2012 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid Overview Change Vehicle

This 2012 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid overview explains changes for the model year, provides a summary of the 2012 Tahoe Hybrid, and includes Chevy Tahoe Hybrid safety, reliability, and fuel economy ratings.

Take one Chevy Tahoe in LT trim, slip GM’s two-mode hybrid powertrain into it, make numerous aerodynamic tweaks, and you’ve got a full-size SUV with a combined fuel economy rating of 21 mpg and the ability to travel at speeds up to 30 mph on electricity alone. The Tahoe Hybrid, priced at more than $50,000, is a unique beast, competing most closely (though not directly) with the ultra-rare Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid.

Chevrolet upgrades the Tahoe Hybrid’s safety equipment by adding Hill Start Assist and Trailer Sway Control features to the standard StabiliTrak stability control system and by introducing new side-impact airbags that protect both the thorax and pelvis when inflated. Technology upgrades arrive in the form of a new standard navigation and entertainment system with a 30-gig hard disc drive, voice control, a touchscreen display, time-shift recording capability, a USB port, a CD/MP3 player, and satellite radio with real-time traffic and weather service. Finally, the Tahoe Hybrid is available in two new colors for 2012: Crystal Red Tintcoat and Silver Ice.

The 2012 Chevy Tahoe Hybrid is based on the Tahoe LT trim level. In transforming the standard Tahoe into this hybrid model, Chevrolet modifies exterior styling for better aerodynamics, installs an aluminum hood and tailgate, eliminates the roof rack, and removes the full-size spare tire and associated tire-changing hardware in an effort to reduce weight. Low rolling-resistance tires are mounted to lightweight 18-inch aluminum wheels, and the Tahoe Hybrid receives a smattering of hybrid-related gauges and displays, revised engine and exhaust tuning, and a tire inflator kit.

Otherwise, the 2012 Tahoe Hybrid is equipped with a long list of standard features, including the usual power accessories that are included on most new vehicles this year. Highlights include triple-zone automatic climate control, leather seats that are heated in front, power adjustable pedals, and a set of heated power folding outside mirrors with ground lighting, auto-dimming glass, and side signal indicators. Bluetooth hands-free wireless connectivity is standard, too, along with a navigation radio with voice and touchscreen control, Bose speakers, and several ways to listen to music including an auxiliary audio input jack, a USB port, and satellite radio. The OnStar telematics system includes Automatic Crash Notification, Stolen Vehicle Slowdown, and Turn-by-Turn Navigation service for the first three months of ownership, and the Tahoe Hybrid is equipped with a reversing camera and rear parking assist sensors. Remote engine starting, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and a HomeLink universal remote control are included in the price of entry, and the Tahoe Hybrid features side assist steps, dark tinted rear privacy glass, heavy-duty trailering equipment, and automatic headlights.

An optional Sun, Entertainment and Destinations Package provides a power sunroof, a rear-seat DVD entertainment system, and an extension of the satellite real-time traffic and weather service to a full year. Chrome mirror caps are also available, along with a variety of dealer-installed items including 20- and 22-inch wheel designs.

The heart of the Chevy Tahoe Hybrid is its two-mode hybrid powertrain, which marries a 300-volt nickel-metal hydride battery pack and electronically variable transmission to a 6.0-liter V8 engine equipped with Active Fuel Management and Late Intake Valve Closing (LIVC) technologies. Combined power output measures 332 horsepower and 367 pound-feet of torque, making this the most powerful Tahoe you can buy.

Able to go as fast as 30 mph on the battery pack alone, the Tahoe Hybrid employs regenerative brakes to recharge the battery, electric steering to reduce fuel consumption, and an Auto Stop mode that shuts the gasoline-burning V8 engine off at low speeds or while idling in traffic. Combined with the V8’s Active Fuel Management technology, which allows the engine to run on just four of its eight cylinders under certain conditions, the Tahoe Hybrid achieves fuel economy ratings of 20 mpg in the city and 23 mpg on the highway, regardless of whether it is equipped with standard two-wheel drive or optional four-wheel drive.

