2018 Chevy Suburban RST Will Not Offer Optional Performance Package
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Last week, Chevrolet announced the 2018 Chevy Tahoe Rally Sport Truck (RST), an exterior appearance package that brings features like blacked-out and body-color exterior accents and unique 22-inch wheels, giving the full-size SUV a sporty appearance. Meanwhile, the optional 2018 Tahoe Performance Package builds on the Tahoe RST by delivering a more powerful engine, 10-speed transmission, and specially-tuned shocks. One would think that the 2018 Chevy Suburban would offer the same equipment, but it won’t.
Instead, the Tahoe’s longer twin will only offer the RST appearance package, and not the Performance Package, meaning that the 2018 Suburban goes without the 6.2L L86 V-8, 10L80 10-speed automatic transmission, or the specially-tuned Magnetic Ride Control suspension.
Rather, the Chevy Suburban RST offers the following exterior enhancements:
- Body-color trim work, including:
- Body-color grille surround
- Body-color door handles
- Black trim pieces, including:
- Gloss-black grille
- Gloss-black mirror caps
- Black roof rails
- Black window trim
- Black nameplate badging
- Black Chevy bowties
- Exclusive 22-inch wheels wrapped in Bridgestone P285/45R 22 tires
The Suburban RST also offers two optional features: a performance exhaust system from Borla, which delivers a 28 percent improvement in exhaust flow for a 7-10-horsepower gain at the rear wheels, as well as an optional brake package that includes Brembo six-piston, fixed aluminum calipers biting down onto large 410 mm x 32 mm (16.1 inch x 1.3 inch) GM Duralife rotors. The brake setup results in an 84 percent increase in brake pad area and a 42 percent increase in rotor area, increasing system thermal capacity.
But despite the Performance Pack being a no-go for the 2018 Suburban, we will keeping our fingers crossed for the extended-length full-size SUV to get the 6.2L V-8 and 10-speed gearbox, both of which could very well find their way into the biggest Chevrolet via a different kind of package.
More 2018 Tahoe & Suburban Information
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I get that though. Why do you need “performance” in something that weighs 5800 pounds before adding passengers? You need torque for towing – “performance” and full-size SUVs make zero sense.
Add into the fact Chevy would be well into Yukon Denali and lower end Escalade pricing territory for the Suburban. Tahoe will be pushing it as it is. It would be better for Suburban if they would give us a 3/4 ton with the Duramax.
Now that is a statement i can agree with. The new Duramax V8 under the hood of a Suburban with brembo brakes and a borla exhaust system & the same wheels with All Terrain tires would be a killer Suburban RST package.
fleetman, you are confusing “need” and “want”. If we all bought only as much vehicle as we needed, most of us would be driving a Cruze or some other econobox. We WANT the 6.2 in the burb.
By “we” you’ll find its a few thousand orders if that, so niche when mainstream vehicles run 10s of thousands of models a year. Not all brand loyalists are performance orientated, least of all in a large SUV…
Also “wanting” does not equate to “buying” (Chev already know this) – I want a Koenigsegg Regera but I can’t afford to buy one (com’on Lotto!). Often the “want” market is just a bunch of tyre kickers and nostalgics.
I don’t need to win the lotto to afford to add the performance package to the Suburban. If you can truly afford the burb you can afford the performance package too.
And a few thousand orders is enough to warrant offering it. If you don’t think so just look to Dodge and the new Daemon. They are only making 3000 of them. And I guarantee they will make money on every one.
It wouldn’t sell much, but why not? Special order only will only make them money and a few people happy.
I’d be very happy with the 6.2L V-8 and 10-speed gearbox on the Suburban minus the RST package. Keeping fingers crossed for it.
