The full-size Chevrolet Tahoe got a complete overhaul for the 2021 model year, which brought extensive styling and tech updates. Now for 2023, the automaker is adding a new RST Performance Edition that bumps power, acceleration, and handling. It’s not as dramatic as Cadillac’s V treatment of the new Escalade, but there are meaningful improvements in performance and handling to talk about.
Chevy massaged the Tahoe’s 6.2-liter V8 to make 433 horsepower and 467 pound-feet of torque, increases of 13 horsepower and 7 pound-feet. A ten-speed automatic remains the only transmission. Performance gains are noticeable, as Chevy claims a 0-60 mph time of just 5.78 seconds and a quarter mile time of 14.2 seconds. That’s almost two-tenths quicker than the standard RST to 60 mph. At the same time, the SUV can tow 7,600 pounds – the same as the standard Tahoe RST.
Powertrain upgrades are big news, but the RST Performance Edition’s suspension is just as interesting. It comes with police-spec springs, dampers, and chassis tuning. The SUV also features a 0.4-inch lower ride height, again to police specs. Firestone Firehawk Pursuit tires wrap standard 20-inch aluminum wheels, which may be the only non-police-spec part of the running gear. Brembo brakes are standard front and rear and come with red calipers. Chevy says the front rotors are 25 percent larger than the standard RST, so the Performance Edition should stop short of its counterparts.
The Tahoe Luxury Package comes standard, which brings a load of features, including several advanced driver aids. Blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alerts, enhanced automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, a heated steering wheel, heated second-row outboard seats, memory settings, and more all come with the options group.
General Motors has had a rough go in 2022, as a microchip shortage, COVID-19, and war have all wreaked havoc on the global automaker. As a result, some GM models have been sold without desirable features such as a heated steering wheel and massaging seats. Assuming there are no other disasters between now and the end of the year, Chevy plans to start production in the fourth quarter at its Arlington Assembly plant in Texas.
