I'm 16, and I have my license. I had the option of getting my dad's '97 Tahoe, which is still smaller than an '07. It's a pain in the ass all around. It gets 12 MPG, and it's an automatic, which is even worse still. Go with an Explorer, I had a 1998 this summer. We bought it for $800 when it needed a transmission, we could never find a 5 speed transmission for it so we sold it for $1000 a month later. Easy profit.
The GMT-900's are much better in comparison to the GMT-400's.
My family had a 1996 Chevy Suburban( the GMT-400) and I agree with your sentiments about it. It was loud, gas guzzling, and had a horrible turning radius.
We then got a GMT-800 2002 Chevy Suburban. Quieter, more fuel efficient, and a better turning radius. The thing could make U-Turns where the old one took backing up and finishing the turn. When we test drove the GMT-900 Suburban, it had the same turning radius as our current one.
It was my favorite vehicle to learn on. I didn't like my dads 2002 BMW 330xi due to its firm brakes and I didn't like my moms 2001 Chrysler Sebring convertible because at a dead stop, it would think it was a Corvette and lunge forward. You had to be careful on how you touched the gas pedal. The Suburban didn't have any of that. The brake pedal was softer and the gas pedal was less sensitive compared to the Sebring. Yeah, it was big and I had to be careful with it, but every chance my parents offered to go out and teach me how to drive, I begged for the Suburban. That changed when we got rid of the Sebring( it was a POS) and got a 2006 Chevy Equinox which became the car I finished learning on and did my drivers test in.
why not go for a 2000+ toyota 4runner? My brother drives a 2004 and he loves it. My dad has an 08 tahoe and it's great and everything, but for a 16 year old? I would not trust a 16 year old with anything 06 and older, Insurance must be a total bi***. But i guess if you can afford it than go right ahead.
I have my dad's old 05 sequoia, why it is big and I love it, I have to pay for the gas
Hey I got a 2007 Saturn Aura XR for my first car and only damage it has seen is when an idiot classmate made a left turn into me when she was in the shoulder...... No other accidents and I have taken care of my vehicle. Put synthetic oil in it, put on good tires on it due to the OEM Goodyear Eagle LS2's were junk( I originally had Goodyear Eagle F1 All Seasons on them, but they only lasted 8000 miles grrr..... Have Bridgestone Potenza RE960AS Pole Positions on now), I hand wash it when I can( when I am home in the summer. I currently take it to a place where I can wash it myself with a pressurized wand and mixes the soap in it), and my parents always comment on how the interior still looks like it did when we bought it brand new. Three years and 16,000 miles later I love it and it is in perfect condition.
OP: I think Tahoes are good-looking SUV's. I've owned two Chevrolets in my life and neither one held up very well, but that's just one person's experience.
All that being said, I love the utility and versatility of a large SUV. I'm also a very big guy, and it's quite comfortable to ride in. Mine is also cheaper to insure than my Hyundai Sonata was (the insurance underwriter's rationale is that you're less likely to be hurt in an accident), but gas is quite a bit more expensive.
We have had 3 Chevy's and they held up perfectly. The Suburban's being the most solid vehicles my family has ever owned.
And I agree with the versatility and utility of a large SUV. We use our Suburban mostly to tow a horse trailer, haul sails, fenders, lines, etc to our sailboat, and carry 7 people when needed. It is also the vehicle of choice for long road trips. When my mom had hip surgery, we had a snow/ice storm and we were having a hospital bed delivered. Due to the ice making the snow solid, our snow blower couldn't clear our long driveway so the delivery truck was unable to get up our driveway. Took the Suburban down put the bed parts in the back and hauled it back to our house. I do not know what would have happened if we didn't have the Suburban to go down our driveway and be able to fit the bed in it( all in one trip as well).