10 Things You Need to Know About the 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe

Full-size SUVs like the 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe are popular with such a wide range of buyers because they're the automotive equivalent of a Swiss Army knife: versatile rides that can haul and tow a huge amount of passengers and cargo in a respectable level of comfort, all at an affordable price. Completely redesigned for the 2015 model year, the Chevrolet Tahoe represents GM's most advanced take on its full-size sport-utility vehicle concept, and while it may not offer the cachet of its luxury-laden comrades, the Cadillac Escalade or the GMC Yukon Denali, the Tahoe's got more than enough charm to work its way into your daily routine. 

Let's take a look at 10 things you need to know about the 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe.

1. The 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe Wears A New Face

After years of aping its pickup truck twin, the Chevrolet Silverado, the 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe goes in a decidedly new direction with its styling. Up front especially, it's now easier to see the Chevrolet Tahoe's closer link to the family crossovers in the automaker's line-up, especially the nearly-as-large Traverse. Still, there are enough right angles left in the mix - particularly in profile - to separate the SUV from its crossover cousins, and new details such as available LED running lights help to further that differentiation. Inside, the Tahoe has also seen its trim taken to the next level, with a cleaner presentation on the dashboard modernizing the vehicle's cabin.

2. The 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe Gains A Revised Platform

Part of the 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe's new body work can be attributed to changes intended to improve on its aerodynamics. The fresh design is split fairly evenly between picking up a few MPGs on the highway and reducing noise inside the cabin, with inlaid doors and acoustically laminated glass on the windshield and forward side portals cutting down on unwanted intrusions from the outside world. Underneath, the Chevrolet Tahoe benefits from the same stronger frame recently gifted to the Silverado, which means tighter handling, less flex, and upgraded suspension and brakes that improve its manners in all driving situations.

Photo by General Motors

3. The 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe Sticks With V-8 Power

Unlike rivals such as the Ford Expedition that have dropped their eight-cylinder engines in favor of smaller, turbocharged units, the 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe soldiers forward with a vastly improved version of its standard 5.3-liter V-8. Output for the Chevrolet Tahoe's only available engine has risen 25 ponies to 355 horsepower overall, along with an additional 48 lb-ft of twist that give it 383 total lb-ft of torque. Helping to achieve these gains is the presence of direct fuel injection, a feature that allows for greater output without the need to increase displacement. Four-wheel drive is optional with the Tahoe, while a six-speed automatic transmission is included free of charge.

4. The 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe Sees A Bump In Fuel Efficiency

Speaking of displacement, the 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe's new V-8 engine is also marginally more frugal than it was the year before, thanks to the implementation of a variable-displacement system. By enabling the Chevrolet Tahoe to run on half its cylinders - four instead of eight - when cruising under a light load at highway speeds, the technology is capable of reducing the amount of fuel that the admittedly large SUV consumes. Mileage for the Tahoe is listed at 16-mpg in stop and go driving and 23-mpg on the highway, which represents an improvement of one and two miles per gallon for each respective measure.

5. The 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe Can Tow Like A Champ

It only makes sense that a powerful SUV like the 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe should be able to tow at nearly the same level as the full-size pickup truck that it's based on. The Chevrolet Tahoe has long been a favorite amongst those who tow on a regular basis, and the 2015 model is no exception: two-wheel drive models are capable of hauling up to 8,600 lbs of trailer weight when equipped with the Max Trailering package. Four-wheel drive models - due to their increased weight - drop down to a still impressive 8,400 lbs of towing capacity.

6. The 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe Is Offered In Three Trim Levels

The 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe starts out in LS trim, which includes 18-inch rims, Bluetooth connectivity with an LCD information screen, three zones of automatic climate control, power adjustments for the front seats, cloth upholstery, satellite radio, and a CD player. Moving up to the Tahoe LT installs features such as the MyLink infotainment system with its eight-inch LCD touch screen, leather seats with heaters up front, a power liftgate, and a locking rear differential. The top-tier Chevrolet Tahoe LTZ offers parking assistance, a push-button starter, heated seats in the first two rows, a power folding feature for the third row bench, foglights, HID headlights, 20-inch rims, cooled front seats, and a louder stereo system.

7. The 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe Offers A Magnetic Ride Control Suspension

The 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe LTZ doesn't just pack the interior of the full-size SUV with luxury items and extra features - it also adds a something called Magnetic Ride Control to the vehicle's suspension package. This magnetically-controlled suspension system allows the Chevrolet Tahoe to automatically adapt to change road conditions in mere milliseconds, and plays an important role in improving the heavy vehicle's handling. There's a substantial difference in road feel and stability between LT and LTZ models, making Magnetic Ride Control a feature that's well worth the price of the upgrade.

8. The 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe Can Haul Your Entire Family

In addition to its towing capacity and available premium gear, the 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe's other claim to fame is its enormous passenger cabin. The Chevrolet Tahoe is one of the very few nine passenger SUVs on the market - in fact, the only other one is its mechanical twin, the GMC Yukon. To access the nine passenger edition of the Tahoe you'll need to select its entry-level LS trim and then add the option of a front bench seat.

If you're more interested in hauling cargo than people then the Tahoe also has you covered, even in the available seven or eight-passenger models. A new fold-flat rear row seat replaces last year's lift-out design, providing buyers with 94.7 cubic feet of total cargo space if the second row is also out of the picture. Keen eyes will notice that this is a slight reduction compared to the 2014 edition's capacity, but not having to wrestle the back bench out through the rear hatch is a trade well worth making.

9. The 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe Steps Up Its Safety Game

The 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe fully steps into the 21st century by way of a long list of new advanced safety technologies. One of the most impressive is the Safety Alert Seat, which vibrates to let drivers know from which direction a potential threat is approaching. The system is linked in to the vehicle's blind spot monitoring system, as well as its lane departure warning system. A forward collision warning feature can also be had with the Chevrolet Tahoe, providing a heads-up should the SUV detect that traffic ahead could be slowing at a rapid pace.

10. The 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe Can Be Had In The Long-Wheelbase Suburban Model

The 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe is offered not just in standard-wheelbase form, but also in a long-wheelbase model that bears the familiar Chevrolet Suburban name. The Suburban offers an additional 20 inches of length, and while this doesn't have a huge impact on overall passenger room, it does play a role in boosting total cargo space to 121.1 cubic feet, which is a more than 20 percent gain. Even better: room behind the third row shoots up from 15.3 cubic feet to a very useful 38.9 cubic feet, allowing the SUV to haul a substantial amount of gear even when every seat is occupied.