Test drive Chevrolet Tahoe 5 doors 1991 - 1999 SUV
Perpendicular philosophy
Such popularity as ours, these cars no longer have anywhere in the world either in the distant homeland, or in wealthy Switzers, where it is bad with off -road. And in those harsh conditions, where, in theory, they should work, people live mostly quite modestly. That is why in Russia, with its current social stratification and almost extreme climate, Toyota Land Cruiser 100 and Chevrolet Tahoe in the most complete versions of one of the most common models.
Good jeep, good equipment what else does a person need to ... well, you know. I myself have repeatedly noticed that when you jump into the saddle of one of these truly male SUVs, you stop exchanging trifles and even a vile driving style of most of the Moscow stream is much more condescending. Well, will you want to treat your grandfather’s six, even if the tinted bimer himself shies from your silhouette that has grown in the mirror? In other words, if you want mental comfort and safety, multiplied by firm confidence that under all circumstances you will be able to break through to the final point of the route, then nothing will be as useful as large, in American, a full-size SUV. But what?
Of the five obvious applicants, the representative of the largest Japanese company Toyota and the brainchild of the giant of the American Automobile Proprom General Motors were allocated by the enforcement method. Our audience fell in love with Land Cruiser 100 and Chevrolet Tahoe not yesterday Toyota of the 80th series and Tahot of the previous generation in their native open spaces. Not everyone even noticed that for a couple of years a jeep from the GM of the new model, and Kruzak had just been updated and launched. And if we already wrote about the American, then Japanese innovations should at least just list. Outwardly, the hundredth has not changed much. In the stream, a fresh machine will be highlighted with a more clear head of headlights with transparent plastic caps instead of corrugated glasses, other rear lights and a grill and a new picture enlarged from 16 to 17 inches. A little, but noticeable.
In the interior, a new instrument panel immediately catches the eye. Now it is not just a set of shots under a common concave cap, but a modern multicolor Optitron display, the testimony of which will notice even a blind driver in full fog. Of the little things, we note the control of music from the steering wheel and automation (from one pressing) of all windows in a circle. All this is superimposed on the traditional Toyotovsky from the couture excellent decoration of the salon with expensive materials. Nice smooth skin, including on the steering wheel and handle of the CP, goes into plastic of the same VIP-URITA and into wooden inserts, in whose plastic origin I did not believe it, despite the assurances of the car dealership. And is it so important to me as a buyer, so that a piece of wood is necessarily wooden, if modern materials reached such a monstrous-valuable level?
A huge mess between the seats is also a refrigerator, and the management of all musical and climatic functions is almost reference. The mirrors of the cruiser are electric, heated and folding, the right one also bends down, improving the review when the reverse move turns on. Without croaking my soul, I’ll say: no matter how hard I try to be objective, Land Cruiser leaves such a full, finished, bright impression that it is very, very problematic to compete with him. With these thoughts (leaving sled sensations for later), I transplant into several heavy and gloomy Tahoe. No, outwardly, he is even quite impressive and organic. The traditional two -level facing of the muzzle and a slightly frowning threatening look correspond to the image of the rogue and the nonsense even more than the intelligent Toyota face. But in the cabin, continuous disadvantages climb into their eyes. Massive racks and dark colors turn even a bright day into dusk. The frankly cheap, firm and echoing plastic panel of the instrument panels with a drum sprinkles under any touch, and a semi -trigger roll with thin knitting needles and a deep hub clearly discords with a solid image of the model.
Everything would be so, if it is not the tradition of American jeep construction. You remember about them right away when the look, and then the hand clings to the dominant element of the interior Tahoe, the gearbox cooker. The pipe of such thickness and curvature bending, if it was separated from the column, attackers could easily use for their terrible criminal purposes. And even the hand on the rubber handle does not lie down from below, like on other state -owned cars, but with a straight grip on top, confidently and imperiously. And from this point the angle of view on Chevy begins to change sharply. You begin to penetrate the same reverence and respect for him as to another legend of Harley-Davidson, which is produced without visible changes for decades and no one will get the courage to ask a stupid question and what is it such an old-fashioned tank or why is the saddle not modern? Soon you begin to catch the buzz from both the giant salon and from the bass roar of the motor. And here he is a laryngeal, unlike a pure, indistinguishable Toyota baritone. All this is called charm together. Moreover, charm is a wild cowboy.
And in the movement, Chevrolet enchants even more. And this is especially noticeable against the background of an absolutely correct, reference Land Cruiser. Toyota at least in this, the most expensive version of VX with constant all -wheel drive. This is an unconditional good from the point of view of logic. Awd car is more solid and calm, but it will not work to step on it. Those who love and appreciate it, and most importantly, knows how to keep himself in jog, Tahoe's rear -wheel drive character will have more. A little stronger more careless (or cautious), but the dosed movement of the legs and the back axis breaks into the skid, and into the skid, well -controlled by the steering wheel. But not the brakes that you should forget about. Forget it, because the left of two right pedals will only aggravate the side sliding. With the brakes on this machine, as they say, not too much. Not that they were not there, but simply a slowly falling under the foot slowly and reluctantly causes a slowdown in the car. This is especially noticeable in comparison with the Japanese competitor, whose brake abilities I would appreciate the only possible score of 5 with a plus.
