The all-new, next-gen 2021 Chevy Tahoe and 2021 Chevy Suburban offer a long list of upgrades and updates over the preceding generation, including the option for a new diesel powerplant. Now, the 2021 Chevy Tahoe diesel and 2021 Chevy Suburban diesel are available to order.
Order books for the new 2021 Chevy Tahoe diesel and 2021 Chevy Suburban diesel opened October 29th. Production of the diesel-powered SUVs started on a limited basis in November, although the diesel engine option will be very much constrained during the first four weeks of production.
The launch schedule for both next-generation SUV nameplates is now in its third and final phase, with all packages, trim levels, and the new turbodiesel engine option available to order. Check out our previous coverage of the 2021 Chevy Tahoe launch schedule for more information.
To note, the diesel engine in question is the 3.0L I6 LM2 turbodiesel Duramax, which produces 277 horsepower at 3,750 rpm and 460 pound-feet of torque at 1,500 rpm. The LM2 diesel engine is offered on every Tahoe and Suburban trim level with the exception of the off-roader Z71.
Both the 2021 Chevy Tahoe and the 2021 Chevy Suburban are also offered with the naturally aspirated 5.3L V8 L84 gas engine, which produces 355 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque, as well as the naturally aspirated 6.2L V8 L87, which produces 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque.
All three engines mate to the GM Hydra-Matic 10L80 10-speed automatic transmission.
As GM Authority covered previously, fuel economy ratings for the 2021 Chevy Tahoe diesel and 2021 Chevy Suburban diesel were recently revealed. When paired with 2WD, the Tahoe diesel is rated at 21 mpg in the city, 28 mpg on the highway, and 24 mpg combined, while the Suburban diesel is rated at 21 mpg in the city, 27 mpg on the highway, and 23 mpg combined. When configured with 2WD and the diesel engine option, estimated annual fuel costs are set at $1,500 for the Tahoe, and $1,550 for the Suburban.
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Comments
I cannot overstate how badass a Duramax Suburban actually is. Well done, Chevy!
We live in a world where you can get a full sized SUV that can tow 4 tons of toys on the weekend, and still get 27 mpg on your commute.
I’m a lifelong GM full size SUV fan, but the ’21 lineup is just too big. I mean, not everyone in the market for a full size SUV wants/needs 3 rows. I’m hoping they’ll revert back to previous dimensions/options (standard vs extended) on their future models.
Most people don’t understand the huge low end torque of a diesel compared to the much larger 5.3 liter or even the 6.2 liter gas engines. Even though the 6.2 liter gasser is rated at the same 460 pounds feet of torque, the diesel max torque comes in at a low 1500 RPM range while the same torque doesn’t reach a very high 4,000 RPM range. That is an unusable RPM for daily driving, while the diesel hits max torque on almost every change of the transmission upshifts. For this reason, the diesel will be more powerful in normal driving than the 6.2 liter V8. Actually you can trick the transmission shift range to upshift sooner by stomping on the Go pedal then removing your foot from the pedal before the upshift and the transmission will upshift sooner into the next gear. This won’t work if you are hauling a heavy trailer as the modern engine/transmission computer detects heavy loads, before it sends a signal to upshift. In very heavy 18 wheeler highway trucks, with 12 speed automated transmissions, the computer that controls shifts, can skip a couple of upshift gears at a time, under light loads and a soft touch on the Go pedal. These computer controlled upshifts save about 1.5 to 2.5 MPG on the heavy trucks, compared with a manual shift transmission, with the same number of 12 gears. Trucks that used to get 7 MPG are now getting 9 MPG with these smart automated trans. These are automated manual transmissions, not automatic trans on those heavy highway trucks. You only use the clutch pedal on stops and starts on these automated trans, the computer just uses servors to actually shift the gears from gear number one up to gear 12 and back down to gear one. Since the ten speed automatic on the GM vehicles is very high tech, it will also probably also skip a couple of gears at a time on a light load upshift. This saves wear and fuel and reduces noise and allows for less time wasted just shifting all the way through the 9 upper gears on the GM large SUV’s. .
How can I get one? The website doesn’t show it as an option.
Where is this information coming from? Called dealer, said not available to order and unknown when, chevy website doesn’t reflect this yet either…
I ordered a diesel Suburban a month ago. No updates available from GM, no expected production date.. Pretty frustrating. I do see a couple on cars.com so they must have produced a couple.