General Motors has made a number of promises it hasn't kept. It was going to build sedans that would once again outclass those of the Japanese. And the company vowed it would be handsomely profitable by 2005 (when it lost $10.6 billion). But when it comes to SUVs, GM still knows its stuff, and when GM said that its next lineup of big utilities would set a new industry standard, it was right.

The '07 Tahoe–along with its twin, the GMC Yukon–has all the space and practicality that anybody would expect in a full-size SUV. Plus there are refinements that many people wouldn't expect. The highway ride is better than pleasant. It's as quiet as an afternoon nap after the kids have gone away to college. The Tahoe's high perch and tanklike stability are the familiar, inalienable privileges of the SUV set, yet the Tahoe is also remarkably nimble. When I pulled the beast into a cramped, underground urban parking garage, the attendant started to laugh at me. But to his amazement (and mine), I was able to navigate the garage's tight confines without ever getting stuck or having to back up to make a turn (though I did scrape the roof rack on an overhead pipe more than once). That maneuverability extends to the open road, where the Tahoe glides through curves, rather than forcing the driver to muscle it through. And the 320-horsepower V-8 engine is strong and smooth. Altogether, this truck is easy to drive.

The best news is on the interior, where GM has acknowledged it needs to make improvements. It has. Without cluttering up the dash with unnecessary gadgetry, GM designers have produced a clean, even elegant, feel in the cabin. Controls are polished and solid, and fine workmanship shows in the narrow seams between dashboard panels and other components. There's a big, cozy sensation in the Tahoe, too, thanks to supportive captain's chairs and creature comforts like storage nooks for all your food, drink, and electronic amusements. For all the conveniences, there are some labors that come with such a hefty vehicle. The rear liftgate is heavy and will be a burden for smaller people to pull closed. GM still has a bit of a blind spot on safety: Side-curtain air bags are becoming standard on much cheaper vehicles, yet they're optional on the Tahoe. And drivers will be lucky to get gas mileage in the midteens, an unhappy reality for GM, with gas prices once again cresting $3 a gallon. But at least GM never promised it could do anything about that.