The same sensations from the taxiing. The empty stamp of Chevy is unlikely to tell you the real angle of the wheels, while the steering mechanism of the cruiser with a progressive dependence: with an increase in speed, its transfer number decreases and from the stop to the stop becomes 1 turn less. But the American has a noticeably smaller turn radius and it is easier to park and spin in the city. And his fiber, oddly enough, is smaller than that of Toyota. And not to the detriment of smoothness. She is just supernatural at Tahoe. The car swallows such pits and potholes, where Land Cruiser begins to beat with small and large tremor at the same time. It becomes even scary how careless and rude off -road driving this cruiser forgives. Here, by the way, a modest pen on the panel will come in handy, connecting the front Takhu axis and turning the imposing dreadnought into an assertive and brave beast. Despite the frankly low thresholds of Chevrolet, it easily flies into the deepest puddle or a pile of stones. For some reason, the stiff Toyota for some reason was so dashing my hand did not rise. But nevertheless, having driven it without any difficulties in mud-sand, you understand that Land Cruiser has one dirty overhead thresholds. Tahoe also has a similar ambush of a parking brake pedal. The scabbard sticks out over the site for the rest of the left leg so high that you touch him with a leg constantly at least roll it. The one who came up with this is just an enemy of the American people.
All this lyrics are not able to hide the harsh, but brutal truth I could not decide on the choice, which is better, especially given the solid difference in price. On the one hand, Toyota is an ideal car and a magnificent SUV. The only drawback of the lack of shortcomings. In this sense, Chevrolet claims a much wider range of feelings from rejection to adoration and humanly more understandable. Well, to each his own, as the Romans believed.
Text Vladimir Smirnov photo Alexander Nozdrin
How do they look:
Nikita Rozanov
OUTSIDE:
This test has collected typical representatives of two national design schools of large SUVs, which, however, are rather called multi -purpose universals such as SUV and, in this regard, to call omnivorous people. But look how different they are! If the American car still does not particularly try to hide its historical relationship with a light utilitarian truck, then the Japanese is imposer, clearly seeks to completely dissociate from mylitarist ancestors and, moreover, wants to be associated with the prestigious and comfortable Lexus sedan. This is especially noticeable in the person, whose expression is not aggressive, but solid and calm, like modern cinema sulfuries. But unlike Willis or Sigal, a hundredth is not so expressive not to confuse, and there is almost nothing to remember. Another thing is Tahoe with his long -long GM stylists with a two -story gaze with the branded style of the department. The lateral silhouettes of both cars do not shine with expressiveness quite traditionally: the laid profiles with unusually large angles of installation of the front glasses and the wide lining of the plastic protection of the bottom of the body, and of course, some angularity. But you can find an increasing characteristic character: Toyota’s wheel arches are beating with a hyperthletic relief, and the rear stand D in Tahoe coquettically disguises in black.
Results:
Chevrolet Tahoe is a characteristic and integral solution that is fully consistent with the universal purpose of the car, which in its first life was a truck.
Toyota Land Cruiser 100 characteristic style, high -quality performance of details showing a progressive view of the design of SUV class SUVs.
INSIDE:
If the first to inspect the interior of the Japanese car, and then look into the American one, then it will be just right to wonder: what year is in the yard? The cause of the incident lies in the extremely obsolete architecture of the Tahoe, patriarchal form of seats and the shape of the upholstery of the doors (all this has nothing to do with convenience). However, the point here is not in the inability of GM designers to think modernly and brightly. The reason is in traditions and respect for the prevailing consumer preferences. It is curious that Toyota is aimed at about the same market segment, but its design is different, more fresh. First of all, we note the dominant of the central console, decorated with metal and abundantly decorated with inserts under a tree. In addition, the panel is organically connected to the floor on the floor tunnel, but you will not see this in trucks. But there you can find a similar Tahoe long -long instrument board, the end of which for better visibility is deployed on the driver. Although the steering wheels of both cars are four -spoke, their style is very different. The Japanese wide pillow with the service keys integrated into it transfer the driver to the world of comfortable business class sedans, and Tahoe's thin knitting needles sticking out of a small cube of the bibikalka can only recall the difficult share of the trucker ... Perhaps the only thing that answers the true American style Comfort is cut and a chubby shape of seats with a characteristic wrinkle of gray skin.
Results:
Chevrolet Tahoe is very characteristic, but morally obsolete design.
Toyota Land Cruiser 100 is a whole and moderately characteristic solution, clearly aimed at increasing the image of both the car and its owner.
A source: Cars
