Photography by Brian Vance The 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe is one of the youngest fullsize SUVs on the market, second only to the all-new Toyota Sequoia . Take the transmission. Paired with a 5.3-liter V-8 whose 320 horsepower, the Tahoe ’s four-speed proved its Achilles heel at the dragstrip, delivering a weak 0-to-60 time (8.3 seconds) and a slow quarter-mile trap speed (85.6 mph). The Chevy’s four-speed struggled on mountain roads, as well, its tall ratios making it difficult to find the ideal gear.

Notes editor at large Arthur St. Antoine, “Where you particularly miss the extra cog is rolling briskly downhill, where second is too low and third is too high.” Manual mode? Not offered. Note to Chevy: Install the Cadillac Escalade ’s Hydra-Matic 6L80 six-speed or, at the very least, its nifty gear-lever-mounted manual-shift buttons. In addition to the four-speed, the Tahoe also sports an old-school live axle, a feature that behooves off-road maneuvers but tends to degenerate on-road motions.

Add in steering that was judged too light and not particularly communicative — a “Twirl-O-Matic” feel, according to St. Antoine — and the Chevy’s chassis was downgraded further.

Per Truck Trend editor Mark Williams, “It’s the most fun to take to the back country and romp around in, but compared to other family-friendly haulers, it just doesn’t keep up.” Further, by eliminating the possibility of a flat floor, the live axle compromises interior efficiency, forcing Chevy to utilize removable third-row seats rather than fold-flat units like the others.