Long revered in the Middle East for its combination of performance, spaciousness and generous interior refinement, the Tahoe adds class-leading fuel efficiency to its list of capabilities, with a vehicle design that produces a low coefficient of drag (CD).
The aerodynamic design of the 2010 Tahoe results in a segment-leading coefficient of drag of 0.379. The next closest vehicle in the segment has a rating of 0.404 and the average for all competitors is 0.416.
"The Tahoe's aerodynamic design means less trips to the petrol station and more value for your money. The Tahoe delivers over an extra half kilometer per liter at highway speeds compared to other SUVs in its segment," said Luay Al Shurafa, Regional Brand Manager of Chevrolet and GMC, GM Middle East.
A vehicle's drag coefficient or "CD" is an indication of the vehicle's aerodynamic shape. The lower the number, the lesser the resistance offered by the vehicle to air circulating around it. Key design features helping the Chevrolet Tahoe slip through the airstream include a shaped air dam, one-piece front fascia and low drag outside rear-view mirrors.
Aerodynamics have the largest impact on fuel consumption at highway speeds. In fact, aerodynamic drag accounts for approximately 30 to 40 percent of mechanical work energy of an SUV on the highway, directly impacting vehicle fuel efficiency.
The importance of low-resistance design is illustrated by the fact that it takes 20 percent more fuel to overcome aerodynamic drag at 113 km/h than 97 km/h.
In addition to an aerodynamic design, the Chevrolet Tahoe is equipped with sophisticated fuel saving technology, comprising an iron-block Vortec 5.3-litre SFI V8 engine with Active Fuel Management. This engine helps give the Tahoe the segment's best fuel efficiency, achieving unadjusted combined fuel efficiency ratings of 11.5 L/100 km with 2WD models and 11.7 L/100 km with 4WD models – better than any other full-size SUV.
The new Hydra-Matic 6L80 six-speed transmission, standard on all models, also enhances real world fuel efficiency on the highway via reduced engine speed, as the engine requires less fuel to operate at a lower cruising speed with electronic overdrive and Driver Shift Control (this feature allows drivers to up- and downshift without clutch through gear-knob controls).
Altogether, the 2010 Tahoe, which seats up to nine, offers EPA-estimated city/highway fuel consumption in the region of 6/9 km/L (2WD and 4WD models).
