Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid, GMC Yukon Hybrid seeing lackluster sales

[GMusa]

www.leftlanenews.com

Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid, GMC Yukon Hybrid seeing lackluster sales despite hybrid vehicle popularity




With gasoline prices soaring to record levels, hybrid vehicles are quickly becoming some of America's favorite vehicles. The Toyota Prius hybrid is now the ninth best-selling vehicle in the U.S. and hybrid sales continue to climb month after month. But despite the recent popularity of hybrid vehicle and the former success of large SUVs, U.S. consumers have yet to warm up to General Motors' full-size hybrid offerings — the Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid and the GMC Yukon Hybrid.

Since the two hybrids hit the market in January, GM has only managed to sell a combined 1,100 units — well off the predicted pace of 12,000 annual sales and just a fraction of the 100,000 hybrids sold in the U.S. since the beginning of the year, according to the New York Times.

The Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid and the GMC Yukon Hybrid don't fit the mold of a typical hybrid vehicle, but the added hybrid powertrain does improve city mileage by 50 percent — equaling the city mileage of a four-cylinder Toyota Camry. However, that improvement is not enough to get most buyers over the vehicles' high sticker prices.

In order to get into a hybrid Tahoe, buyers will have to plunk down at least $53,000 — $4,000 more than a comparable gasoline-only Tahoe. Although buyers will recoup that price difference in gas savings over five years — not including a $2,200 government rebate — most buyers find it hard to justify a sticker price that high. Gasoline Tahoes match their hybrid counterparts in highway mileage (20/22 mpg 4WD/2WD) but get about 6 to 7 mpg less in city driving — 13/14 compared to 20/21 (4WD/2WD).

Instead of coughing up the extra dough for a full-size hybrid SUV, many buyers are opting for slightly less capable but equally gas-friendly — and much cheaper to buy — crossover vehicles. In fact, Ford is banking on consumers making the switch from large SUVs to crossovers, even if hybrid versions are available. The U.S.' second largest automaker isn't planning to enter the full-size SUV hybrid segment but will rather offer the 24 mpg, seven-passenger Flex CUV.

Chrysler is planning strategy similar to GM and will launch two full-size hybrid SUVs later this year — the Chrysler Aspen Hybrid and Dodge Durango Hybrid

[GMusa]

I think it may be due to the fact that GM doesnt market their cars well at all.. I have no seen one commercial about the Tahoe/Yukon Hybrids!

[Ming]

The problem with these hybrids is that they are not really a solution for anyone -- except the white hairs at GM who want to keep milking the Big Truck and SUV cash cow.

1. If a rural family, one that depends on this type of vehicle, is in a financial crisis because of the cost of gasoline, among other things, why would they spend the extra thousands of dollars for a fancy hybrid SUV when they could just get a stripped down, commercial grade, white paint and gray fabric seats model instead?

2. Suburban families are hurting, too, and again, the sticker price of a big, already expensive large SUV, is daunting.

3. Status symbols for rich folks? Maybe.

4. As GMUSA noted, no real advertising budget I've noticed, either.

5. Rural and blue collar disdain towards Hybrids as fancy-shmancy cars of choice for Greenies, Hippies, and those California-types not real red-blooded Americans.

6. GM just doesn't have a good image of fuel economy because it has painted itself into that corner over the years as being known as the "truck and SUV company". Toyota, on the other hand, has a halo that extends over even its most thirsty vehicles.

End result? I see these vehicles as having a very limited audience as long as gas prices are high and fears for the economy remain. This hybrid technology will do the most good if it can be worked into the average Tahoe and Silverado - and sold in even the most basic of those two vehicles.

[VCDJ]

Who is crazy to pay 50k for a truck that still does not get good mpg (when you conside $4 per gallon 20mpg truck is not good). This is like that lexus LS hybrid its just stupid. If gm put this in acadia it would be better choice. Again another mistake by gm management. Build hybrid version of chevy tahoe put 50k on it and try to sell it. Instead of making hybrid malibu and cobalt we get a vehicle like tahoe hybrid. Way to go gm. Soon you will put your self out of business.

[motorman]

you need to save a lot of gasoline to justify spending $50K. at $4 a gallon in my neck of the woods it does not seem to have cut down on the number of cars on the road and the speed they drive. unless you NEED a new car it does not make sense to trade down and take thousands of $$$ beating on your trade. i have seen this happen before during the so called gas crunch people trading down to get better mileage and never made up the difference. unless you drive more than 12,000/15,000 miles a year the cost difference in the price of fuel is less than the beating you will take on the trade.

[63GrandSport001]

Yea, these vehicles were a failure and should have never been produced as they are going to suffer the same fate of the other SUVs.

GM needs to let go of the trucks and SUVs or its going to mean that they are going to be going out of business.

[joemac]

The article fails to mention that we're in a down market. Everybody is down. Consumers are holding tight for the most part, especially when it comes to expensive items, add to that combined with expensive options such as the Hybrid GMT-900's, there's just not much moving. The more expensive the item in a down market, the more consumers are large will resist the purchase.

If the economy were in better shape even with $4 gas, they would be moving much better.

[fan]

What other hybrid except Prius sells in huge numbers? Accord?!Escape?!
How many LS\RX hybrids are sold compared to Tahoe hybrids (they sell at high prices) ?
Prius has been around for many years, is a hybrid only vehicle and has been ardvertised alot beeing an icon right now. It's not the time to tell if hybrid Tahoe is a failure. Only after 5 years of beeing on the market and increasing gas prices and increased popularity of hybrids may be the time to judge GM's hybrids.

[Cake Eater]

I own a Suburban. It's six years old. It's been a great truck. If I wanted a new truck, I could buy a 'stripped' 4x4 Tahoe for mid-30s..or less....or I could spend twenty grand more than that for a Hybrid! It makes no sense financially. I don't want leather and chrome-plated radio knobs on my truck. I do want a great work/family truck that gets great mpg.

How about sell the hybrid in a plain Jane truck, GM? Every dealer around here has only top of the line Tahoe hybrids and limited mark down. Gee, no wonder they don't sell.

Price 'em right and they'll sell.

[megeebee]

Originally Posted by GMusa

I think it may be due to the fact that GM doesnt market their cars well at all.. I have no seen one commercial about the Tahoe/Yukon Hybrids!

I've seen several.

[TuffG929]

Originally Posted by GMusa

I think it may be due to the fact that GM doesnt market their cars well at all.. I have no seen one commercial about the Tahoe/Yukon Hybrids!

I've seen commercials for both.

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+ YouTube Video

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[Z28x]

You can get equally good mileage in a Lambda SUV at a lesser price with about the same interior space.

[zeobandit]

My wife and I WANTED to buy a hybrid Tahoe back in January. The dealer made it impossible for us. They were not negotiating on the sticker price at all. We were not going to pay over $53k for that car, when we could get a fully loaded LTZ for over $10K less after negotiating on the price and factoring in rebates. We went with the 08 LTZ, and the hybrid that we were going to buy has been sitting on their lot since March.

[Ambalanche]

I've seen several commercials also but I agree that they need to put it in the less expensive LS and LT versions and get it in the pickups' lower content models as well.

[ByTheLake]

Originally Posted by Ming

This hybrid technology will do the most good if it can be worked into the average Tahoe and Silverado - and sold in even the most basic of those two vehicles.

Agreed completely. Who is the target audience?

Reminds me of the old Quadrasteer option ... was kinda nice but just difficult to justify the expense.