The top manufacturer of cars based in the U.S., General Motors, knows how to be a provider of classics and luxury. They have been around long enough to learn how to ride the waves of trendy fads, while balancing it with style and an innate knowledge of what works. Their luxury line, Chevrolet, has been no different, always seeming to strike just the right note with consumers. Now, to push Chevrolet a little further, the company has released a new hybrid vehicle - an SUV known as the Chevy Tahoe Hybrid.

It seems like an oxymoron in a way, having a gas-guzzling off-roader transformed into an eco-friendly, state-of-the-line luxury vehicle. The Tahoe Hybrid was no small effort, and is the result of collaboration between scientific experts and designers, combining the new fuel-efficient technology with style. In fact, along with the Yukon Hybrid, another brain-child of General Motors, the Tahoe utilizes new two-mode power train technology that was developed for multiple car manufacturers interested in stepping up into the hybrid technology, such as Daimler Chrysler and BMW.

Without getting too excited, it's time to take a look at this new creation from Chevrolet. In order to actually have a rounded view about the Tahoe Hybrid, take a look at the Chevy Tahoe itself, the SUV whose similarities with the Hybrid make it a perfectly acceptable follower.

The Chevrolet Tahoe is a traditional sport utility vehicle, down to the large size and lengthened wheelbase. As opposed to using the Ford Crown Victoria, is the vehicle of choice for rural police everywhere, the Chevrolet Tahoe is the more practical choice for the consumer. Sport utility vehicles have the gas-guzzling stigma firmly affixed to the reputation, but the Tahoe was given a fuel-economic engine, making it a step above others. Now, along comes the Tahoe Hybrid, giving it additional praise as the vehicle takes already economic technology and creates an SUV designed to fight the stigma.

As previously mentioned, the Chevy Tahoe Hybrid is one of the first of these SUVs to use this two-mode power train, specifically designed for hybrid vehicles, and the technology is sophisticated, not at all simple. The Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid is known to be 25% more efficient with fuel than its parent vehicle, the conventional Tahoe. While the fuel-efficiency is a great feature, there are great benefits to the Tahoe Hybrid. Unlike other hybrids which run smaller, the Tahoe Hybrid is able to fit up to 8 passengers, which makes it an ideal family car. On top of that, the trunk can hold a surprising amount of space, and the vehicle itself is boasted at being able to tow somewhere around 6,000 pounds. That means that the hybrid can still have the ability to haul heavy cargo, as well as still be as effective as the regular Tahoe. In laymen's terms, the SUV hasn't lost its kick.

Not only is the Tahoe Hybrid using the new two-mode technology, this vehicle is the first to use it in a vehicle designed for personal transport. The technology for this vehicle isn't simple, either. The electric motors used are extremely complex, so, integrating them required a overhaul of the vehicle. In this case, this high-performance luxury SUV has wiring that is functional and unique, as well as control units for the system. The technology's inception also attempts to hold to energy management expectations.

The first thing to note about the Hybrid is that it is an SUV, one of the traditionally large and gas-guzzling vehicles in the American mind, but that this particular SUV is worlds ahead of conventional vehicles on the market, being a drastically more eco-friendly model than its predecessors. In fact, at the Los Angeles Auto Show in 2007, the Chevy Tahoe Hybrid won the Green Car of the Year Award, which boasted its credibility. The award was not without its critics, and legitimate criticism has been brought to light questioning whether or not the Tahoe Hybrid should have earned the award, mainly because during the actual judgment period, the SUV had not yet been able to prove that it was able to meet the corporate average fuel economy standard.

Putting that aside, the star attraction of the Hybrid is its affiliation as a General Motors vehicle, which can boast quality and luxury with any vehicle's features. In the case of the Tahoe Hybrid, this vehicle offers an interesting and outstanding SUV that is very different from other models. While being eco-friendly the Hybrid is also able to effectively maintain its all-purpose nature and provides a more economic way to plan larger family gatherings.