This group has helped me a lot during the process of getting a Tahoe, and now that I have one I thought I'd add a few thoughts about the car and the buying process.
- I've never had a Chevy product before in 45+ years of driving. I traded a 2020 4Runner for this Tahoe, and before that I had a 2001 Sequoia that I drove for 19 years. The quality/reliability of the Sequoia was maybe just a bit above average. The 4Runner was a bit too small for what we wanted, but mostly it was just archaic in technology with the 5 speed and loud 6 cylinder engine that got 18MPG at best.
- Someone on this list suggested it was better to find a truck in stock and go get it (rather than order). I did that, and found what I was looking for (Duramax/LT/Luxury) shipping to a dealer about 120 miles away. I contacted them and drove down when it came in. We ended up doing a purchase/trade with them. We got the truck at MSRP. When we were negotiating, the Sales Manager said that they made a mistake selling the truck at MSRP to an out-of-state buyer and really should have kept it for their local/regular customers. I'm sure that was a negotiation tactic, but I think there may have been a bit of truth in that. When I was searching, there were only a few other trucks in this configuration on the whole east coast.
- One of the first things we did was take a 2000mi roadtrip (Boston to Nashville) and this truck is a joy to drive. Power is great for my tastes... I can chirp the tires if I'm not careful at start. Engine is quiet and smooth. Radio sounds fantastic, sunroof is much quieter when open than I've experienced, running at 75 mph on the intersate and the engine is only pulling about 1500 RPM.
- Mileage was very good, as has been noted here many times. The onboard computer was reporting that I averaged 39MPG over a 25mile stretch and 34.5 over a 50 mi stretch, but my real world numbers were more like 26-28mpg when i filled up. No complaints from the ex-4Runner driver who saw 14-18mpg before.
- Diesel fuel was only a small price bump up from Regular gas, especially in the VA/TN region. I started trying to calculate $$/mi with fill ups. On this trip I was seeing $0.11 -.12 cents per mile in fuel costs. Would need to do some calculations to see what that would be in a gas Tahoe, but as for now aI believe that the overall price of a trip in a Duramax Tahoe is cheaper than a 4 Runner.
- I read/watched reviewers who said they got used to the push button transmission pretty easily, but that's not me. After a month I am still finding myself reaching for a shifter, or having my finger hover in the air and not knowing what to do next.
- Autostop is likewise something I'm not used to. One of my first drives I think it autostopped in my in-laws driveway and I put it in park and got out. A few hours later I found the truck ideling in the driveway. Not sure how that happened, maybe it wasn't autostop, but a little concerning.
- The 360 degree camera is like some kind of futuristic dream... amazing. I now find myself obsessively squaring the car inside the parking lot lines
My neighbor got in the car and blurted out "how do they do that, is it a satellite?" It's very cool and helpful.
- I wish they included the "rumble seat" option to the Lane Keep instead of just chimes. The "take the wheel" feature takes some getting used to, but it helped me on several ocassions when I was distracted.
- My one real gripe with this car... It is a *crime* that they didn't include adaptive cruise control. All the tech is there to make it happen, but because I didn't have that option, no cruise for you! This car is a Road Trip Monster, but omitting that one feature really hampers the experience. Anyone know if this can be retrofit in?
Steve
- I've never had a Chevy product before in 45+ years of driving. I traded a 2020 4Runner for this Tahoe, and before that I had a 2001 Sequoia that I drove for 19 years. The quality/reliability of the Sequoia was maybe just a bit above average. The 4Runner was a bit too small for what we wanted, but mostly it was just archaic in technology with the 5 speed and loud 6 cylinder engine that got 18MPG at best.
- Someone on this list suggested it was better to find a truck in stock and go get it (rather than order). I did that, and found what I was looking for (Duramax/LT/Luxury) shipping to a dealer about 120 miles away. I contacted them and drove down when it came in. We ended up doing a purchase/trade with them. We got the truck at MSRP. When we were negotiating, the Sales Manager said that they made a mistake selling the truck at MSRP to an out-of-state buyer and really should have kept it for their local/regular customers. I'm sure that was a negotiation tactic, but I think there may have been a bit of truth in that. When I was searching, there were only a few other trucks in this configuration on the whole east coast.
- One of the first things we did was take a 2000mi roadtrip (Boston to Nashville) and this truck is a joy to drive. Power is great for my tastes... I can chirp the tires if I'm not careful at start. Engine is quiet and smooth. Radio sounds fantastic, sunroof is much quieter when open than I've experienced, running at 75 mph on the intersate and the engine is only pulling about 1500 RPM.
- Mileage was very good, as has been noted here many times. The onboard computer was reporting that I averaged 39MPG over a 25mile stretch and 34.5 over a 50 mi stretch, but my real world numbers were more like 26-28mpg when i filled up. No complaints from the ex-4Runner driver who saw 14-18mpg before.
- Diesel fuel was only a small price bump up from Regular gas, especially in the VA/TN region. I started trying to calculate $$/mi with fill ups. On this trip I was seeing $0.11 -.12 cents per mile in fuel costs. Would need to do some calculations to see what that would be in a gas Tahoe, but as for now aI believe that the overall price of a trip in a Duramax Tahoe is cheaper than a 4 Runner.
- I read/watched reviewers who said they got used to the push button transmission pretty easily, but that's not me. After a month I am still finding myself reaching for a shifter, or having my finger hover in the air and not knowing what to do next.
- Autostop is likewise something I'm not used to. One of my first drives I think it autostopped in my in-laws driveway and I put it in park and got out. A few hours later I found the truck ideling in the driveway. Not sure how that happened, maybe it wasn't autostop, but a little concerning.
- The 360 degree camera is like some kind of futuristic dream... amazing. I now find myself obsessively squaring the car inside the parking lot lines
My neighbor got in the car and blurted out "how do they do that, is it a satellite?" It's very cool and helpful. - I wish they included the "rumble seat" option to the Lane Keep instead of just chimes. The "take the wheel" feature takes some getting used to, but it helped me on several ocassions when I was distracted.
- My one real gripe with this car... It is a *crime* that they didn't include adaptive cruise control. All the tech is there to make it happen, but because I didn't have that option, no cruise for you! This car is a Road Trip Monster, but omitting that one feature really hampers the experience. Anyone know if this can be retrofit in?
Steve
Not positive about ACC retrofit but I suspect is a no. My '23 suburbans shut off after 30 minutes of idling (or 10 minutes remote starting), strange yours kept going like the energirzer bunny, LOL. I have 24mpg lifetime average but never took a trip or even went on an interstate highway.. yet.
