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The Toyota Camry sedan and Chevy Tahoe SUV have something in common.

Nope, not four-wheel-drive security or three rows of seats to hold seven or the ability to tow 6,200 pounds. Only Tahoe does that.

The two share a 21 rating in city mileage. Surprise!

Camry makes that with its 2.4-liter, 4-cylinder gas engine; Tahoe with its 6-liter, V-8 gas engine teamed with a battery pack that’s new for 2008.

Folks either have to start calling Tahoe fuel efficient or Camry a gas guzzler.

Tahoe, of course, also offers a V-8 that swills a gallon every 14 miles while Camry offers a hybrid that sips a gallon in 40 miles. But the mileage rating on the Tahoe hybrid and 4-cylinder Camry show it’s not easy to base a vehicle’s mileage merits based solely on size.

We tested the 2008 Tahoe hybrid that goes on sale in January. Chevy took no chances you wouldn’t recognize it by plastering “Hybrid” decals on the doors and rear window and “Hybrid” badges on front and rear quarter panels

Tahoe is a splendid SUV with lap-of-luxury ride that smoothes the ripples and dimples in the road. It’s like strapping yourself into your favorite easy chair.

Standard stability control with traction control, anti-lock brakes, side-curtain air bags and a camera to see what’s behind when backing up cover all the safety bases.

Seats are wide and well cushioned, controls at your fingertips and flip-and-fold second-row seats provide a wide aisle to the third row, where, sadly, room is tight and which leave precious little space for more than a couple small duffel bags in back. At least the seat backs fold flat to provide cargo room even if it costs you a couple passengers.

But where Tahoe stands out is its dual-mode hybrid power. The Saturn Aura and Chevy Malibu sedans and Saturn Vue crossover offer a mild hybrid that shuts off the engine when coasting or sitting at the light.

Child’s play to Tahoe, which starts in gas mode, can drive at up to 32 m.p.h. on batteries before switching back to gas and gets a battery assist to pass, merge or climb. As a bonus, the 6-liter, 320-horsepower V-8 has active fuel management that shuts off 4 cylinders when cruising.

To keep the driver in the loop, there’s an “economy” gauge in the instrument panel with a solid green (green, get it?) line at 12 o’clock. If you don’t stand on the accelerator, zip into and out of traffic and lead-foot the gas pedal, the needle stays at “noon” for optimum mileage.

Another gauge under the tachometer in the IP shows instant mileage as well as whether in V-8 or V-4 mode. Activate the menu on the navigation screen and press “hybrid” and a schematic appears showing when in gas, batteries, or both, or, like the mild hybrid, when the gas engine shuts off.

The gauges are more fun and informative than watching a map plot your two-block progress.

But what better way to learn conservation than to practice waste. So we stood on the pedal and watched as the gauges and schematic showed we were getting 2 m.p.g on the way to 60 m.p.h. down the merge lane to Interstate 94 in V-8 mode.

Once secure in the right lane and using the aluminum foot rather than lead, fuel economy varied between 24 and 28 m.p.g. in 4-cylinder mode. If it weren’t for the digital display, we would never have suspected 4 rather than 8 cylinders were working. No sudden feeling that a chute just opened.

Next test was side roads, where we were able to ride in battery mode up to 27 m.p.h. in a 25 zone. Chevy says a top speed of 32 m.p.h. is possible in battery mode on flat roads. We settled for 27 m.p.h. for about half a mile on a wavy road.

Reaching 32 m.p.h. for a mile without burning a molecule of gas also was impossible because a minivan rode our bumper to make it known that speed limits, fuel conservation, global warming and the kids’ safety were secondary to getting them to school by 9 a.m.

Thanks to the gauges and schematics, Tahoe taught that high mileage takes more than a bunch of batteries and shutting off 4 cylinders. Add in light pedal pressure; flat roads (a 35 m.p.g. reading on a long, flat stretch); coasting, which brought 49 m.p.g. downhill; and fellow motorists who don’t mind a vehicle puttering along at 27 m.p.h.

One suggestion for Chevy: A small digital speedometer in the IP and devote the extra space devoted to incorporating the hybrid gauges/schematic into one big display. Seeing what wastes or conserves gas encourages habits that save it.

The 2WD Tahoe rated at 14 m.p.g. city/20 m.p.g. highway starts at about $38,000; the 4WD rated at 14/20 at about $39,000. The 2WD hybrid rated at 21/22 starts at $49,590; the 4WD rated at 20/20 at $50,045.

So up to 7 m.p.g. more for about $10,000 more. Not really since such popular items as navi system, back-up camera, leather seats, power pedals and running boards are standard. But Chevy won’t break out the price premium.

Micky Bly, director of hybrid vehicles for GM, says the Cadillac Escalade SUV and Chevy Silverado/GMC Sierra pickups are next up for the dual-mode technology in 2009.

2008 Chevrolet Tahoe 4WD hybrid

Price as tested: $52,335

Add $900 for freight.

Wheelbase: 116 inches

Length: 202 inches

Engine: 6-liter, 320-h.p. V-8

Transmission: 4-speed automatic

Mileage: 20 m.p.g. city/20 m.p.g. highway

THE STICKER

$50,045 Base

$1,295 Rear-seat entertainment system

$995 Power sunroof

PLUSES

Holds seven people and some gear or five people and lots of gear.

In 2WD, the giant can get 20 m.p.g. in the city and 21 m.p.g. city in 2WD mode — same as a 4-cylinder Toyota Camry — and can tow 6,200 pounds.

8 to 9 m.p.g. more than non-hybrid.

MINUSES

High price for high mileage.

Different gauges would spotlight mileage savings and encourage better driving habits.

Read Jim Mateja Sunday in Transportation. Contact him at transportation@tribune.com.