Buyers will love new 2021 Chevy features
Chevrolet rolled out radically re-engineered and rethought versions of a pair of its most popular and profitable vehicles Tuesday, the bigger new 2021 Tahoe and Suburban large SUVs.
Biggest surprise, the big vehicles get even bigger, and they adopt a suspension Ford’s big SUVs have used for nearly 20 years to offer a more comfortable ride and more passenger and cargo space.
The two big Chevy SUVs — alongside their corporate cousins, the upcoming GMC Yukon, Yukon XL and Cadillac Escalade — account for a surreal 70% or more of the U.S. market for large SUVs.
Diesel efficiency, cushy ride
New features buyers should like when the SUVs go on sale in mid-2020:
❚ More room: The 2021 Tahoe and Suburban grow 6.7 and 1.3 inches longer, respectively. Their already expansive interiors grow huge: 10.1 inches more third-row legroom and 10.2 cubic feet more luggage space behind the Tahoe’s rear seat. The Suburban only grows 1.8 inches longer, but its second and third rows each gain more than two inches of legroom.
❚ Diesel engine: The Tahoe and Suburban will offer their first diesel, the quiet and fuel-efficient 3.0L V6 that’s already available in the Chevy Silverado pickup. None of the SUVs’ competitors — primarily the Ford Expedition and Max, Nissan Armada and Toyota Sequoia — offers a diesel. The engine’s fuel economy and towing capability give the Tahoe and Suburban an ace in the hole.
❚ Ride: In addition to the SUVs’ greater length, the 2021 models adopt an independent rear suspension, which contributes to interior space and a much smoother ride. The independent rear suspension is linked to optional adaptive shock absorbers and air springs for a smoother ride and better handling. A few laps on the ride and handling course at GM’s Milford proving ground made a strong case for a Tahoe with IRS adaptive shocks and air springs as the smoothest big SUV of its size.
❚ Interior features: Tahoe and Suburban options include a big 10.25-inch touch screen and a pair of 12.6-inch LCD rear screens that can play movies and offer content from passengers’ smartphones — even different programs on the two screens, the final frontier for peaceful travel on family vacations.
Like the Tahoe and Suburban, the Yukon goes on sale in mid-2020. The Escalade should follow shortly.