Hybrid Tahoe

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For the renewable energy stampede, General Motors Texas graciously lent us a brand spanking new 2010 Hybrid Tahoe.  While I didn't have a ton of time to really explore what this vehicle had to offer, I did manage to get 27 miles per gallon out of the Tahoe on the way up to Salado, TX.  I found that cruising 65 miles per gallon was keeping the car in Super Atkins Highway Mode getting about 35-40 miles per gallon.  However, if I slowed down to 45-50 miles per hour, the tahoe would go into hybrid mode and only achieve about 20-22 miles per gallon.  I'm not really sure why it was using more gas in hybrid mode, but that's another post if I have more time to play with the vehicle some more. 

Things that I really liked about this vehicle:

  • It is roomy.  I mean super roomy.  My current suv is pretty small, and not all that useful for transporting large items.
  • It has many advanced features including Onstar, a rear back up camera, and DVD player.
  • This car is quiet.  I mean quiet like a Mouse. :o)
  • While 27 miles per gallon to a serious efficient driver isn't a great number, 27 miles were gallon was an amazing number to most people who have driven this vehicle.  I know some Tahoe drivers who claim to only get about 13-15 miles per gallon. 

A few things I'd like addressed as an efficient driver (most drivers won't care about these issues):

  •  There's no battery gauge on the dashboard. I kind of like to know what's going on so I can adjust my style.
  • There's no MPG  (instant or average) display on the dash. There's a gauge that says fuel economy with a green segment on it, but I can't figure out what it means. There are no numbers on it. The owner's manual has no explanation. And as far as I can tell, it hasn't moved.
  • It seems to not be as responsive when coming out of autostop.

Things that could improve my miles per gallon during the run:

  • Better weather. We had terrible wind and rain.
  • No climbs please.  We were faced with hill after hill up to Salado, TX.
  • An engine that had been broken in. The Tahoe only had about 700 miles when we got it.

Here's some photos of it over the weekend.  A big thank you to General Motors for lending it to us for the weekend.