The 2021 Tahoe RST screams road trip! This full-size SUV is roomy and airy thanks to large windows that bring the great outdoors inside providing natural light all around. The entire body of the car is mostly windows! Honestly, the car’s feeling is so open that it makes you want to hit the road. Add to that big comfortable seats, a fantastic sound system, plenty of room for luggage and easy maneuvering and we say, hit the navigation system and go!
There is so much to like in this full-size four-wheel drive SUV. First off, it is large but remarkably easy to drive and maneuver. We had no problem getting in and out of parking spaces but it’s such a long car — a little more than 17 feet — that the rear sometimes stuck out in smaller parking spaces. The ride, especially for such a large vehicle (120.0 inch wheelbase), is smooth and goes around curves easily. Its 10-speed automatic transmission and 5.3 liter V8 engine make this SUV a beast that can handle any terrain easily. The 355 horsepower completes road domination, especially on highways where quick acceleration is necessary.
It’s actually pretty good on gas as well and gets about 16 in the city and 20 on highways, for a combined 18 miles per gallon.
The first thing one notices is that it is well designed with the grille defining the look. It is intricate, masculine fascia and looks like a cat grinning. The windows soften the look and make it a modern, attractive powerful design.
Helping the road feel more comfortable is that Chevy switched from a solid axle rear suspension to an independent rear suspension. The redesign vastly improves the ride quality, especially going over bumps and pot holes, making the ride more like a car than a truck, but it also added more interior space. It it now closer to the ground by five inches, making loading and unloading easier. In addition, with the two back rows folded down, there is more than 123 cubic feet of space. The SUV has 25.5 cubic feet of space behind the third row, 72.6 cubic feet behind the second row. Perfect for a camping trip!
Not only that, but there is more room for passengers. The redesign added 10 more inches to third legroom (totaling 34 inches), and access to the third row can be attained by folding, sliding or tipping the second row seats forward. The front seats have 44.5 inches of legroom and the second floor provides 42 inches of leg space.
The suspension system isn’t the only redesign on this popular vehicle. There is a new upgraded infotainment system with a larger touch screen (10.2 inches, an improvement over the former 8 inches), more standard driver-assistance features and revamped interior styling. The screen features plenty of controls for climate and audio settings and you can connect a smartphone through wireless Apple CarPlays or Android Auto, which is a wonderful luxury feature.
The vehicle comes with a number of standard features including remote start, push-button start, proximity keyless entry, nine-speaker Bose audio system, tri-zone automatic climate control, rear parking sensors, a rearview camera, a following distance indicator, 10-way power driver and front passenger seats, heated bucket seats, forward automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, and GM’s Teen Driver, which lets you do things like set audio volume and speed limits for secondary drivers. The nine camera views helped with navigation, parking and just giving an overall sense of ease while driving.
We had the luxury package that included heated power outside mirrors with power fold, heated steering wheel, rear seat media system, second row heated seats, rear pedestrian alert and front and rear park assist.
We are slowly getting use to not having a gear shift between the front seats but we have to admit that it took us more than a few seconds to find out how to put the car in drive. The push button transmission is up on the dashboard to the left of the vents and the screen. After the first time, it seemed obvious and silly that we couldn’t find it, but it did make for a few awkward moments and a few laughs. Replacing the gear shift provides lots of room for stuff, perfect for placing phones, power outlets cups and everything else one may need for a trip. We particularly liked the center console lockable storage box.
But let’s get back to road trips. We loved the collapsible cargo area organizer. Speaking of trips, for those who want to tow something, like a boat, the Tahoe is perfect. It can easily handle towing around 7,500 pounds and there is a two package that increases capacity.
The 2021 Tahoe 4WD RST is a perfect selection for those wanting lots of space, a safe and comfortable ride and lots of options. With a starting price of $60,000 (ours tallied around $66,000) the Tahoe fits the bill as a family car, a working SUV and a fun family vacation option.
