“Yoga entails mastery over the body, mind and emotional self and the transcendence of desire.”

The Tahoe is a big vehicle and it should be, given that it can swallow up to eight passengers without feeling stuffed. Negotiating the crowded (well, at most times!) roads of Dubai and its diverse range of drivers takes a generous dose of providence…and mastery over the body. Concentration levels at all times must remain at their absolute peak lest one crushes one of those pesky small cars nipping in and out your lane.

The Tahoe Z71 – note the moniker – is Chevrolet’s off-road weapon for all those looking for an urban SUV with space to spare which can be equally effective on black top as well as off it. Propelled by a small-block 5.3-litre V8 producing 355 gross horsepower and 504 Nm of gross torque, the Tahoe Z71 is definitely not short of power. Add to this Active Fuel Management (AFM) technology and this gargantuan SUV becomes even more of a good thing. This AFM tech enables shutting four of the eight cylinders down when cruising to enhance fuel economy without a hiccup. When extra power is needed, the system seamlessly activates the full range of cylinders and unleashes the full array of power – just like that!

Quite driveable in the city despite its bulk, the Tahoe Z71 shows a good turn of acceleration as well as top whack. The streetlight dash is faster than ordering a coffee at Starbucks and the overall driving experience is calming and to a good extent satisfying.

For a large vehicle, the Z71 handles very well. The strong frame, wide track, coil-over-shock front suspension and the multi-link live axle rear suspension work in unison to give a ride that is supple and taut at the same time. Obviously, thanks to its bulk, the Tahoe is prone to body lean in turns and quick changes in direction seem to take forever to be executed. But then one has to draw the line considering the weight being lugged around. Sensible people will always accord it the respect affected to a SUV and a big one at that to really get the best out of the Tahoe. Speaking of best, I have still to come to what I felt was the best part of its driving characteristics: going off-road. After all, yoga calms the body and mind!

The steering is a bit slow, though it does feel more direct and precise than the Tahoe of yore. This is because of the rack and pinion steering system, with the rack mounted directly on the engine cross member. There is no doubt that GM has worked doubly hard over the last couple of years to improve the engineering of their vehicles and it shows. This same line of thought is evident in the design and execution in production. A small case in point being the Tahoe’s coefficient of drag of just 0.363, better than the slippery shape of the Porsche Cayenne which boasts a Cd of 0.38. Well, well, well!

With speeds reaching close to the double ton effortlessly, the Tahoe can hold its own against some of its more nimble opposition. Bearing down from speed is a no-fuss affair, the four-wheel disc brakes doing a confident job with good feel at the pedal. The Tahoe does tend to dip and buck like a bronco during hard braking though – all that mass going through stages of forward motion before settling down as the anchors are applied. The turning radius is also pleasantly tight for a vehicle of this girth, making for manoeuvring on narrow roads and parking all that more easy.

Despite its size, the Tahoe does not feel as big on the road. But it does feel big inside with loads of space. Entry to the rearmost seats is a cinch. The second row has a flip and tumble mechanism which enables access to the third row. While on the subject of the third row, many SUVs with this feature have seats that are good enough only for the physically challenged or for children but the Tahoe’s seats provide proper seating (pun intended) for all sizes. There is good enough space behind for luggage too. Fold the third row down and a humongous area is made available to carry even the kitchen sink! Furthermore, the third-row seats can be completely removed to take full advantage of the Tahoe’s cargo carrying capabilities. I wish that the third row seats would fold completely to create a flat load floor, which is better than removing the heavy seats.

If the Tahoe cuts an imposing figure on the road then off-road it is simply outta this world. With the Z71 off-road package on board, the Tahoe cuts down massive dunes to size and simply put, makes moth hills out of mountains. Yeah, you read it right, its not the other way around. On our sojourn off-road in the sandy vistas of Nizwa on the Dubai-Hatta road, the Tahoe was absolutely flawless with nary a hiccup. It went up, down and sideways with as much aplomb as a trapeze artist who can conjure up mind boggling acts. What aids the Tahoe do so well off-road is the 24-degree approach angle up front. A tough skid plate helps in case you hit a rut hard, protecting the engine.

On one trip I had my eight-year-old and his equally small friend. Strapped up in the back seat, they had the liveliest time of their life and were encouraging daddy to go up the big dune one more time, pleaseeee. Power is there for the asking and the suspension reacts so intuitively that driving in demanding becomes a pleasure rather than a chore. Bumps were dispensed with disdain giving the occupants a level ride.

The Tahoe Z71 can be identified by the redesigned front fascia featuring larger recovery hook openings, larger, more prominent rectangular fog lamps and specific grille texture and platinum chrome grille trim. Eighteen-inch wheels and on-road/off-road tyres also are part of the package.

On the inside, the Tahoe sports big dials and controls that are easy to understand and use. While mostly plastic, the materials on the dash and centre stack are finished well and fit snugly. Our test car with its leather upholstery looked upscale with many cranny holes to stow away small items like mobile phones and such. The driver sits high and actually, so do the other occupants. The Tahoe is big and high, you know. The power-adjustable pedals help fit the Tahoe to drivers of varying statures. Visibility is generally good all around though the thick C-pillars and the third row seat headrests impair rearwards visibility. This can be a bother at times, especially when parking although the availability of parking sensors does help in a big way.

The Chevrolet Tahoe Z71 is a damn good vehicle, especially off-road. As you must have realised reading this test report, that I do not have anything bad to say about it, which is true as I did not find anything to criticise much. There is that matter about rear visibility though. Otherwise, this is a good vehicle for both road and off it, making for a regular mom’s car during the week before the husband usurps it to go play with the boys on weekends.