Chevrolet Tahoe Premier 4X4: Top 5 Highlights for 2021
Having a week in a 2021 Tahoe Premier showed us that Chevy’s decision to give its iconic SUV new bones and more space was the right way to go.
General Motors made a risky move for 2021. No, I’m not talking about changing its logo to look like the icon for the hottest new social media app. It completely overhauled the Chevrolet Tahoe. According to Chevy, it’s “America’s best-selling full-size SUV, accounting for more than 25 percent of the segment.” Given the Tahoe’s popularity, they might’ve been able to incorporate a few major changes and gotten away with it, but they went all in.
The 2021 Tahoe has an all-new longer chassis with an independent rear suspension. Like its Silverado sibling, the Tahoe has a futuristic front end that’s sure to polarize both onlookers and internet commenters. For the first time ever, the Tahoe is available with the 3.0-liter Duramax inline-six turbodiesel and the upscale High Country trim package. Did GM’s massive gamble pay off? After spending a week driving a $71,380 Tahoe Premier 4X4, my answer is yes. Here are my top five reasons.
1. There’s Nothing Wrong with the Classics
I’ve driven several newer Expeditions powered by the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6. I’ve enjoyed its ample power, but the fact that it’s the only engine Ford offers in the Expedition and its underwhelming exhaust sound leave something to be desired. Chevy covers both ends of the performance spectrum with the Tahoe Premier’s engine options. For maximum efficiency, there’s the 3.0-liter Duramax turbodiesel, which provides 277 horsepower, 460 lb-ft of torque and up to 28 mpg on the highway. The 5.3-liter V8 is a more conventional option and generates 355 horsepower, 383 lb-ft, satisfying acceleration and a throaty roar that only eight cylinders can let out.
2. …But Change Can Be Good, Too
Over the years, I’ve tested a variety of GM trucks and SUVs. While I typically found their interiors to be well equipped and user friendly, I never marveled at their design or quality of materials, particularly the wood-tone trim. The 2021 Tahoe brought that streak to an end. It wasn’t just the facts that my test vehicle had easily accessible controls for all of the functions I wanted to engage without searching through touchscreen menus or that the materials and accents seemed to be a level up from I was expecting. The thing that struck me the most about the Tahoe’s cabin was that it showed a willingness to try something different – particularly the shifter for the new 10-speed automatic.
Many buyers see the column shifter as dated and work-truck-like. A console-mounted shifter eats up storage space. FCA already uses a dial gear selector in some of its trucks and SUVs. Chevy took a completely different path: high-mounted buttons. They were definitely odd at first. Certain ones could only be pressed, while others worked more like paddles that returned to a central position. But I quickly got accustomed to them and learned to use them without thinking, just like any other shifter I’ve ever encountered.
