When it comes to supersizing, American brands excel in every aspect, be it a Caesar Salad serving, a cheeseburger combo, or an entire vehicle segment. My four-day experience with the Tahoe Z71 is a testament to this. Its unique features are sure to pique your interest.
Only a handful of full-size SUV options are being offered (legitimately) in the country, including the Land Cruiser, Patrol, and even the Suburban. But save for the latter, all the other models look like mid-size SUVs compared to the Tahoe.
Forget about the overall length; the Tahoe has over 200 mm more wheelbase than its competitors and is wider by almost 100 mm without adding a significant amount of height. These numbers may mean little on paper, but I'll tell you in this review why every inch matters.
You can only do so much on this rectangular body, so I do not envy the designers. The façade is its most attractive exterior feature. It is black, shiny, and wide — everything you want a grille to be. The red of the Z71 badge and the two tow hooks at the bottom give it a sporty contrast.
LED lighting is standard, and the slim headlamps have Intellibeam, Chevy's fancy name for turning on automatically and shifting between low and high beams depending on the driving conditions.
As a supersized full-size SUV, the Tahoe has plenty of flat, wide surfaces that cut through air like a semi. To make it a little aerodynamic, Chevy gave it an electronically activated grille shutter and a rear spoiler to reduce drag and increase efficiency.
It sits on 20-inch aluminum wheels with 285/50 all-season tires. Avoid getting a flat because the spare uses 17-inch wheels, which is a bad look for your handsome Tahoe.
Spacious is frequently used in this vehicle segment, but the Tahoe takes it to another level. To give you an idea of how much, the center console is the width of a jump seat, and it is not so much the number of storage spaces as it is the depth and capacity of each. You will not have a problem storing small, loose items.
It has a 10.2-inch touchscreen with wireless CarPlay, Android Auto, and a wireless charging pad. Connecting was tricky, but after several tries, my music blasted through its nine-speaker Bose sound system.
Leather seats are standard across all three rows, but there is less cushioning and bolstering the further back you go. At least the wheelbase gives the third-row occupants more legroom than other full-size SUVs.
The tri-zone air-conditioning system cools the cabin surprisingly quickly, with each row getting its controls. Loading cargo is a cinch, thanks to the power-folding rear seats and the power tailgate, which opens up to 122.9 cubic feet of space.
I did not get that luxurious cabin vibe despite the soft-touch surfaces, the stitching, the faux wood trim, and the chrome accents. It is probably because the roominess overwhelmed my senses.
With a 5.3-liter V8 under the hood, the Tahoe probably has one of the largest engines in the segment. However, while it may have more horses (355 HP) than some competitors, its torque (518 Nm) is average at best.
But it is no slouch. Despite its over 2.5-ton curb weight, it is agile and highly maneuverable for a supersized SUV. Drive goes to an auto four-wheel-drive layout via a 10-speed automatic transmission managed by a toggle-type shifter on the dashboard. It uses an adaptive air ride suspension, which means drivers can adjust the height and ground clearance, but I did not bother changing it.
It sometimes lurches forward clumsily between the first and second gears, but shifting smoothens as the pace picks up. Speaking of pace, it does not require much throttle pressure to get that V8 to roar, and when it does, look out. Keep an eye on the speedo because it is easy to cruise at 120 km/h in this baby.
And if you are a dad with disposable P7,702,888 lying around, and you want your passengers 'sleeping like a baby,' you cannot go wrong with its impressive suspension system. It all but flattened bumps and humps, and there was barely any noise, vibration, and harshness in the cabin.
The 2023 Chevrolet Tahoe Z71 seats eight (more than) comfortably, moves them around luxuriously and does all of that safely with its advanced driver-assistance suite. All in a day's work for this supersized SUV.