The utility segment is anything but compromising in its current state. You can go out right now and purchase a behemoth machine with seating for seven, four tons of towing capacity, and a sub-seven-second 0 to 60 time without a commercial drivers’ license, let alone any clue how to drive competently.
That said, some utilities are more uncompromising than others. This is what Car and Driver has found with their latest ute comparison test, between the 2015 Ford Expedition Premium, and the 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe LTZ.
To the Tahoe’s credit, the magazine found that the Chevrolet featured more front-passenger dwelling space, a higher-quality cabin, and even better fuel economy (as-tested). That’s in-addition to ample towing capacity (8,400 pounds), seating (accommodating seven as-tested), and decent ride handling for a 5,670 pound vehicle.
But the 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe still makes due with a solid rear-axle, and that’s perhaps the ute’s biggest hindrance. That solid axle effectively raises the cargo floor, and is less capable of reigning in the Tahoe’s weight. That’s where the Expedition shines; it has an independent rear-suspension, not to mention a lower center of gravity, meaning that it feels comparatively car-like, and performs better on the slalom and skidpad.
The Expedition also has a bigger greenhouse for better visibility, a higher towing capacity of 9,200 pounds, and quicker acceleration. In the end, it’s not that the 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe LTZ is by any means a bad machine; it’s capable of everything you ask of it and more. But rather, the Ford Expedition Premium simply makes fewer compromises.
Comments
Tahoe is still better looking and more luxurious in my opinion, and that’s what counts. In this segment, people aren’t looking for towing capacity, acceleration or handling, they’re just looking for something big, flashy and luxurious and the Tahoe clicks all three boxes.
The acceleration confuses me. 0-60 in less than 7 seconds for a Tahoe. How is that not enough? I’d take the mpg gain on the Tahoe over the .2 second 0-60 gain on the Expedition. Then the 6.2 shows up and walks all over the ecoboost.
WHERE IS IT THEN?? (6.2L)
So chevy is putting all its eggs into the one basket of re-design, while Ford beats them at their own game with a smaller engine in a 600b heavier vehicle. Chevrolet needs to step up the game and make the 6.2L standard with the 8 speed. Than they would be competitive for 2016.
Ford is designing vehicles to compete with tomorrows competition and Chevy isn’t even beating what Ford turned out 3 years ago?
I agree the Tahoe is better looking and feels like better quality driving it, BUT I would say there is definitely a decent amount of customers looking at towing capacity, torq, and acceleration and handling. The MRC beat ford hands down in the handling dept for me. The 5.7 LS1 was lack luster compared to the 6.2L LS1. Plus towing with the 5.7 was subpar up hills. For me and my family it only made sense to cross over to GMC and go up to the Denali. even more luxurious than the Chevrolet side, and Denali had the option of the 6.2L and 8 speed transmission. I would have stuck with tahoe/suburban if the 6.2 8 speed was offered. I was surprised it never was.
Did they actually sit *in* the Expedition? Outdated and cheap, it is not a very nice place to be…
I also didn’t see any mention of the fuel economy while towing in the EcoBoost…or rather, lack thereof…
the line “bigger greenhouse for better visibility” makes me laugh, seems to imply that it’s a new feature. It’s a bigger greenhouse because they never revised the vehicle enough to change the window sizes since it was originally introduced, a time when bigger windows were the norm for all size vehicles. The recent changes are more of a mid-cycle-enhancement than a new model. This, if I’m looking at it right, is the 4th generation Tahoe, and I don’t believe any of the generations shared any body panels or windows. This is why the Exp has an outdated feel.
However, in driving both vehicles with a full load of passengers in a hilly area, I have to admit that the Ford was more responsive – GM seems to have programmed the tranny to keep the rpm’s low, probably to gain a slight mpg improvement at the cost of fun-to-drive. The 8-speed tranny should be a big help to that problem, haven’t driven one of those yet.
It’s interesting to read Car and Driver’s opinion on this. I was watching Consumer Reports YouTube channel where they discussed both vehicles, and all three hosts felt the Tahoe/Suburban combo not only outclassed the Ford (for the same reasons CD said they liked the GM product), but that they are easily the class leaders in the segment right now.
Surprising for a Consumer Report opinion, there was an agreement that not only did they even prefer the sound of the V8 over the Ecoboost, but they felt the kind of people that would by these trucks would as well. They do like the drivability of Ford’s engine, feeling like it gets off the line with more authority. That said, they felt GM’s issue is not the engine nor the tranny but perhaps the programming of the electronic throttle, making the driver shove down the gas more to get on the throttle where the driver wants it.
Expedition is the Best
So where is the optional 6.2L and the 8 speed transmission for the tahoe / suburban already????
I bought an SUV to tow a 30 foot camper. I do not care about mileage, some people buy these vehicles have safe towing capability at the top of their list as well as having to fit in a family to take along to the campground. The Expedition blows away the Chevy in this respect, although I like the look of the Chevy better. My wife and I really like the bigger windows in the Expedition as well, to each his own I guess.
I bought the Tahoe LTZ and had nothing but problems. I have always owned either the Suburban or Tahoe since 1987 but never again! I traded the Tahoe LTZ for a Ford Expedition Limited and like the Ford much better in every aspect and so far no problems. Good Bye Chevy and Hello Ford.