2004 Chevrolet Tahoe LT 4WD

The Chevy Tahoe is so familiar on the American highway that being in it can remind you of that old "hot dogs, baseball, apple pie and Chevrolet" ad line of years ago. It seems to have established itself as the generic iteration of what a full-size SUV is and should be.

The Tahoe seems to be the generic iteration of what a full-size SUV is and should be.

There are three trim levels of the Tahoe. At the "lower end," relatively, is the LS, with standard 6-passenger seating, a 4.8-liter V-8, two-wheel drive and a starting base price of $35,050. This is not a stripper by any means, and includes, as standard, an AM/FM stereo with CD and cassette players, tri-zone temperature control, a driver information center with tire pressure monitor, heated outside mirrors, foglamps, alloy wheels and a bunch of other stuff, such as: power windows/door locks/mirrors, carpeted floor mats, leather-wrapped tilt wheel, anti-lock brakes and so on.


We drove the up-level LT, which added the 5.3-liter V-8, 7-passenger seating with a third row, leather seating surfaces, front heated seats with 10-way power, 6-disc in-dash CD with Bose speaker system, automatic temperature control, driver convenience package, heavy-duty trailering equipment, and so on. Never let it be said that the Tahoe owner will feel shortchanged. As driven, the LT we sampled had a final tally of $46,575, including $815 for the destination and handling. There is also the Z71 option, which is kind of the "sportier,' more off-road oriented version.


On the safety side, in addition to the anti-lock brakes, dual-stage driver and front-passenger airbags are standard, and front side-impact airbags are optional.


Ergonomically, the Tahoe is plenty acceptable. All instrumentation is easy to see and read, power controls for the windows and mirrors are conveniently located on the forward portion of the driver's door armrest, and the window controls are thoughtfully configured so that you push down to open, pull up to close. The center console includes the usual assortment of storage spots, with a big, open tray-like affair on top, a couple of cupholders low in front, and another spot, alongside the cupholders, that looks just about perfect for a cell phone. One awkward item: Opening the front doors requires an odd movement where you have to lift your shoulder to grab the handle, then pull it up and in to open the door.