Cargazing
By Derek Price
Looking into America’s automotive crystal ball for the year to come, one thing is clear.
Not everyone will be switching to electric vehicles.
While General Motors likes to brag about its significant investment in EVs, it’s also continuing to pour money into developing the next generation of full-size trucks and SUVs that will create most of its profit for the foreseeable future.
That includes dropping $500 million into the Arlington, Texas, assembly plant where GM builds its biggest Chevy and GMC vehicles.
It won’t be long before drivers can see the fruits from this investment hitting the highways. Chevrolet announced recently that all-new versions of the Tahoe and Suburban will be released later this year as 2025 models.
Some of the changes are predictable, including visual updates that make the new SUVs look a lot fresher inside and out.
The cabin is designed to more closely mimic a European luxury sedan. It looks very contemporary and comes with more soft-touch materials than before, plus new piano black and chrome trim choices.
In the never-ending battle for touch-screen-size supremacy, these new SUVs up the ante with 17.7 inches.
Chevrolet has redesigned its full-size SUVs for 2025, including the Tahoe RST, shown here.
Outside, Chevy’s big SUVs get a redesigned grille with new signature lighting, including lighting animations on the Premier and High Country trims that give owners a flashy welcome when they arrive to the vehicle at night.
“Ride and handling enhancements” are another no-brainer update for a new model, but I’ll wait to pass judgement until I can feel it for myself.
To me, the biggest tech surprise is the addition of what Chevy calls Connected Cameras.
For years, 360-degree video cameras have been the norm on high-end vehicles to help when parking or backing up, giving the driver a bird’s-eye view of the vehicle’s surroundings.
Connected Cameras take this idea two steps further.
One, this feature lets you log in and view what the cameras are seeing remotely like an online security camera for your car. You could check who’s snooping around your car, or creepily spy on valets or teenage drivers.
Two, it can record events like crashes or thefts. That makes sense considering the widespread, pragmatic adoption of dash cams in many parts of the world to record car wrecks, which are sometimes intentionally cause by scammers or unintentionally caused by idiots.
A new cabin design makes the 2025 Tahoe and Suburban look more like European luxury cars on the inside, including a massive integrated 17.7-inch touchscreen.
With Connected Cameras, you can have a visual record of exactly what happened from your vehicle’s perspective.
At launch, Chevrolet says the Tahoe and Suburban will be available with two gasoline engines. A 5.3-liter V8 remains the standard engine, delivering 355 horsepower. Buyers can also opt for a 6.2-liter V8 that makes 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque.
The bigger V8 is standard on the High Country model and optional on the RST, Z71 and Premier trims.
Even more enticing, Chevrolet announced that a new 3.0-liter Duramax turbocharged diesel engine will be available with 10 percent more horsepower than current models. It will be available on all trims, including the Z71.
GM is vague about when the new diesel will be available, simply saying it will be “later in production.” If you want your 2025 SUV early, it will need to be the gasoline versions for now.
While pricing for the all-new models has not been announced, in all likelihood it will be a bit higher than the 2024 SUVs. Right now, the Tahoe starts at $56,200, while the bigger Suburban is priced from $59,200.
At A Glance
Expected price: Not announced yet
Engine: 5.3-liter V8 (355 hp, 383 lbs.-ft.)
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Brakes: Four-wheel disc with ABS
Wheel size: 18-24 inches
Fuel capacity: 24 gallons
Payload: 1,834 lbs.
Trailering: 8,400 lbs.
Predicted Ratings
Style: 8
Performance: 9
Price: 5
Handling: 6
Ride: 8
Comfort: 8
Quality: 7
Overall: 8
Why buy it?
A fresh look and new features bring the Tahoe and Suburban into the next generation. A massive touchscreen and new technology, including Connected Cameras, are among a long list of upgrades.