2019 Chevrolet Tahoe: Model overview, pricing, tech and specs

So far this year, Chevrolet has sold 79,473 Tahoes, making it the best-selling full-size sport-utility vehicle in the United States. In fact, the Tahoe has held that title since 1995 when it was first introduced. If you factor sales of the longer-wheelbase Suburban -- it sells at roughly half the rate of the Tahoe -- that means that almost half of all full-size SUVs sold in America are Chevys.

The current, fourth-generation Tahoe has been around since 2015 and has stayed pretty much the same since then, aside from some added technology features.

Click here to read our most recent Chevrolet Tahoe review.

The 2019 Chevrolet Tahoe caters to SUV-shoppers frugal and fanciful

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Powertrain and specs

There are two engine options with the Tahoe. Base models feature a 5.3-liter V8 with 355 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque. That engine is mated exclusively to a six-speed automatic transmission. The 5.3 is weak compared with other full-size, body-on-frame SUVs on the market, but Chevrolet's 6.2-liter V8 with 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque makes the Tahoe the horsepower king of its class, excluding other GM products like the closely related GMC Yukon.

The meatier V8 can be paired with either the six-speed automatic or a 10-speed automatic that's also used in the Ford Expedition. You can pair each of the Tahoe's transmissions with either rear- or four-wheel drive, but the latter will hurt EPA-estimated fuel economy by 1 mile per gallon on the highway, regardless of engine choice.

With the smaller V8, the Tahoe can get up to 15 mpg in the city and 22 mpg highway. The larger V8 with the 10-speed can return 14/23 city/highway MPG. That superior highway figure over the base engine may be appealing, but the 6.2 requires premium fuel -- the 5.3 does not. The Tahoe drinks more fuel than the V6-only Ford Expedition at 17/24 city/highway mpg, but the Chevrolet compares favorably with the Toyota Sequoia and Nissan Armada at 13/17 and 14/19 city/highway mpg, respectively.

Interior and towing

The Tahoe is a class standout with available seating for up to nine occupants. Excluding the nearly identical Yukon, every other full-size, truck-based SUV maxes out at eight occupants.

Interestingly, when it comes to the Tahoe's 94.7 cubic feet of maximum cargo volume, the Chevy falls to the bottom of its competitive set. The Ford Expedition can hold up to 104.6 cubic feet of cargo and you can cram 95.4 cubic feet of stuff into the Nissan Armada. Meanwhile, the Toyota Sequoia is good for up to 120.1 cubic feet of storage behind the front seats.

If you need to haul things much larger than what you can fit inside a large SUV, the Tahoe offers a maximum towing capacity of 8,400 pounds. The Expedition clobbers that with its 9,300-pound maximum and the Nissan Armada beats the Tahoe, still, by 100 pounds. Meanwhile the Sequoia lags behind at just 7,400 pounds.

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Technology

With standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on an 8-inch touchscreen, the Chevy Tahoe outshines its competitors, none of which come standard with that level of smartphone-mirroring tech, although the base Nissan Armada's infotainment screen is also 8 inches. In addition to those goodies, the Tahoe also comes standard with a six-speaker stereo, HD and satellite radio plus a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot that can support up to seven devices simultaneously.

The Tahoe's standard suite of safety technology is not as robust as its standard infotainment. Aside from rear parking sensors, features like collision-mitigation braking, lane-departure warning and adaptive cruise control are all optional. The Toyota Sequoia offers all of that standard.

Options and pricing

Base prices for the 2019 Chevrolet Tahoe range between $47,900 and $62,600 plus $1,295 for destination, which is on the lower end of the segment. The base LS model comes with 18-inch wheels, a 2-inch trailer-receiver hitch, LED daytime running lamps and rain-sensing wipers plus remote start, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, cloth seats with power adjustment for the front row and three-zone climate control.

Next up the hierarchy is the $52,900 Tahoe LT with standard leather seating as well as a heated driver and front-passenger seat. The LT also comes with a power liftgate, a nine-speaker Bose premium audio system, lane-keep assist, collision-mitigation braking and automatic high beams.

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At $62,600, the top-level Tahoe Premier comes with 20-inch wheels, magnetic ride control, fog lights, front parking sensors, HID headlights, keyless access with push-button start, embedded navigation and a 10-speaker Bose surround-sound audio system. The Premier also includes wireless smartphone charging, a power-tilting and telescoping steering column paired with a heated steering wheel as well as ventilated front seats and a power-folding third row of seats plus driver-assistance features like blind spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert.

Even beyond the top trim, the $2,705 RST Edition adds 22-inch wheels, black bowtie emblems and wheel locks. For those with the most expensive of tastes, there's the $11,675 Premier Plus Edition option package that makes the 6.2-liter engine compulsory and bundles that with the 10-speed automatic, a different set of 22-inch wheels, power-retractable running boards, a sunroof, perforated leather upholstery and an 8-inch instrument cluster display that replaces the standard 4.2-inch unit. The Premier Plus Edition also adds a head-up display and a rear-seat entertainment system.

You can also equip the Tahoe with Brembo front brakes for $2,795, as well as adaptive cruise control and collision-mitigation braking for $895. Tick every option box, and you'll be looking at a Tahoe north of $80,000, at which point it begins to compete with luxury SUVs like the Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class.

Availability

The 2019 Chevrolet Tahoe is available nationwide now.