In the fall of 2009, General Motors released the Tahoe Hybrid for the 2010 model year. The auto industry and the world went crazy when they welcomed this mighty full-size SUV. It was an attractive blend for prospective owners and car enthusiasts, reducing their carbon footprint and increasing fuel economy. However, despite being a large SUV, mesmerizing the world wasn’t enough, as it quickly became a commercial failure.
The 2010 Chevy Tahoe Hybrid was a monumental flop
The packs a reliable 6.0-liter V8 engine and two 60 kW electric motors, producing 332 horsepower and 367 lb-ft of torque. It’s powerful enough to tow up to 6,200 pounds, not to mention a ton of other great features.
ranges in price to $10,299 – $13,987, averaging $16,891 – $22,007, averaging $11,750 and $13,436 on .
The 2010 Chevy Tahoe Hybrid still had its moments
Despite the failure, the 2010 Chevy Tahoe Hybrid lived 5 minutes of fame and still does. For starters, it’s a reliable and impressive SUV that delivers power and efficiency. Near-perfect reliability ratings of 4.5/5 are testament to the SUV’s outstanding reliability and quality.
In addition, it released its list of the most used hybrid SUVs under $30,000. Surprisingly, the Tahoe Hybrid made the cut at number 6! The reviewer praised the SUV for its spacious interior, towing capacity and impressive fuel efficiency.
However, like most vehicles, the Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid wasn’t immune to the recalls. According to , there have been five 2010 Tahoe Hybrid recalls due to airbag-related issues. The first recall occurred as early as September 2010 (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID: 10E043000), while the most recent was in February 2021 (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID: 21V054000), affecting over 1.77 million vehicles.
Other hybrid vehicles have suffered the same fate
Sadly, the 2010 Chevy Tahoe Hybrid isn’t the only vehicle on US News’ list that met with a sad ending. Others include and 2011 and 2009 .
The different factors that led to the flop of these models include the cost. They were priced more than $10,000 higher than other SUVs, including the non-hybrid counterparts on the list. Additionally, they faced stiff competition from more established and recognized brands, such as the and .
Even SUV fuel economy ratings didn’t improve sales. At 13 mpg city/18 highway and 20 mpg city/21 highway for the 2011 and 2009 Escalade Hybrid, respectively, and 21 mpg city/22 highway for the Yukon, the EPA estimates weren’t as good as others. Hybrid SUVs at that time .
Finally, SUV technology was not as advanced as other hybrids of the time. Overall, while these hybrid SUVs were reliable, their challenges prevented them from achieving the level of success their manufacturers had hoped for and potential owners looked forward to.
