The 2021 Chevrolet Suburban and 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe have arrived, officially dropping cover in a joint debut last month in Detroit. The next-gen full-size SUVs come with a number of interesting features and upgrades, such as a new first-in-class Air Ride Adaptive Suspension system with customizable ride height modes. Now, we’re profiling each Air Ride suspension mode in the following GM Authority Feature Spotlight.
In total, the 2021 Chevrolet Suburban and 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe offer four Air Suspension ride height modes. Listed from lowest to highest, these are:
- Entry exit ground clearance
- Normal ground clearance
- Increased ground clearance
- Maximum ground clearance
Ride height adjustability can vary up to four inches (102 mm) between these various modes. Drivers can lower the suspension two inches to aid ingress and egress when parked, or raise the body by one inch at low speeds while driving in 4WD HI. An additional inch of ground clearance is selectable while driving at low speeds in 4WD LO.
What’s more, the system will automatically lower the ride height while cruising on the highway, which in turn improves aerodynamics and fuel efficiency.
For those owners that want extra height while rolling over less than ideal terrain, while still having the option to drop the body while packing up luggage or loading passengers, the Air Ride Adaptive Suspension meets both criteria.
Speaking of cargo, the Air Ride suspension also features load leveling at all four corners.
2021 Chevrolet Tahoe Z71
Buyers can opt into the Air Ride Adaptive Suspension with High Country and Z71 trim levels on the 2021 Chevrolet Suburban and 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe.
Under the skin, the 2021 Chevrolet Suburban and 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe are constructed on the new GM T1 vehicle platform. In back, both SUV’s run a new independent multilink suspension setup.
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Comments
No auto leveling for towing?
“Speaking of cargo, the Air Ride suspension also features load leveling at all four corners.”
One would assume that goes for towing as well.
The adjustable ride height is a GREAT idea. It enables the best aerodynamics for highway driving, easy entry/exit, and increased height for off roading.
Range Rover and Jeep have been doing it for years. It works well for them, and it tests well with automotive journalists. It also provides more proof that the Tahoe and Suburban really can be everything to almost everyone – as a true premium SUV should. Not that it matters, but the Nissan, Toyota, and Ford competitors don’t have it.
This feature on the Escalade will also help give it more bragging rights – important when the Range Rover and GLS are your competitors.
My only gripe is that it isn’t an option on the lower Tahoe trim levels….but IIRC, it isn’t on all Grand Cherokee models either. I hope that the Z71 has a few tricks up its sleeve around locking differentials. The G80 locker on the current Tahoe really made it a nice vehicle for slick boat ramps and some off road applications. An electronic locker like the Colorado ZR2 has would have been even better, but the G80 is an excellent product for 99% of applications and far superior to the weak limited slip in the Expedition.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Chevy locks away adaptive cruise control behind their higher trim levels too. I hope that won’t happen since it’s becoming widely available (and sometimes standard) on even mainstream cars now.
So far, these redesigned Chevy and GMC full sized SUVs look like they will continue to dominate the full sized SUV marketplace. They really appear to have thought of everything – and then took it a step farther with air suspension, much more interior space, and an optional diesel.
Great work!
4 settings for 4 inches of lift lol.
“The 2021 Chevrolet Suburban and 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe have arrived, officially dropping cover in a joint debut last month in Colorado” The Tahoe and Suburban were revealed in Detroit. The Yukon and Yukon XL were unveiled in Colorado this week
Yikes. Thanks for calling that out ChevymanZ71. Should be fixed now.
It would be nice to have ZR2 or lower trim that comes stock with the higher ride height on regular steel springs at all the corners. (TrailBoss Custom)
Not a fan of air suspension.
I had a MB GL450 with it, the air bags would dry rot and needed to be replaced twice in 10 years, even though it was garage kept. They were costly repairs.
There’s a reason why many Jeeps end up with various delete kits for this option. Fun when it’s brand new but disaster as it ages.
So how does this change the total height of the vehicle?
Read “Ride height adjustability can vary up to four inches.”
Um, yes. Was referring to total height. Wasn’t sure if all body specs had been released.
The 2″ lowering sounds cool. But not enough for me. Hot rodders and customizers have known about the benefits of lowering for decades. I’ve been doing it since my 1955 Chevy in 1973 and most of my rides from trucks to wagons to hot rods have been lowered but more than just 2 inches. Most people here have no clue about al the research and tech that goes into an aftermarket air ride suspension by companies like Ride-tech and others. They have it down to near perfect. The average (keyword) person has no idea about the money spent to lower a vehicle properly and safely. And no I’m not talking about positive cambered junk. Enthusiasts spending tens and even hundreds of thousands on a custom-built old or new vehicle like say the 2021 ‘Burb will pay to have the best suspension installed from a qualified shop. It’s just a tiny part part of the overall $50 billion specialty aftermarket retail.
Curious to know how the lowering at highway speeds impacts wheel alignment, particularly with the new IRS, and if it will impact tire wear and handing.
If it’s done right no problems. I’ve put hundreds of thousands of miles on lowered vehicles. For sure there is a maintenance program and if it’s really low you are careful of what you’re driving over but that no big deal to us vain people. The 2021 independent rear could be an issue but I think it will be fine if GM designed it. I had a 34 Ford with a Vette rear that was pretty low but it was built around that suspension. Many rodders and customizers figured it out but this new rear could be a problem.
I just put a set of tires on a 2021 with 30k miles on it.. because the inside shoulders were down to cord.
The customer had been driving it in the “low” setting.
Total toe in low was -0.75* (toe out) and in “normal height” it was 0.35* (toe in).
There is roughly a full degree of total toe change when an on the fly change is made from low to normal.
I aligned the vehicle in the low setting per customer request. The normal height now has 1.15* of total toe in.
It is a cool feature, but will cost the uninformed a set of tires if they think they can just lower it and roll on.
Something else to break down and cost big money to fix in 10 years. I think about all the old Lincoln Town cars with their back ends down.
By the time you even get to have the Air Suspension on your Tahoe, you might as well shell out a few more thousand to buy the Yukon.