2023 Chevy Tahoe Z71 Impresses Motor Trend Experts as Capable Contender for “Four-Wheeler SUV of the Year”

When GM first introduced the Chevy Tahoe Z71 platform in 2021, we were intently watching here at West Chevy of Knoxville as we knew it was a stellar larger-sized hauler with widespread appeal! It was then launched with the Z71 and Yukon AT4 trims, and both were then invited to compete in the Motor Trend Four-Wheeler SUV of the Year event. The 2023Tahoe came ready for the challenge, with many new additions that keep it competitive and agile.

These include magnetic ride control dampers, an upgraded engine, and the addition of an optional electronic limited-slip differential. As the team headed to the track, they were excited to put this reliable 6.2-liter EcoTex3 V8 to the test, which fearlessly cranks out 420 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque. The crew witnessed the Tahoe Z71 laying down a zero to 60 mph time of 6.46 seconds, and an aggressive run through the quarter mile in 14.85 seconds.

It had just as powerful a launch off the line as the crew had expected, with sport mode being the favorite for its perfect gear shifting. The 4-High Auto transfer case setting was the best at allowing for killer traction, and the judges gave high marks for the Tahoe’s seat comfort, with the middle and 3rd rows offering a great place for those on a post-holiday haul. The new driver information screen and center infotainment system proved to be a useful application for Google integration, offering a format that was not too confusing and easily got the task at hand done.

The Tahoe Z71 was fitted with a 33-inch Goodyear 275/60R20 tire, which offered the stance and go-anywhere strut that makes the Tahoe a little more appealing for those planning an overland adventure. It was incredibly at ease on the highway, thanks to the addition of magnetic ride control dampers and the sufficient power from the 6.2-liter V8. Once they encountered the off-road terrain, they conquered medium-sized bumps, massive ruts, and berms with ease, as the independent suspension did its job working overtime to smooth out the elements.

The Tahoe offers more space and sophistication than earlier, which is a solid foundation for its ability to lead the large SUV class. Winning an editor’s choice award from Car and Driver, you’ll also want to make sure that you check out the Signature Package: it includes blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assist, a heated steering wheel and second-row seats, memory settings, panoramic sunroof, power-folding third row, and upgraded towing equipment. This testing crew managed to fit six carry-on suitcases directly behind the third row, whereas the outgoing model only had room for four. In addition to multiple interior charging ports, the three-row Tahoe offers an upgraded Bose Stereo System and two 12.6-inch displays mounted behind the front seats.

Stepping up to Your Desired Form and Function: A Guide on Deciding Your 2023 Tahoe Trim Level

The 2023 Chevy Tahoe is a very highly sought-after and test-driven model here at West Chevy of Knoxville, and everyone has been telling us that they can't get enough with its spacious cabin, awesome technology offerings, and engine selections. These larger-size SUVs are great for handling large towing demands and providing you the room you need to get your family around in comfort. This year's model adds the semi-autonomous feature of Super Cruise for the first time, and the RST Performance Edition’s phenomenal 6.2-liter V8.

All three of the engine choices are mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission, and the many options now available have made some buyers want to find out about the finer details before they're ready to roll! Beginning with the basics and then stepping up to the top for true luxury during your trip, here is a breakdown of what to expect from each 2023 Tahoe trim. 

The LS Trim is the base-level entry point for getting into the very popular Tahoe, and we listened to drivers when they told us that many standard features were high on their pre-holiday wish lists! With the LS trim, you'll be enjoying the modern goodies that everyone loves today including wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, an 8-inch touch screen, and trizone climate control. Powertrain duties are handled by the 355 horsepower 5.3-liter V8 that's paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission, With the option of choosing the 3.0 liter inline 6-cylinder. This is an excellent way to check out exactly what the Tahoe is all about before choosing to upgrade in the future. 

The LT Trim builds up a little bit on all the entry-level Tahoe greatness that you experience with the LS model, beginning with a larger 10.2-inch infotainment system screen and Google Built-in software capability. You’ll also be able to enjoy upgrades in the form of the hands-free liftgate, a 9-speaker Bose premium audio system, and Google built-in software capability. you can also opt to prepare yourself a little bit for inclement weather with the step up to 4-wheel drive.