The Tahoe Hybrid is well equipped with safety features, including four-wheel-disc antilock brakes, StabiliTrak with new Hill Start Assist and Trailer Sway Control features, and six airbags including new side-impact airbags designed to protect both the pelvis and thorax. The Automatic Crash Notification service that is included with the OnStar telematics system automatically contacts a live operator if the airbags deploy, in an effort to speed rescue if necessary. Additionally, the Tahoe Hybrid is equipped with a reversing camera display and rear parking assist sensors.

In crash tests performed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Tahoe Hybrid receives a 4-Star overall rating. In frontal- and side-impact tests, the heavy SUV gets 5-Star ratings, but rollover resistance is rated just 3 Stars. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has not crash-tested the Chevy Tahoe.

As for reliability, J.D. Power and Associates believes the Chevy Tahoe lineup will prove slightly better than average over time, and the market research firm gave the 2011 Tahoe an award for its performance in the company’s annual Initial Quality Study. Consumer Reports is not quite as optimistic about the Tahoe, giving it an average reliability prediction. It is important to note that Consumer Reports does not speculate about the Tahoe Hybrid’s specific likelihood to provide dependable service over time.

If you find this concerning, know that the powertrain is covered under warranty for five years or 100,000 miles, and that Chevrolet offers free roadside assistance during that time and mileage period. Certain hybrid system components are guaranteed for eight years or 100,000 miles. The Tahoe’s bumper-to-bumper warranty is not terribly impressive at just three years/36,000 miles.

Chevrolet says the Tahoe Hybrid’s city fuel economy rating of 20 mpg is a 33-percent improvement over non-hybrid models, achieved in part due to Auto Stop technology and this SUV’s ability to travel at speeds up to 30 mph on electric power alone.

On the highway, the Tahoe Hybrid gets just two extra miles per gallon over the standard model. Styling modifications help in this regard, by lowering the Tahoe’s coefficient of drag to 0.345. The V8 engine’s Active Fuel Management system is also designed to operate on a more frequent basis in the Tahoe Hybrid.

The Tahoe’s third-row legroom measures 25.4 inches, with virtually no room for toes under the second-row seat. And when the third-row seat is in use, the Tahoe offers just 16.9 cubic-feet of cargo space. Clearly, this SUV works much better as a five-passenger vehicle, and with the third-row seats removed the Tahoe Hybrid provides 60.3 cu-ft of space behind the second-row seat. Fold the second-row seat down and you’ve got 108.9 cu-ft of volume. Note that if you need storage for small items, Chevrolet claims the Tahoe’s center console storage bin is the largest one in the full-size SUV segment.

Towing is one area where the Tahoe Hybrid gives up substantial ground to its traditional V8-powered sibling, giving up more than two tons of trailering capability. The Tahoe Hybrid can tow up to 6,200 pounds, and handle a payload of 1,502 lbs. in 2WD format or 1,383 lbs. in 4WD format. Speaking of weight, the lightest Tahoe Hybrid weighs 5,598 pounds, which is distributed 50 percent over the front wheels and 50 percent over the rear wheels. Adding 4WD bumps curb weight to 5,917 and alters weight distribution to 53/47.

Though the Tahoe Hybrid is not designed for serious off-road travel, if you plan to navigate deep snow or backwoods trails, it is helpful to know that the Tahoe’s minimum ground clearance is nine inches.

The 2012 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid is built in Arlington, Texas.

When compared to an equivalently optioned Tahoe LT, the price premium for a Tahoe Hybrid isn’t that steep. However, it appears that most people are willing to trade a nominal improvement in combined fuel economy for the standard Tahoe’s superior towing and hauling capabilities, wider range of trim levels and features, and greater availability on dealership lots. Can’t say we blame them.

By Christian Wardlaw