Top of the line – a Cabriolet with the whole package

What’s not to like? A luxury convertible with racing performance under the hood, just what Bumper2Bumpertv likes to drive on a nice day. All of this comes together in the Mercedes AMG-E53

2019 Chevy Tahoe

THE AUTO PAGE

by

John Heilig

• MODEL: 2019 Chevrolet Tahoe 4WD Premier
• ENGINE:6.2-liter Ecotec3 V8 
• TRANSMISSION:10-speed automatic 
• HORSEPOWER/TORQUE: 420 hp @ 5,600 rpm/460 lb.-ft. @ 4,100 rpm 
• WHEELBASE: 116.0 in. 
• LENGTH X WIDTH X HEIGHT: 203.9 x 80.5 x 74.4 in. 
• TIRES: P285/45R22 
• CARGO CAPACITY: 15.3/51.7/94.7 cu. ft. (all seats up/third row seats down/second and third row seats down) 
• ECONOMY: 14 mpg city/22 mpg highway/13.9 mpg test 
• FUEL TANK: 26 gal.
• CURB WEIGHT: 5,602 lbs. 
• TOWING CAPACITY: 8,100 lbs.
• COMPETITIVE CLASS: Ford Expedition, Nissan Armada, Infiniti QX80
• STICKER: $78,070 (includes $1,295 delivery, $11,675 options) 
• BOTTOM LINE: The Chevy Tahoe is a large, luxurious SUV with the comfort of a large sedan and the utility of a major cargo carrier.

            I get a kick out of vehicle classifications. The Chevrolet Tahoe is classified as a “standard SUV,” yet it really is large, although not as large as a Chevy Suburban.

            We spent many miles a few years ago in the previous generation Tahoe traveling from Salt Lake City to the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone National Park. There are few other vehicles I can say I’d be willing to have for that trek. It handled all the paved roads, as well as the assortment of non-paved surfaces we encountered. 

            The Tahoe hit our driveway after a week with the Silverado pickup. The Tahoe is comfortably smaller, if only a bit. I found it much more maneuverable but with a slightly more firm ride.

            We had very good power under the hood. With GM’s largest V8 gasoline engine, there’s no need for more. Acceleration is good, surprisingly so for a 5,600-pound vehicle. The engine is responsive, even in automatic mode, although there is a manual mode if you feel you need more response.

            Parking is easier than the Silverado (check out my review), but not that easy! Rear view mirrors and back up cameras help. For example, we backed into a small space with a small wall at the end. When we neared the wall, my butt vibrated thanks to the rear park assist. I had a similar “thrill” when I deviated from the lane I was in, thanks to the lane change alert. We also had a blind spot monitor that didn’t alert me sensually, although the rear cross traffic alert did.

            Switches for 4-wheel drive are located on the dash and I found it easy to switch into 4WD High. We had a surprise snowstorm mid-week of the time we had the Tahoe and I switched quickly into 4WD and had no weather issues. 

            Entering the Tahoe is eased by running boards that slide out. In addition, front and rear passengers have assist handles mounted on the A- and B-pillars. The driver has to make do with grabbing the wheel. 

            Front and second row seats are comfortable and heated. Second row seats have excellent legroom. Legroom in the third row is decent, although the seat back there is flat. 

            Front passengers have a large center console/arm rest with a Qi charger on top for recharging your so-equipped phone. 

            Sound and heating/cooling are very good. The audio system has Apple Play and Android Auto compatibility's. We had one of our frigid winter spells with the Tahoe and the HVAC and heated seats kept us comfortable, almost too comfortable. We were soon turning everything down. 

            Tahoe has a power lift gate that is convenient. You can lift it using the key fob, the button on the dash, or by gently starting it off after you have unlocked it. Once inside, there are switches to lower the third and second row seat backs to increase cargo capacity.

            It’s bigger than a small or mid-sized SUV, but the Chevrolet Tahoe essentially has it all, for a price. It’s a perfect vehicle for a family that needs the room but is reluctant to go all out for the much larger Suburban.

