure you do not have a bad back!  Also make sure you have somewhere to store them.  The front seats are very comfortable and will be easy to take a long road trip with.  The navigation unit is still disc based and the resolution on the particular unit in this Tahoe hybrid had a somewhat fuzzy aspect to it.  The words and everything just did not seem as crisp as other units I have seen from GM of the same variety.  You do have a hybrid mode screen where you can see exactly what is happening with the powertrain.  I found that,while it was cool, ultimately I would rather have the navigation map up or the radio station presets.  I found that to be more useful.  The gauge cluster has plenty of information to inform you what mode you are running in and how much power is coming from where.  The rest of the interior is standard Tahoe, which is nice – however a power lift gate on a SUV with this price tag would not be a lot to ask for.  Not to mention the lack of telescoping steering wheel!  Overall, the interior is a nice place to spend your time, but small changes could be made to enhance it.

The powertrain is a 6.0 liter Vortec V8 with active fuel management, along with two 60 kilowatt electric motors.  This was a four-wheel drive model, so the power can be pushed to the rear wheels or all four depending on the mode.  The transmission is a “2-mode” system that was developed in collaboration with Daimler and BMW.  The transmission essentially works in two modes, one in the city at speeds below 40 miles per hour an one at speeds above 40 miles per hour. Essentially one is a city mode and one is a highway mode.  They are trying to maximize both conditions with less compromises. It is a somewhat unique approach, seeing as most hybrids do not focus on highway mileage as much as city mileage.  I was highly impressed with the overall system.  The switching between battery and gasoline, as well as the combination of both, was very smooth.  I noticed the engine was operating in four-cylinder mode a lot more often then the Silverado I recently had with active fuel management.  This tells me that the settings are much more aggressive due to the battery and electric motor assistance.  The EPA rates the mileage at 21/22 mpg.  I saw an average of 19.6 mpg in mixed city driving.

The battery pack

The total bill for this Tahoe after options and everything was $56,810 including destination.  The only two options on this particular vehicle was the entertainment/destination package which was $2,390 and the red jewel tintcoat paint for $395.  Many features that are optional on non-hybrid models or that you need to upgrade trim levels for normally, are standard on the hybrid model – including the navigation package.  The base price for the Tahoe Hybrid with four wheel drive is $53,525.

So at the end of the week, did I like the Tahoe hybrid as much as I like the Tahoe?  The reality of it is that the powertrain and driving experience is much more seamless and refined then I imagined it would be.  I was highly impressed in that regard.  The bottom line, if you are in the market for a full-size (body on frame) SUV and care about the environment mileage numbers, then the Tahoe Hybrid delivers on the promise of better fuel economy with a refined hybrid experience.

Full Disclosure- The review vehicle was provided by General Motors

I will be really up front and honest with you.  When I received the email telling me a 2010 GMC Acadia was coming my way, my first thought was “I will not like this vehicle.”  The main reasoning behind this is because I actually like the current Chevrolet Tahoe (the GMC Yukon is fine but I like the Tahoe styling better) and I could not imagine why I would personally buy this mammoth crossover instead of a Tahoe.  Yes, I’m aware the Acadia starts roughly around $5,540 cheaper than the Tahoe, but pricing never entered my thoughts when making this judgment.  The more interesting thing was, I had just hopped out of a fully loaded Buick Enclave, which rides on the same platform and shares so many parts with the Acadia.  I really enjoyed my time with the Enclave, but it still didn’t sway my opinions about the Acadia.  So what happened?

The Acadia’s exterior is striking.  The headlights are unique and truly good looking.  They really set the front end apart from other crossovers.  The hood has nice sculpting in the center with lines running from the front clip into the hood on either side.  The side profile is less sculpted, but has a bulge towards the bottom of the doors near the rocker panels.  The fenders are somewhat over exaggerated but not overly done.  The rear taillights are stylized with two round turret-looking shapes in each housing.  The Acadia’s exterior is overall, very sharp especially sitting on the optional twenty inch chrome clad wheels.