The RST Trim is one that we find ourselves recommending frequently, as Chevy’s true performance aspects begin to shine! First of all, you’re benefitting from a 13-horsepower increase over the other trims’ 6.2-liter V8. There’s also ABS and driveline Traction control, and the nice luxury touch of Leather Seat trim. You also have navigation at your disposal for any new destinations on your itinerary, and remote keyless entry for all the doors. What we also love about the RST trim is that it is where the true do-it-all SUV flavor shines through along with elements that result in serious capability. 

The Z71 Trim is for drivers who have taken an extreme liking to the excitement and challenge of driving offroad! If you need enhanced ground clearance this is the trim that offers it up, along with ample protection for everything underneath. These skid plates will assure you don’t suffer huge equipment losses if you happen to bottom out, which can even happen at a crawl. Adaptive Air Suspension is just the type of extra that drivers a decade ago could only dream of: it provides you the opportunity to have the ultimate trail hounds control over vital ground clearance. 

The Premier Trim is where the Tahoe begins to feel like the segment-leading luxury offering it really is, even though the lower trim levels are for those needing practicality and functionality in everyday driving. You'll be fully rocking on courtesy of the 10-speaker Bose audio system on board and leather seats providing extra comfort as standard. Onlookers will get wind of the extra growl emitting thanks to the dual exhaust system, and enjoy precision handling with the power tilt and telescoping steering wheel. You’ll also be enjoying life on the road in hand-free ease, with digitally-mapped out highways providing the juice to take control, aiding with driving convenience. 

The High Country Trim offers the best in Tahoe ownership, with luxury elements and all of the trimmings anyone could ask for. You’ll be rolling comfortably and confidently with heated and ventilated front seats, leather seats in the first two rows, wood trim, plus available Super Cruise capability and the solidly powerful 6.2-liter V8. A Sleek set of 22-inch wheels and special badging round out everything outside and offers a cargo area with a generous 123 cubic feet of storage. 

Chevy Tahoe's 2021 Upgrade Renders it Fully-Ready for All-Out Excursions and After-School Dashes

As SUV production continues to ramp up worldwide, the stature, features, and tech offerings that each model possesses remains as competitive as they ever have been. Everyone here at West Chevy of Knoxville can currently agree that the brand we love to represent every day can fully take the credit for the creation of the world's two class-leading SUVs in the form of the Tahoe and Suburban. With their visually stunning features and ability to remain accessible while boasting industry-leading attention-getting, they both account for nearly half of what makes its way off our lots.

The Tahoe recently enjoyed an upgrade for the new year, and the Hotcars.com staff worked on a feature on its new look, ultra-powerful V8, and spacious cabin that makes for practical use. The RST version sports the ultimate lift of just under a foot with the 22” wheel version, and 2 inches less if you're equipped with the 20” wheel version. The LS model offers a different standard set of included equipment along with various driving modes, and the Z71 is where you want to set your sights when a beneficial bump-up in height suites your exploring mood.

The Premier version of this year's Tahoe is where the fine touches of upper-end luxury come into play to keep you enjoying the finely-honed fit and finish of first-class status during every passing milemarker. There are now nine color choices to deck yourself and the entire crew in while out for an errand-running or celebratory weekend cruise: Midnight Blue Metallic, Graywood Metallic, Satin Steel Metallic, Cherry Red Tintcoat Summit White, Black, Shadow Grey Metallic, Iridescent Pearl Tricoat, and Empire Beige Metallic are on deck to allow you to stand out. 

The Tahoe has always been well-known within the auto realm for its XXL interior capacity, and it is one of the top reasons that it could be the ideal addition to your growing family or businesses' fleet. Once you extend every seat, you'll enjoy 25.5 cubic feet of space, and opening up the third row provides 72.6 cubic feet. For the drives that edge past the city limits and give you time to sprawl out, the seats boast a soft leather upholstery, providing a much more luxurious touch. Looking for a stowaway place for spare phones, or games to keep you busy during the journey? There's also a motorized storage bin on board that can slide back conveniently for second-row passengers.

The entertainment and management options do not halt at just one touchscreen in the center of the dashboard, as there are more in the back for passengers to access, and the updated trailering technology can manage the Tahoe's many towing capabilities. The menus on the 10.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system provide controls for adjusting and monitoring climate, navigation, voice recognition, and a Wi-Fi hotspot, with the Hotcars.com staff admitting that no SUV in existence can top its accessibility. It's also the largest SUV in existence that you can still order up in diesel, providing efficiency and durability needed for “The long game”!

