GM's Hybrid SUVs May Get Better MPG Than Expected

When General Motors first showed off the hybrid versions of its Chevy Tahoe and GMC Yukon SUVs, it said mileage gains would be around 25% over the gasoline-only versions. Now GM is saying that when the two hit dealers this fall, city mileage could be 40% better — about 19-20 mpg using the EPA’s 2008 testing guidelines.

These will be the first vehicles to use a new hybrid system developed jointly with Chrysler Group and BMW, both of which have hybrid plans of their own. Towing rates will go down, though, from 8,200 pounds to 6,200 pounds, but the SUVs will still be four-wheel drive.

This hybrid system, like many others, doesn’t impact highway driving as much as city driving, and mileage both on the highway and overall is expected to be around 20 or 21 mpg. 

Pricing hasn’t been announced yet, but a $5,000 or more premium over the regular versions would be a conservative estimate.

GM Expects 40% Mileage Boost on Big SUV Hybrids (USA Today)

Comments

A $5000 price premium isn't going to make a lot of financial sense to most buyers, but the increase in fuel efficiency is still significant. For comparison, a 2007 HHR makes 19-21 mpg city. A 2007 V6 Accord makes 18 mpg city. (Both under the new rules.) So a 4WD Tahoe making possibly 20 mpg city instead of 14 is a pretty big deal. Now if they could find a way to bring that highway mileage up as well...

To offset a $5k premium you'd have to drive over 58k city miles paying $4/gallon for gas. Except that doesn't account for the interest you'd earn (or pay) on the $5k. Perhaps that's not the point of buying a hybrid, but that's what most consumers care about.

However, people buy HHR's and Accords to commute and stuff. Commuting with a Tahoe Hybrid is overkill. Most people buy Tahoes to tow stuff, (or so they say), so the lowered towing capacity would hurt those buyers.

I don't generally like cars that put a V8 with an electric motor. Hybrids were made to give 4-cylinders super economy, not to give V8's average economy.

Well... if they had used a diesel engine instead of a gas one... oh whatever... who's going to listen?

you mean Yukon right?

...a diesel would be much better than a hybrid. Maybe not for hype, but definitely for fuel economy and price.

Yes, Yukon thanks!!!!

Imagine if people would buy only the sized vehicle they actually needed instead of wanted. There would be fewer hulking gas guzzlers to worry about in the first place.

As one of the few remaining people that actually need a full-size SUV (4 kids and own a travel trailer) I feel that better MPG on the highway would be more beneficial. Yes it's nice to see big SUV getting that type of mileage in the city, but I use the family SUV more for long trips that in town driving. I think if I lived in a big city (where hybrids are best suited for)I wouldn't be driving a full-size SUV anyway.

I am surprised under the new standards they got an HHR down to 19-21. I understand that the old standards were outdated because of the test conditions but at least on our GM cars we meet or exceeded what was posted on their stickers for fuel economy. Our new HHR which has been used 75-80% commuting in heavy 95 traffic in MA has been reliably getting 27 mpg out of every tank, calculated by us not the computer. We have the larger 2.4L. We will soon take it on its first good highway trip and I am curious to see how much better we do on gas, I am expecting closer to 32mpg. I am not sure I could get the numbers that low even if I floored if from every light.

As for the Tahoe I am surprised there is not a diesel option since GM already has them in their trucks, same platform anyway. Diesels still have a bad reputation in the US as we know. I am guessing most American remember them from the 80s when we had smokey Mercedes and VWs running on them. In MA we have not even been allowed to get any of the few diesel cars like the VWs that were out, only trucks. It is great they have a Hybrid version of the Tahoe but in our area by far the bulk of our SUVs are Pilots and Highlanders, I don't expect to really see any of these Hybrid Tahoes.