Chevrolet Tahoe Diesel

The Chevrolet Tahoe Diesel is a variant of the Tahoe SUV with a turbodiesel engine. It was first introduced for the 1994 model year, and has so far been produced across two separate generations.

Quick Facts

	First-Gen	Second-Gen
Model Years	1994 – 1999	2021 – Present
Platform	GMT400	T1
Engine	Turbocharged 6.5L V8 L56	Turbocharged 3.0L I6 LM2 (2021 – 2024), Turbocharged 3.0L I6 LZ0 (2025 – Present)
Transmission	Four-Speed Auto	10-Speed Auto
Production	GM Janesville Plant, Wisconsin, U.S.A., GM Arlington Plant, Texas, U.S.A.	GM Arlington Plant, Texas, U.S.A.
Segment	Full-Size, Three-Door SUV	Full-Size, Five-Door SUV
Availability	U.S.A., Canada, Mexico

First Generation (First-Gen Tahoe)

First-Gen Chevrolet Tahoe Diesel

Model Years	1994 – 1999
Assembly Location	GM Janesville Plant, Wisconsin, U.S.A., GM Arlington Plant, Texas, U.S.A.
Segment	Full-size, Three-Door SUV
Availability	U.S.A., Canada, Mexico, Middle East
Layout	Front-Engined, Longitudinal
Engine(s)	Turbocharged 6.5L V8 L56
Transmission(s)	Four-Speed Auto
Drive Wheels	Four-Wheel Drive
Platform	GMT400
Refresh(es)	N/A

Introduced a few years into the lifecycle of the first generation Chevrolet Tahoe – which was designated as the K5 Blazer from the 1992 to 1994 model years – the Tahoe Diesel featured the turbocharged 6.5L V8 L56 Detroit Diesel engine. While never designed to directly compete with the Ford Power Stroke or Dodge Cummins turbodiesel engines in regard to horsepower and torque, the 6.5L Detroit Diesel featured a simple design that delivered reasonable horsepower, decent fuel economy, and passed emissions requirements for half-ton pickups like the Chevrolet C/K 1500.

First-Gen Chevrolet Tahoe Diesel

Interestingly, the Chevrolet Tahoe Diesel was only offered in a single body configuration – a three-door with 4WD. Production of the first-gen Tahoe Diesel lasted thru the 1999 model year.

Year	Engine	Fuel	Aspiration	Transmission	Horsepower @ RPM	Torque @ RPM
1994 – 1999	6.5L V8 L56	Diesel	Turbocharged	Four-Speed Auto	180 @ 3400	360 @ 1700

It’s worth noting that the first-gen Tahoe Diesel’s torque rating was detuned due to the vehicle’s rear axle capacity.

Second Generation (Fifth-Gen Tahoe)

Second-Gen Chevrolet Tahoe Diesel

Model Years	2021 – Present
Assembly Location	GM Arlington Plant, Texas, U.S.A.
Segment	Full-size, Five-Door SUV
Availability	U.S.A., Canada, Mexico, Middle East
Layout	Front-Engined, Longitudinal
Engine(s)	Turbocharged 3.0L I6 LM2 (2021 – 2024), Turbocharged 3.0L I6 LZ0 (2025 – Present)
Transmission(s)	10-Speed Automatic
Drive Wheels	Rear-Wheel Drive, Four-Wheel Drive
Platform	T1
Refresh(es)	2025 Model Year

Making its debut in conjunction with the 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe, the second-gen Tahoe Diesel was a far-cry from the prior generation in regard to efficiency and refinement. The inline six cylinder configuration of the 3.0L LM2 turbodiesel Duramax engine enables reduced friction, striking the perfect balance of primary and secondary forces without the need for balancing shafts. The EPA rated the 2021-2024 Tahoe Diesel at 24 combined mpg, enabling a long driving range between fill ups.

The LM2 was available across most Tahoe trim levels, with the notable exception being the off-road-focused Z71 trim, which wasn’t offered with the diesel motor due to packaging challenges.

Second-Gen Chevrolet Tahoe Diesel

The Tahoe Diesel received the reworked 3.0L I6 LZ0 turbodiesel Duramax engine in conjunction with the introduction of refreshed 2025 Chevrolet Tahoe. The LZ0 engine features a series of upgrades, including steel pistons with a revised combustion bowl, retuned turbo compressor, new fuel injectors, and improved temperature control features, all of which enable it to develop more horsepower and torque than the LM2 in the pre-refresh models. Notably, the aforementioned Z71 trim level became available with the 3.0L LZ0 diesel engine in conjunction with the 2025 model year refresh as packaging constraints were resolved.

Year	Engine	Fuel	Aspiration	Transmission	Horsepower @ RPM	Torque @ RPM
2021 – 2024	3.0L I6 LM2	Diesel	Turbocharged	10-Speed Auto	277 @ 3750	460 @ 1500
2025 – Present	3.0L I6 LZ0	Diesel	Turbocharged	10-Speed Auto	305 @ 3750	495 @ 1500