The Acadia’s interior does have a few design cues shared with the Chevrolet Traverse, though it is worth noting the Acadia came to market before the Traverse.  The center stack and instrument panel are all easy to operate and organized well.  At night the gauges and switchgear all light up GMC red and white. I personally find this easy on the eyes late at night.  The standard fold-flat third row is easy to operate but as a usable seat, the space back there is really meant for a child.  With the third row in seating position, there is still room in the back for bags.  The seats while large and flat were most definitely road trip worthy.

Powertrain options in the Acadia are limited to the 3.6 liter V6 featuring direct injection. Power output is 288 hp and 270 lb-ft to either the front or all four wheels.  The power is handled by a six speed automatic with manual shift capabilities.  I am undecided on this transmissions programming.  It could be the particular Acadia I was in, but the transmission seemed lazy to me.  Shifts were not quick and crisp.  They were delayed and took longer than expected when not pushed hard.  In all-wheel-drive mode, as the tester was equipped, the EPA rated the Acadia at 16/23 miles-per-gallon.  I saw an average of 16.8 mpg in the city and 19.9 mpg cruising at 75 miles-per-hour on the highway.  It is worth noting I averaged 22.8 mpg when cruising at 65 mph.

Rear End With Third Row Seat Up

The Acadia was optioned as a SLT-2 model with a sticker price of $42,185.  The test model also included the following options: technology package, touch screen navigation with rear view camera, rear seat entertainment, power sunroof with second row skylight, heated and cooled front seats with perforated leather surfaces, and red jewel tintcoat.  The total price swelled to $49,740 after destination and the plethora of options!  That’s a lot of money for a non-premium CUV.

A few things that stood out to me while I was in the Acadia:  first, was the heads up display. I like how GMC decided to include this feature with the technology package.  Second, the cooled seats in this Acadia were some of the best I have encountered to date.  They seats cooled very quickly and prompted me to pay attention as the seats made my backside chilly.  Finally, the iPod/iPhone interface on the optional touch-screen radio worked terrific.

So after driving the Acadia for the week, was it good enough to change my original opinions?   I was sure I wasn’t going to like it.  My final opinion on the CUV is I kind of like it and I kind of don’t.  I definitely was impressed at the end of my test.  I liked the Acadia as a vehicle; more than I ever thought I would like it.  With that said, I cannot admit the Acadia would be my top pick for $49,740.  GMC is deep into luxury territory at that price and in reality, the Buick Enclave has a nicer interior.  Looking past GM’s products other vehicles in the same price category as the Acadia include: the Acura MDX, Audi Q7 and many others luxury brand CUVs.  For the same price as the Acadia, the Audi Q7 TDI or the Acura MDX might be a better buy in my opinion.  The main problem is not the Acadia, but rather GM’s pricing of the Acadia. This vehicle fits in much better at with a $44,000 price ceiling to be truly competitive.   The bottom line is, if someone was ready to buy an Acadia and asked me if they should, I would say this: if you like it, it is a good vehicle but if selecting a fully loaded one I might be cautious on purchasing.

Full Disclosure- The review vehicle was provided by General Motors

The Silverado is a nameplate that goes back generations.  People’s grandfathers and their grandfathers drove these pick up trucks while working the land.  They are every worker’s friend and seem to always be there.  Over the years, as we have evolved, so has the Silverado.  The pickup of yore were smaller and less powerful, not to mention much less luxurious.  Though things have changed, the underlying characteristics that makes the Silverado, the character has not.

In 2007 the Silverado went under the knife for a major refresh.  In the first commercials Chevrolet had a clay Malibu and then showed designers reshaping the vehicle into the new Silverado.  This was to try and tie the sharp styling of these two vehicles together and connect the Chevrolet brand.  Without question, the outside of this truck is sharp.  The front has the headlights stacked vertically and the hood has two small power bulges on the sides.  The fender flares are over-sized and shaped nicely, though the side of the truck, specifically the cab is plain and rather slab sided.  The windshield has a steeper rake then the previous generation Silverado and the panel gaps are tightened up.  This all leads to better aerodynamics.  Overall, the look is sharp on the exterior, though I would like to see more done with the cab styling.

The current Silverado rides on the GMT900 platform, a truck chassis adapted from the current Tahoe and Suburban.  The frame is fully boxed and that helps not only the payload and towing specs, but also the ride.  Engineers commented at the launch of the 2007 Silverado about how they wanted to keep high capacities but strived to hit a good mix for ride and handling, both when the truck was under load and when it was empty. It rides nice all the same.