Sizzling Summer World-Building Opp: Tahoe and Suburban Configurators are up and Running

Autoblog is one of our favorite news authorities here at West Chevy of Knoxville when it comes to the most current scoops, and they recently alerted us to the fact that the configurators for the 2021 Suburban and Tahoe are fully functional! As the temps heat up and it can feel good to stay inside for hours on end, you can build your optimal-featured vehicle, and learn about the two new models while you're at it. One interesting example that the testers used was that of an airport or Uber SUV chauffeur for the Tahoe.

They began with the basic black entry-level LT spec in 2WD and then added the Luxury Package for the driver convenience and assistance features. They then threw in the Rear Seat Media and Navigation package for the passengers' entertainment, then added a locking center console, cargo shade, and black Bow-tie emblems, after swapping up to 20-inch wheels for greater curb appeal. Years ago many customers would have to spend a greater amount of time at the dealer trying to figure out what worked well for them in the long run, and simply looking at pamphlets didn't always convey the finished product.

 

The initial Suburban build was for a man who runs survivalist and outdoor courses and began with the Z71 trim, Shadow Gray Metallic exterior, and Dark Atmosphere interior. With the Z71 package, you are locking in a spec of Max and Advanced Trailering packages, and black Bow-tie emblems. Then, without getting completely out of control, they stuck with the Luxury and Rear Media and Navigation packages.

For another Tahoe build, the customer was a typical Midwestern family. They began with 4WD Premier trim, and Graywood Metallic paint and Jet Black and Maple Sugar perforated leather interior to match. The Premium Package offers up convenience features like the 15-inch heads up display and the trailering tech for its ability to easily tow a boat. They then up the ante to 22-inch Carbon Flash wheels, and Rear Seat Media for the kids as well as a factory-official rooftop tent. It will be perfect for Minnesota lake weekends, and the High Country Trim offers power with the heftier 6.2-liter V8.

We love the fact that you can dig in deep and think about all of your options when it comes to these two, and customize the vehicle that will be your daily driver in the future. The Suburban is one of those iconic vehicles that has displayed a track record of reliability that is for the most part unprecedented, and the two are a pair to be reckoned with as far as any form of competition at all is concerned. We hope to see you soon here at West Chevy where we can answer any questions about ownership and financing, and selection of the model that is a perfect fit for you.

2021 Chevy Tahoe and Suburban Display Exciting Improvements to city MPG

It has been a week of big announcements and excitement here at West Chevy of Knoxville, and one of them was regarding our extremely popular pair of amazing haulers for any family or business: the Tahoe and Suburban. The 2021 EPA-estimated fuel economy numbers for the 2021 Chevy Tahoe and Suburban have just been announced and reflect an increase in city-driving fuel economy. These three GM SUVs are powered by either a 5.3-liter or 6.2-liter V-8 engine, with the option of a turbo-diesel inline-six.

 

Both the Suburban and GMC Yukon are completely redesigned from the ground up for the 2021 model year, and they now feature an independent rear suspension which allows for more very precious cargo space and are available with a choice of two gasoline V-8s or a turbo-diesel inline-six, all paired up nicely to a 10-speed automatic transmission. The EPA has released fuel economy for the pair, and the 2021 Suburban with the 5.3-Liter V8 is up 1 mpg in city driving compared to the 2020 model. Its combined EPA fuel economy is 18 mpg for rear-wheel drive models and 17 mpg with all-wheel drive.

Suburban’s that are deriving power from the 6.2- liter V8 nail down a combined 17 mpg for the rear-drive model and 16 mpg with all-wheel drive. The 2020 rear-wheel drive Suburban gets a 1-mpg increase in city-driving fuel economy, and “any gain is great” when you are dealing with a long-and-trusty vehicle such as these two. The review staff on duty at Cars.com claimed that “Chevy has saved the best for last” in terms of the Tahoe and Suburban, and that both new models are exceptional. This is due to packaging innovation, more space than ever before, and a new powertrain option.

The new look is a bit of a spin on the redesigned 2019 Silverado 1500 pickup, sporting indented headlights and split-level grille that creates a face slightly less aggressive than the truck's appearance. The powerful pair looks and feels just as massive as ever, and inside feels much more modern than in the sworn rival in the form of the Ford Expedition. We have now moved to push-button shifters mounted high on the dash, so there is no more constant hunting for buttons on the low end. The second-row seats do not just simply fold up and down; when they are returned to their upright position the mechanism elevates them a bit, making for better foot room when it comes to third-row passengers.