Not looking for “performance” to be a go fast deal in a Suburban. I want a
Road Machine that if I stomp on it, it will haul ass, sound good, and get the most out of cubic inches, intake, tune and exhaust. I’m looking for a big torquey engine in Chevy’s biggest SUV to tow a 21 foot boat or my 1964 SS 409 Impala convertible show car with people and gear. By tow I mean with better gear selections (10L80) to offset wind and terrain and not turn 3200 rpm doing it. Tahoe is too small. Don’t want rough riding 22’s, blacked out anything, or special brakes. Just my choice of color, wheels, drive train, interior, etc… simple as checking boxes, yet so challenging for Chevy to execute! I’m about to give up on Chevrolet after owning 6 Suburbans. I’m old school and practical. Definitely not a Red Line, RST, Blackout, 22″ dub guy…..
Looking beyond this performance package, I wonder when the next generation of these full sized SUVs will go into production? I know Ford will start production of their completely new full sized Expedition and Navigator in Q4 of this year. Ford also adopted similar styling of the current GM full sized SUV look. It will be more competition for GM, but the GM products still have a committed following.
I’d think mid 2018 for the 2019 model year? Lighter weight, maybe some form of an independent rear suspension?
Styling will be the key, and I believe the GM styling and design group is a well oiled machine.
Why doesn’t Chevy just put the 6.2L as an option by itself without putting in a package with a bunch of things I don’t want? I just want a Z71 with 18 inch wheels and the 6.2L engine.
PLEASE. Someone tell me that Chevy is changing their minds about offering the performance package on the Suburban. I need the Suburban over the Tahoe (yes, need, as I can’t afford to have multiple cars and I need to haul my family of 6 and their gear regularly). I want the Performance Package (again, because I can’t afford to have multiple cars, and I want something fast and fun to drive). Plus, the tranny is something GM has been lagging on for awhile now. They should have been putting more gears in their big SUVs and Pickups for many years now, to reap the economy benefits.
Come on, GM/Chevy. Offer the Performance Package (all of it) on the Suburban as well. It will sell like hot cakes.
Bob
After all the hype on the 6.2 and the 10 speed for the Suburban and now Chevy cancels it. I pull a 30′ trailer with sleds in winter and quads in summer. I need the room for people and equipment. Tahoe wont get it done. I ll keep the 2008 Suburban till they change there mind.
On my 2nd Suburban LTZ and was ready to trade in my 2016 for the new 6.2…maybe GM and I will still win, but with the Gmc Denali!
I think a lot of people who want a basic vehicle with a 6.2 would buy just that but GM does not want to cut into their Cadillac child and it’s profits by offering something comparable. The Cadillac Escalade esv is a suburban with a 6.2 It’s just really overpriced but the used market has some really nice examples for what you will pay for a new suburban
the suburban is terribly underpowered. fly by wire throttle response sucks. displacement on demand sucks. my 13 burb struggled and overheated thru the mountains with NO trailer. yes, 2 adults and 5 kids, packed rear to the roof…but gimme a break. engine and trans overheated and I had to pull over multiple times to let her cool down. this is my 4th burb, and between me and my dad…probably our 30th GM product. I’m starting to lose faith in GM products. this truck should Not sell without a 6.2, there should be an offering for a diesel, the fleet version would be near perfect, with a nicer interior, sunroof, tv’s etc. they charge u the big bucks for adding what it should already have. it’s a TRUCK. it should have the heavy duty suspension and a generously torquey motor…and add the bucks for finish.
Allen, sounds like my story. 6 previous Suburbans, bow tie guy. I called Chevy, frequented this blog, begged the dealers to tell me what they knew, wrote emails to Customer Service, talked to marketing etc etc etc….continuously since the 2015 model. No 6.2 planned for Suburban, period. But I solved the problem. Its called a 2018 GMC Yukon XL 6.2 10 speed and its a friggin beast! End of story and done with Suburbans….Good luck!
They offer it in the Yukon XL Denali, but you have to pay for a bunch of extras that I really don’t want. Just want the Chevy with the 6.2 and the bigger brakes. Stupid that you can’t just upgrade the individual components ala carte.