I formed strong opinions about my experience with the truck and little things struck me.  For instance, the Silverado I had was an extended cab.  The rear half doors swung open on unique hinges a full 180 degrees.  This is not only impressive but also quite handy.  The truck also was equipped with the Z71 package which among other things, on the interior gave a unique gauge cluster background which resembled carbon fiber.  I personally liked the gauge cluster in the Silverado.  I found it easy to read and had all the necessary gauges a truck owner using his vehicle might need.  I found the leather seats to be very comfortable and the leather seemed to be good quality.  The sound system was the base unit and sounded decent at best.  It got muddy with the lows, while not the worst system I would definitely opt for the upgraded unit.  The USB port was hidden in what you would assume to be a power outlet but it was easy to reach and quickly connected with my iPhone using a little white cable.  The biggest down fall of the interior, and this is a huge downfall, is the plastics.  The entire dash is made of hard plastic that does not even look that great.  The door panels are all cheap plastic except for the touch points.  While this used to be fine in the pick up segment the competition (Ram and Ford F150) have all upgraded their interior cabin material significantly recently and that makes the Silverado look dated.  All was not lost for I did like the electronic climate control interface.  Though the gauge cluster, terrific 180 degree extended cab doors and electronic climate control interface cannot fully make up for the cheap interior plastics.

The 5.3L V8 in this Silverado pumped out 315 hp and 335 ft-lb pushed to the rear wheels though it had four wheel drive.  A six speed automatic handled the power and was programmed quite well.  It seemed to be in the correct gear and never seemed lazy.  The mileage is rated at 15/21 which is definitely competitive and right along the lines of other full size pick ups.  I averaged 14.8 throughout the week.  The way this particular Silverado was equipped it was rated to tow a maximum of 10,400 lbs and the maximum payload is rated at 1714 lbs.  Neither of these numbers was I able to confirm as I did not have a Bobcat lying around to tow.  Though I can only assume it would tow a boat or trailer quite easily.

The Silverado I had was a 1500 4WD extended cab LT.  With many packages tacked on this LT was not stripped.  The optional packages included the interior plus package, exterior plus package, power pack plus package, off road suspension package, Z71 appearance package and the 40/20/40 split bench seat.  Among these packages features such as the dual automatic climate control, Bluetooth, chrome exterior bits, remote start, and much more were added.  The total sticker price rang up to $37,775.  The package I wanted to take a moment to focus on was the power pack plus package.  This upgraded the engine to the LTZ trim levels 5.3L V8 with active fuel management.  That engine gives a few more horsepower and ft-lb but the real addition is the six speed automatic ditching the four speed transmission.  I am a bit shocked this engine is not the standard V8 and transmission combination on the Silverado line.  What is the exact reason for offering the 4.8L V8 and four speed automatic transmission on the base LT models.  Make with the standard six speed transmissions already.

The reality is simple when it comes to the three American made trucks, you are not going to buy a bad truck.  Really, I know you are about to blast me and that is because everyone has an opinion on this topic.  The reality of it is these trucks are all very capable when it comes to working hard they are worlds nicer, stronger and more power then they used to be.  At the end of the day would I recommend a Silverado to someone?  Absolutely.  Now ask me if it would be my first choice and I would say no.  I really do like the Silverado but I would have to be honest and say both the new F150 and Ram 1500 are more competitive in their own rights.  The interiors have been heavily upgraded and the innovative features are endless.  The Silverado is not a bad truck, it simply is not currently the best truck. A complete refresh is coming around the 2013-2014 time frame (possibly sooner) and we shall see how the chips fall at that point.

Full Disclosure- The review vehicle was provided by General Motors

Let’s be frank: I personally never felt Chevrolet had a great minivan. The Venture was ho-hum at best and the Uplander was a train wreck. In theory you are supposed to keep going until you get it right and I am all for that, but at some point, you need to cut your losses and refocus on something else. General Motors has done that exactly with the Lambda platform based CUVs and left the minivan behind.

