Auto review: 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe SUV sets standard for big SUVs

Big vehicles don't make me nervous. I grew up with them. My father, an engineer, drove a succession of pickups through fields and forests developing agricultural and construction equipment. My mother, 5 feet, 4 inches in heels, was decades ahead of auto industry trends, driving a Suburban — always calling it her car, never "the truck" — because of its commanding view of the road.

The Michigan State University School of Journalism asked me to chauffeur visiting editors around campus because I wasn't afraid to drive a 15-passenger Econoline van in a parking structure.

So believe me when I say the 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe is big.

Big enough to maintain social distance from the front seats to its newly comfortable third row of seats — more than 6 feet away, by a tape measure stretched nose to nose.

The 2021 Tahoe is 6.7 inches longer than the outgoing model, but size is the tip of the iceberg. Most of the new SUV's improvements are below the surface, including an independent rear suspension that improves ride, and, more importantly, transforms the third row of seats from an automotive penalty box into a premium perch my passengers wouldn't vacate even after we measured.

The Tahoe — and its even bigger brother, the Suburban — rules the mass-market big SUV market, accounting for nearly 50% of the lucrative segment's sales. Add the upcoming GMC Yukon, and General Motors dominates the segment at around 70%.

It's also terrific, establishing itself as the big SUV to beat.

I spent a day driving a loaded four-wheel drive 2021 Tahoe High Country on highways, city streets and country roads. The independent rear suspension provides a remarkably smooth ride. Nicely tuned steering made the massive SUV easy to maneuver.

My top-of-the-line model had an adaptive air suspension and 22-inch alloy wheels. It devoured speed bumps like breakfast burritos and was quiet at highway speed.

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The base engine is a 355-horsepower 5.3L V8, but my car had the optional 420-hp 6.2L. I had plenty of power for acceleration and cruising.

A smooth, quick 10-speed automatic transmission is standard. The Tahoe uses new shift controls built into the dash at driver's 2 o'clock.

At 14 mpg in the city, 19 on the highway and 16 combined, EPA fuel economy estimates for my 6.2L 4WD High Country trail its direct competitor, a Ford Expedition with a less powerful 375-hp twin-turbo V6. GM recommends premium gasoline for spec-sheet power and fuel economy, while Ford's EcoBoost V6 generates its figures with less expensive regular.

Maximum Tahoe towing capacity is 8,400 pounds. My 4WD 6.2L was rated at 8,100. Those ratings use SAE standards, but I didn't have a chance to tow during my test.

Tahoe prices start at $49,000 for a rear-drive 5.3L model. Adding 4WD raises the tab to $52,000.

Chevy builds a wide range of models: Six trim levels, three engines and rear- or four-wheel drive. I tested a top of the line High Country. That model starts at $69,600 for RWD, $72,600 4WD.

I tested a top of the line 4WD High Country. It stickered at $80,550.

Tahoe prices compare favorably to the Ford Expedition, its only serious competition.

The Tahoe High Country's interior sets a new standard for Chevy trucks, with leather seats, soft materials everywhere you're likely to lean or touch and industry-leading controls and connectivity.

You might ask what more a person could ask for, if you'd never been in Ford Expedition King Ranch or Platinum, or even a Ram Laramie Longhorn pickup. They have unexpected design flourishes, like the Ram's hand-branded wood trim and saddle bag-style map pockets.

In that context, the Tahoe's faux wood trim seems like a glaring omission, undermining the interior's virtues: space, comfort and generally attractive and appealing materials.