2007 Chevrolet Tahoe Review

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2007 Chevrolet Tahoe – Comfort

Front Comfort
Something this big had better be comfortable, and the Tahoe doesn’t disappoint. Both front seats offer 12-way power adjustments, and with the adjustable pedals it’s easy to find a good position. Obviously, there’s plenty of head, shoulder, knee and leg room for the driver and front passenger. The primary drawback is the steering column adjustments: The tilt is GM’s anachronistic old-school design, which locks into only a handful of positions. If you don’t like them, you’re out of luck. The Tahoe should offer a modern tilt mechanism, and the lack of a telescope feature is ridiculous. Otherwise, there’s plenty of space for Big Mac butts to spread out and get comfy, even with tall hats on.

Rear Comfort
Despite its size, second row seating in the Tahoe is tight. Head room is limited, and so is knee room, exacerbated by the low seating position. You do get your own set of air conditioning controls, though. Third row comfort isn’t any better; you’re virtually sitting on a floor-mounted padded cushion, knees in the air, but there’s good head and shoulder room. Our test vehicle had two captain’s chairs in the second row, which made getting in back a snap, even without using the power folding feature on the center row seats. Second and third row passengers do benefit from the DVD player, which will hopefully distract them from their otherwise uncomfortable digs.

Interior Noise
Wind doesn’t go quietly around big, square objects, and you hear it in the big, square Tahoe, but not as much as you might expect. The outside mirrors and windshield header are the biggest culprits, but in all fairness the Tahoe is subdued considering its brick-like aerodynamics. The engine only makes itself known when you’re standing on the throttle, where it makes good V8 rumbles. There’s also a good amount of road rumble from the 20-inch tires, but surprisingly little tread slap on small bumps. The interior is gratefully free of rattles and squeaks, even over rough roads.

Visibility
The view out the front of the Tahoe is commanding, and clearly one of the reasons people buy these kinds of vehicles in the first place. The big side mirrors aid in lane changes, although it’s a truck like this where a blind spot indicator like Volvo’s BLIS system would be most helpful. A quick over-the-shoulder gives you a view of thick pillars and headrests blocking the rear view; add people into the mix and you’re suddenly really glad those mirrors are so big. Watching a movie on the ceiling-mounted DVD screen renders the rearview mirror useless. The reverse camera and parking assist sensors simplify reversing, with the rear view duplicated in the navigation screen.