2585 Grand Tahoe QL
The Grand Tahoe series is Tahoe’s flagship offering, emphasizing luxury above deck and performance below. The former becomes apparent the minute you see it. Rather than exposed fencing, the exterior is cuttingedge sleek, with smooth, painted aluminum panels teeming with sculpted fiberglass, merging the looks of traditional pontoons and fiberglass cruisers. A stainless-capped, wraparound, TaylorMade walk-through windshield sits atop the consoles. Aft, twin stowage trunks reside in the stylish fiberglass modules that define the stern. Aboard our test boat, a sweeping overhead powered arch completed the flagship looks. Open the beefy, fiberglass bow door: Facing couches await. Pillow tops and thigh bolsters add comfort and security. Rather than roto-molded plastic, seat bases are framed in aluminum tubing and covered in vented enclosures to keep contents aired out and dry. Take a seat at the upscale fiberglass helm and take control using the two primary touchscreens displaying general engine information, with lighting and stereo controls. To the left, a Hummingbird Helix 5 GPS is at the ready. A trio of flat, traylike areas accommodate phones or other small items; multiple USB ports and 12-volt outlet await below.
Opposite the helm, the port console features a flat, faux-granite workspace with a glove box. Aft, two more couches await, with forward-facing backrests. As in the bow, plentiful storage awaits below. At the stern, a deep swim platform and four-step stainless ladder make for easy water access.
Powered by a Mercury Verado 300 outboard, our test boat jumped out of the hole and was almost instantly on plane. Below deck, Tahoe’s Waveglider High Performance system produced a smooth ride with a noticeable performance feel. Triple 27-inch pontoons feature unique extruded lifting fins with a cupped design that Tahoe promises will reduce drag, produce a higher plane off the water, and deliver a fast, smooth ride in a variety of water conditions. That higher running angle can be seen in our test numbers. The 30 mph threshold was reached in 8.6 seconds. Top speed averaged 46.4 mph.