Overview

What's New for 2021

The 2021 Chevy Tahoe is available in LS, LT, RST, Z71, Premier, and High Country trim levels. All-wheel drive is a $3,000 upcharge on all models, except for the Z71 where it's standard. On most trims, the Duramax diesel engine is a relatively low-cost upgrade at $995. The Z71 is the popular trim, but we think drivers will find great value in the LT.

LS

Pricing starts at $51,295 for the LS, including a $1,695 destination fee. The base Tahoe comes with a 10.2-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a 5.3-liter V8. The Tahoe LS is also equipped with 18-inch alloy wheels, side assist step, roof rails, LED headlamps, taillamps, and daytime running lamps, rain sense windshield wipers, power front seats, and ambient lighting. Front bucket seats, a second-row bench, and cloth upholstery comes standard as well as safety features like forward collision alert and front pedestrian braking. It's the only Tahoe that can be optioned with a split-bench seat.

LT

Most buyers will want to upgrade at least to the LT ($55,995), which unlocks numerous options and adds a hands-free power liftgate, a Bose 9-speaker audio system, driver-seat memory settings, heated front seats, leather seating surfaces, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, garage door opener, and wireless charging.

RST

The RST ($59,095) has sporty styling elements, including black 22-inch wheels.

Z71

The Z71 ($61,195) is the off-road specialist with standard all-wheel drive, skid plates, and hill-descent control. It has more rugged front end styling with a higher approach angle and 20-inch wheels with all-terrain tires.

Premier

The Premier ($64,495) and the High Country ($71,395) are the luxury offerings, with Magnetic Ride Control, a heated steering wheel, navigation, parking sensors, heated rear seats, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assist, rear cross-traffic alert, a power-folding third row, and a power-adjustable steering column. The Premier is not cheap, but it includes many features that we'd want to add to the lower trim levels. So this would be our trim level of choice. The High Country is tempting because it's the only Tahoe with the 6.2-liter V8, but it's a steep ask at nearly $7,000 more than the Premier.

High Country

The range-topping High Country starts at just over $70,000 and adds 22-inch wheels, a larger 6.2-liter engine, a 15-inch head-up display, a surround-view camera, a rear camera mirror, and rear pedestrian alert.

Tahoe's starting price is right in line with its competitors but balloons quickly with options. The High Country overlaps some luxury-brand SUVs. Then again, the Ford Expedition King Ranch and Platinum are even pricier at just over $74K and $75K, respectively. The Nissan Armada and Toyota Sequoia top trims both come in well under $70K but have fewer luxury features.

A 5.3-liter V8 engine is again standard, although its 355 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque are less than the Ford Expedition's turbo V6 or the Nissan Armada's and Toyota Sequoia's V8s. A 6.2-liter V8 returns as the step-up engine choice with a more robust 420 hp and 460 lb-ft. It's exclusive to the High Country, however. A 3.0-liter six-cylinder Duramax turbodiesel is an intriguing new option available on all but the Z71. It has just 277 hp, but its torque output matches the bigger V8. And it's the most fuel-efficient offering. Rear-wheel drive is standard. All-wheel drive with a low off-road range is included on the Z71 and optional elsewhere.

Our test vehicle was the High Country, and its 6.2-liter V8 had little trouble getting up to speed. Despite its numerous ratios, the 10-speed automatic transmission doesn't feel busy. And with smooth shifts, it essentially recedes into the background. The Tahoe overall is a quiet cruiser on the highway.

Towing is one area where full-size, truck-based SUVs, such as the Tahoe, hold a significant advantage over midsize crossovers. The Tahoe's maximum tow rating of 8,400 pounds dwarfs the Chevrolet Traverse.

Magnetic Ride Control is optional on the Z71 and standard on the Premier and High Country, and an air-spring suspension can be specified for the Z71 and High Country. Our High Country was so equipped, and its suspension smoothed out major bumps while keeping a tight rein on body motions. But even with this most sophisticated setup, broken pavement induced some shudder and wheel hop on bumpy roads. And while the steering is direct and nicely weighted, the tall and heavy Tahoe has no appetite for aggressive cornering. Those who log many highway miles should note that adaptive cruise control is available but only as an option on the top two trims.

One area where the 2021 Chevy Tahoe does not notably improve over its predecessor is fuel economy. Both V8s see a decline of 2 to 3 mpg in highway mileage but a slight increase in the city figure. The 5.3-liter's estimates are 16 city/20 highway mpg (RWD) and 15-16 city/19-20 highway (AWD). Estimates for the larger 6.2-liter V8 are 15 city/20 highway (RWD) and 14 city/19 highway (AWD). The Ford Expedition is more economical thanks to its turbocharged V6.

However, Chevrolet's newly added diesel engine beats the Expedition with estimates of 21 city/28 highway (RWD) and 20 city/26 highway (AWD). The diesel's numbers are very good for a full-size SUV. But in many parts of the country, diesel fuel is significantly more expensive than gasoline, reducing the potential savings.

Improved interior space is the most significant benefit of Tahoe's redesign. The new truck finally gets an independent rear suspension (as the Ford Expedition did two generations ago). And the improved packaging allows for a vastly more habitable third row and more cargo space. Previously, Chevrolet buyers who needed a usable third row went straight to the much larger Suburban. No more. With 10 inches of additional legroom, the Tahoe's rearmost seat now fits adults or fully grown teens. Buttons on each side panel fold and tumble the second-row seats for easy access, and there are USB ports back there as well. Too bad the wide C-pillars block out the view. The second row can be a three-person bench or two captain's chairs, and it now slides forward and backward for added versatility.

New available tech includes a digital instrument cluster and a head-up display. Most controls are straightforward, but some might take a while to uncover, such as the volume and preset buttons on the back of the steering wheel spokes and the ceiling-mounted switch that powers the center console rearward a few inches.

Chevrolet has upgraded the Tahoe's finishes. But a top-spec Nissan Armada or even the smaller Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy is ritzier inside than the Tahoe High Country. And loose-fitting trim on both sides of the console in our test vehicle was somewhat disconcerting.

The 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe earned a four-star (out of five) overall safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The front crash rating was four stars, the side crash rating was five stars, and the rollover rating was three stars. The new Tahoe has yet to be tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

The Tahoe's list of included active safety features is shorter than most rivals. Forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection and automatic emergency braking is standard across the lineup. But lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert are extra-cost items or standards on upper trims.

Roomy, comfortable, and capable, the 2021 Tahoe delivers on full-size, three-row SUV expectations. Its cargo space and third-row seat lead the segment. The fuel economy of the gas engines is not great, but that's fairly typical for this class. And the Tahoe is the only full-size SUV to offer a diesel engine option. Other vehicles to consider include the Ford Expedition, Nissan Armada, and Toyota Sequoia.

Chevrolet Tahoe vs. Ford Expedition

Chevrolet Tahoe vs. Nissan Armada

Chevrolet Tahoe vs. Toyota Sequoia