On Tuesday night, Chevrolet brought members of the media to Detroit’s Little Caesar’s Arena, cranked up the bass, and revealed the new 2021 model year versions of the three-row Suburban and Tahoe SUVs. The Suburban –fresh off becoming the honor of being the first vehicle to score a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame — is boxier; the Tahoe appears more sculpted and athletic. But both are expected to hit dealers in the spring of 2020.
Here, then, are the three big takeaways about Chevy’s all-new full-size SUVs.
Tahoe, Suburban Now Offer a Diesel Engine
The Suburban and Tahoe get the same engine suite as the latest Silverado, with which they share a platform with. There are the familiar 5.3-liter and 6.2-liter gas-powered V8 engines. New for the two SUVs, however, is a 3.0-liter inline-six diesel. It puts out 277 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque — the latter the same as the 6.2-liter V8. That engine earned a 33-mpg EPA highway rating in the Silverado, so expect it to deliver solid fuel economy. The diesel will be available on all variants except the Z71 off-road trim — presumably because GM does not want us to have awesome things. (There was no mention of electrification for these models.)
Ride Quality Should Be Better than Past Versions
Both the Suburban and Tahoe receive a new independent rear suspension setup, which should help control body roll and otherwise generally improve both vehicles’ on-road handling. They both get longer wheelbases than their predecessors — 4.1 inches longer for the Suburban, 4.9 inches for the Tahoe. Both the Suburban and Tahoe will offer Magnetic Ride Control and an Air Ride Adaptive Suspension. All of those should add up to smoother on-road cruising with the family on board
The Interior Is More Spacious
Longer wheelbases plus less-bulky independent suspensions equals more interior volume for both Suburban and the Tahoe. The Suburban gets 19 percent more potential cargo space, totalling a massive 144.7 cubic feet with both second and third rows folded down; the Tahoe receives a 30 percent bump to 122.9 cu. ft. under the same circumstances. There’s also more legroom in the rear of both vehicles — most notably a 10.1-inch increase for third-row passengers in the Tahoe.