(c) 2019 The Auto Page Syndicate

Is the X2 a compact crossover that hits the marks?

BMW’s in between entry in the sport compact crossover segment comes with some strong brand DNA. But Bumper2Bumpertv also finds it has a few shortcomings.

A van that is more major than mini, Toyota Sienna Limited.

Toyota continues to build minivans, a platform that was tried and abandoned by many of their competitors. Bumper2Bumpertv has a look at what the top of the line Sienna can offer as a non luxury vehicle.

2019 GMC Sierra Denali

THE AUTO PAGE

BY

John Heilig

• MODEL: 2019 GMC Sierra Denali Crew Cab 4WD 
• ENGINE: 6.2-liter Ecotec3 V8
• TRANSMISSION: 10-speed automatic 
• HORSEPOWER/TORQUE: 420 hp @ 5,600 rpm/460 lb.-ft. @ 4,100 rpm 
• WHEELBASE: 167.0 in. 
• LENGTH X WIDTH X HEIGHT: 241.7 x 81.2 x 75.4 in. 
• TIRES: P275/50R22 
• CARGO CAPACITY: 1,540 lbs. payload 
• ECONOMY: 15 mpg city/20 mpg highway/12.7 mpg test 
• FUEL TANK: 24.0 gal. 
• CURB WEIGHT: 7,100 lbs. 
• TOWING CAPACITY: 9,100 lbs.  
• COMPETITIVE CLASS: Ford F-150, Dodge Ram, Toyota Tundra  
• STICKER: $67,735 (includes $1,495 delivery, $8,740 options) 
• BOTTOM LINE: The GMC Sierra Denali is big and comfortable, sometimes too big, but ultimately practical.

            Then GMC Sierra Denali is big, oh is it big. Granted, I had a few issues with its size. First, despite the usual assortment of mirrors, a backup camera and a 360-degree “overhead” view, I still managed to knock down my mailbox and post. Later, I brushed up against a utility pole while parking at church. At least the pole survived. As did the Sierra.

            Side  mirrors fold easily, which made getting to an ATM and my favorite drive-up coffee shop a lot easier. 

            Under the hood is a powerful 6.2-liter V8 rated at 400 horsepower and 460 lb.-ft. of torque. All this power is necessary to move the heavy Sierra and move it it does. There’s no lack of performance, but really, do you expect performance from a full-size pickup? The power enables you to carry almost any load that will fit in the 6-foot bed. 

            The other advantage is that the engine is low-revving and quiet under normal operation. Ride quality is very good and smooth. And there’s a lot to be said for the high riding position as you gaze out over all the little guys.

            Start-stop for the engine enhances economy, which was a decent 12.7 mpg in our test, and an estimated 20 mpg over the highway.

            Despite its size, the Sierra is relatively easy to enter, thanks to a running board that slides out with you open the doors and assist handles on the A- and B-pillars.

            Seats are comfortable for long rides. For most of our shopping excursions we put our “treasures” in the full back seat. Since we opened the rear doors, we were reminded to check back there every time we shut the engine off. This is a nice touch. Not only does it help remind the driver of packages that might be there, but also small children.

            The driver faces a full instrument panel with octagonal gauges, a different touch. A heads-up display keeps you within legal speed limits.

            On the road, we had blind spot monitor and lane assist to keep us out of trouble. When parking, the seat would vibrate whenever we got close to another vehicle. I guess my mailbox was too small, or I didn’t respond.

            Rear seats offer excellent legroom thanks to a 2019 redesign that lengthened the wheelbase and added three inches of rear legroom. Rear seat backs fold for additional interior storage and there is under seat storage as well. 

            The rear bumper has a step molded into the corners for easier access to the cargo bed. In addition, the tailgate has an easy lift feature that is an huge advantage if you’re constantly raising and lowering it on the job. 

            Even the 5-6 bed offers 63 cubic feet of cargo volume, much of which was created by widening the width of the bed by seven inches. 

            Even though I had some issues due to careless driving, the GMC Sierra Denali is a great truck, with substantial power and very good road manners. 

(c) 2019 The Auto Page Syndicate