COMMANDER IN CHIEF: CHEVROLET TAHOE

The President climbs aboard and, suddenly, a gunman on a motorbike appears out of nowhere and riddles the Tahoe with gunfire, leaps onto the roof, yanks the startled President out of the window and kidnaps him while the bodyguards lay stricken on the seats beside him.

Thankfully, none of these things happened during YACHTS’ test drive of this supremely comfortable and impressive SUV. The Chevrolet Tahoe – and its big brother, the Suburban have stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in recognition of their appearance in hundreds of movies and TV shows. The imposing SUV is all-American, solid as a rock and madly addictive. Driving it is such an easy and soothing pleasure that I never wanted to open the chunky door and climb down with the help of the step plate that slides out from under the car. Such was the smoothness of the ride that I felt as if I wasn’t driving it, but that it was driving me. It gobbles up speed bumps without a shudder, and roars away from lights at a tasty lick, intimidating other cars with its imposing frame and masculine growl coming from the 5.3-litre, V8 engine.

Sitting up high in the driver’s seat – squinting as I tried to see the end of the bonnet far in the distance – promotes a strong sense of safety. Gazing around the vast cockpit, my eyes were met with a logically laid out control panel. The oversized buttons for park, drive, neutral and reverse give a satisfying click, while closing the doors creates a sonic boom. The grab handles for passengers in the two rows of back seats look like they’ve been ripped from a military helicopter. Between the driver and passenger is a massive armrest big enough for a game of chess, with a refrigerated box that accommodates a six-pack of Coke. The box under the central control panel houses a handy charging mat for mobile phones.

For entertainment, flick on the stereo and deep, rich sound whumps from the Bose sound system, controlled easily via simple graphics on the touchscreen. Rear screens keep passengers entertained and each can show differing content. The rear view video mirror takes a bit of getting used to, and means you can’t check if you have something in your teeth. A ripple of vibrations in the seat alert you if you get too close to a neighbour while parking.

Opening the panoramic sky roof illuminates the interior with sunlight, which highlights the spaciousness of the cabin. While it might be a stretch to call the Tahoe Premier luxurious – although the chrome grille is a nice touch – it feels wonderfully secure and offers an effortless drive that reminds me that American cars have an aura of grandeur unmatched by manufacturers in other countries.