The Chevrolet Traverse is the latest (and last to the market) of General Motor’s large CUVs. This is no small vehicle and, in fact, is pretty much the size of a Tahoe. The thing is, while it is almost as big as the Tahoe, it drives and rides completely differently. The ride is much more like a car-based vehicle and the reason for that is the unibody design and construction of the vehicle. The Tahoe is a body on frame design. The Traverse is an older truck style vehicle.

The sister vehicles to the Traverse are the Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia and the now dead Saturn Outlook. The Traverse launched with an upgraded motor from these other vehicles; a 3.6 liter V6 featuring direct injection technology. This engine puts out 281 hp and 266 ft-lb (288 hp in LTZ trim). The direct injection gave the engine both more power while maintaining acceptable fuel economy. The power is routed through the front wheels with all wheel drive as an option. The six speed automatic transmission does have manual shifting abilities via a rocker switch on the gear selector. The engine is rated at 17/24 in front wheel drive form, which is a decent rating for a vehicle of this size. I managed to average 17.6 mpg in mixed driving, although my city driving has lot of stop and go while going into work and really does kill the gas mileage. In the beginning of the week, when it was straight to work in downtown, I was averaging a mere 15.4 mpg. Once I started driving on the highways a more, my mileage crept up above 17 mpg.

I have driven a lambda based vehicle before but it is has been a while. Upon entering the Traverse, I looked in my rear view mirror and remembered just how big this vehicle is. Site lines are good with decent sized mirrors. Those mirrors each feature a refracted lens for your blind spot. Driving this big CUV was a pleasant experience. The steering was not overly light but more is more car-like than big SUV. The power is more than enough to overpower the front wheels on numerous occasions. Slamming the gas pedal will result in the tires trying to grip the pavement, but the traction control quickly kicks in.

The interior is styled very nicely. With a large amount of space to work with, the designers definitely tried their best to sculpt the materials to prevent the look of vast expanses of plastic and it is job well done for the most part. The dash has nice lines and fits well with the current Chevrolet styling theme. The interior was a very dark place with everything being dark charcoal (pretty close to black) and no sunroof option on this vehicle. The seats are wide and somewhat flat and, without question, these are seats made for Americans. I liked the front seatback design which is unique and looks nice. The second row tumbles forward to allow entrance to the third row which is not a place an adult will want to spend time, although a child will be comfortable and it folds flat at the pull of a handle. Another sign that this vehicle is made for Americans is the cup holders because they are literally everywhere.

The styling of the exterior is very conservative. The sides are very plain and almost slab sided. Upon looking further, you will notice a slight character line towards the bottom of the doors and one near the door handles. These are by no means strong lines, but rather soft. The lines all integrate with each other quite well, flowing from one panel to the next with no break. The front is the sharpest part of the vehicle. The dual port grille and the headlights show similarity to the rest of the new Chevrolet vehicles, while still being distinctly different. The overall exterior will not offend anyone and is by far the most conservative of the three other Lambda vehicles.

The Traverse I had was a 1LT with a sticker price of $31,745. The trailoring package, which included a heavy duty cooling system and trailer hitch, cost $525. The rear view camera system is a $450 option was done the right way, in my opinion. With no navigation optioned on this vehicle, the screen was integrated into the rear view mirror; very easy to use and convenient. The total sticker price after destination and options rang to $33,495, and while this is not cheap, it is competitive for its class.

The entire week I had the Traverse, I felt like I should be heading to the soccer field to pick up the kids. While the vehicle has more then enough power to get up and go, it is by no means sporty and that is not its intentions. The vehicle is a family hauler, designed and engineered to deliver the kids to soccer practice and make trips to Costco.

The competition is stiff in this segment and the Traverse is here for the fight. Naturally, the big blue oval is a competitor in the Ford Flex but actually, the Flex and the Traverse are completely different vehicles. I can not imagine someone that wants a Flex will even give the Traverse a second thought and vice versa.

In commercials, Chevrolet compares the Traverse to the Honda Pilot and, while both sport three rows of seating, the Traverse is the larger vehicle. Without a doubt, the Traverse is a highly competitive entry into a cut-throat segment and the vehicle I had at just over $33k is a decent alternative if you do not want a minivan. Chevrolet buyers finally have a vehicle that is not a minivan but can haul the family while achieving acceptable fuel economy

Full Disclosure- The review vehicle was provided by General Motors