Since recent pickups are a reasonable gauge to go by, Chevy’s recent attention to vehicle dynamics overall is likely going to pay off for the Tahoe and Suburban just like it has for our beloved Silverado truck. These are two models that are about as good as it gets for anyone wanting to move passengers or cargo around town in extreme comfort, durability, and along with massive safety features and warranty options!

2021 Tahoe and Suburban Crush Numbers in MPG + Towing: Motortrend Offers up Raw Data

For the vehicles out there that are already a bit larger than average, it is always an exciting event when big improvements are looming on the horizon! Everyone here at West Chevy of Knoxville has always had a great love for these “two in troupe”, and their solid reputation for reliability. Both the 2021 Chevy Tahoe and Suburban Full-size SUVs were featured on the Motor Trend blog this past week in an article highlighting fuel efficiency and towing stat improvements across the line. On top of more third-row legroom and cargo space, both heavy haulers will see a new multi-link independent rear suspension that drastically improves ride quality.

Brandishing the standard 5.3-liter V8, the Tahoe is now estimated to offer up 16 mpg in the city, 20 mpg highway, and 18 mpg combined. These figures mostly improve on the old Tahoe's, which with an earlier 5.3-liter V-8 topped out at 15/22/18 mpg (city/highway/combined) with rear-wheel drive and 15/21/17 mpg in 4-wheel drive. When putting to use the 6.2-Liter V-8, the 2021 Tahoe sees 15/20/17 mpg (city/highway/combined) with rear-wheel drive and 14/19/16 mpg with 4WD.

The gas engines carry over from the previous model year, but also see the benefit of new fuel management technology. The 5.3-liter V-8 cranks out 355 horsepower and 383 lb-ft of torque, while the 6.2-liter V-8 resides at 420 horsepower and 460 lb-ft. In the ever-important hauling category, the 5.3-liter V8 gives the Tahoe's standard towing capacity an extra 1,400 pounds, and the final number for towing capacity on the Tahoe is 8,400 pounds.

Both models will provide many of the awesome towing technologies we've seen on the Silverado, including rear camera guidelines for easy hitching, trailer tire pressure and temperature monitors, an integrated trailering app with remote trailer light test, and enhanced side blind zone alert for trailering. What many people are waiting to see is if the upcoming 3.0-Liter Turbodiesel engine will help us to beat sworn rival Ford Expedition's towing capacity of 9,300 pounds, as well as keeping it a step ahead of the GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade stats.

When you are visiting us for a test drive of these two new models, keep in mind that there is a new Z71 trim level for the Suburban, and the top of the line High Country trim level is added to the lineup. It’s a bit like taking the old Suburban and creating a hybrid with the newest Silverado 1500 pickup truck, and the RST is one to keep your eye on: the custom sport model with unique front styling, a black ice grille finish, black and black chrome exterior detailing, and large wheels for a different sense of style and flavor!

Midnight Editions Expanding To More Vehicles In Chevy's Lineup

 If you haven’t noticed, Chevrolet has been rolling out quite a few special edition models of some of the most popular vehicles in their lineup. Midnight Editions of the Silverado, Colorado, Equinox and Trax have become the fastest-selling special edition vehicles to date...but the brand isn’t stopping there. Chevy recently announced they will be expanding these Midnight Edition speciality models to the Tahoe and Suburban. In our opinion, this makes perfect sense, considering these two vehicles make up nearly 50 percent of all full-size vehicles in the US.

Marketing and advertising manager of Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe stated, “Our SUV customers have shown a considerable appetite for specialty vehicles. The Midnight Editions allow us to further deliver on the premium expectation that our customers already have for these class-leading full-size SUVs.”

The Midnight Edition Suburban and Tahoe will be available in two different variants, the Z71 Midnight package and the LT Midnight package. The Z71 will have all of the features that are included in the Z71 Package, like the off-road tuned suspension and off-road tires, tow hooks, fog lamps and sill plates. To take it up a notch, the Midnight Edition will offer 18” all-black wheels, roof rack cross rails, a black grille insert and the black Chevy “bow tie” logos.

Similarly, the LT Midnight will include the same features of the Suburban and Tahoe trim levels, but will add 20” black wheels, all-season tires, roof rack rails, black assist steps, and of course, black Chevy “bow tie” logos.

According to Chevy, these vehicles will be released a little later this year! Be sure to keep an eye out for their arrival to West Chevrolet in Knoxville, Tennessee!