First Impressions of the Chevrolet Tahoe for 1999
Several things can be said about the Chevrolet Tahoe series: including the polarizing reactions most buyers have towards their truck. The eight-cylinder engine is at the heart of the strong emotions, it is powerful for its class and delivers a large amount of torque.
Under the Hood
The restyled Tahoe LT is equipped with a 5.7-liter eight-cylinder engine that utilizes 16 valves. The Vortec engine is mated to a General Motors four-speed transmission. This has resulted in an increase in horsepower and torque over the 1998 version.
The front brakes are disc while the rear brakes are drum. Steering is handled through a power-steering gear-style configuration. The Tahoe uses power-assisted brakes, with 4-Wheel ABS support. Load balancing is provided by coil front springs and leaf in the rear.
Vehicle Statistics
The Tahoe is 199.60 inches long, 76.80 inches wide, and 70.30 inches high. It has a wheelbase of 117.50 inches. It is able to seat 6 comfortably.
The listed retail price in 1999 (MSRP) was $29,920, with a dealer invoice cost of $26,180. This price is on target the industry average price for a two-door Sport Utility.
Fuel Efficiency
The fuel system for the 1999 Tahoe is a traditional Central SFI, running on gasoline fuel. The fuel is controlled by an electronic system and is a fuel-injected MFI design. The capacity of the fuel tank is 30.00 gallons.
The 1999 Tahoe gets 18 miles/gallon on the highway and only 14 in the city. This is subpar for a sport utility truck.
We Think…
The 1999 model year was telling year for the Chevrolet Tahoe. The introduction of several trim levels (along with the LT version) meant that buyers could find the version that best suited their needs.
There’s no doubt that Chevrolet is up to it’s old tricks with the Tahoe? I’m hoping next year’s example is improved.
I saw the recent news about Chevrolets and their reliability. I personally would check out web sites like edmunds.com and others before I made a choice of a truck like the Tahoe.