- Chevrolet‘s Suburban and Tahoe are all new for 2021 and feature an independent rear suspension, a first for Chevy’s full-size SUVs.
- The independent rear suspension setup allows for an increase in cabin space and legroom.
- Both the Suburban and Tahoe now have more interior space than the Ford Expedition and Expedition Max.
Chevrolet’s fresh Suburban and Tahoe duo now feature an independent rear suspension, finally allowing the automaker to expand both full-size SUVs’ interior space and legroom compared to previous models.
Having an independent rear suspension allows for a lower floor, which makes it easier to load in cargo; it also, of course, allows for added room in the cargo area and the second- and third-row seats.
How much more? The most impressive change is the increase of about 28 cubic feet in total cargo volume measured from behind the first row of seats in the Tahoe, and 23 cubic feet in total cargo volume for the Suburban, versus the previous-generation model. Where the outgoing Tahoe and Suburban offered about the same capacity as the Ford Expedition and Expedition Max, the 2021 models offer a maximum of 123 cubic feet for the Tahoe, compared with the Expedition’s 105, and 145 cubic feet for the Suburban, compared with the Expedition Max’s 122 cubic feet.
The duo from Chevy boast approximately five additional cubic feet of cargo room behind the third row compared with the Fords: 26 for the Tahoe compared with 21 for the Expedition, and 41 cubic feet for the Suburban, beating the 36 cubic feet offered by the Expedition Max. Second-row legroom, however, is about the same.
The new full-size Chevy SUVs are built on the same platform as the most recent Silverado 1500. The all-new Tahoe, at 210.7 inches, is almost identical in overall length to the 2020 Expedition at 210.0 inches, while the new Suburban is 225.7 inches long overall, a touch longer than the Expedition Max’s 221.9 inches. Wheelbases are not very different, either: The Tahoe’s, at 120.9 inches, is actually slightly shorter than the Expedition’s 122.5 inches. The Suburban’s 134.1-inch wheelbase beats the Expedition Max’s 131.6 inches.
An independent rear suspension setup may seem like a a no-brainer, since this is something that Ford has been utilizing since the 2003 Expedition, but it seems Chevrolet has finally seen the light, to the benefit of people with stuff to carry.
