2022 Chevrolet Tahoe expands after a full redesign last year

Chevrolet’s Tahoe, the current best-seller among full-size SUVs, was completely redesigned for 2021 and sweetens the pot for 2022 by expanding mechanical, infotainment, safety, and driver-assist systems to include more models. Not to be outdone, the exterior paint selection has added three new colors: Auburn Metallic, Evergreen Gray Metallic, and Dark Ash Metallic.

Last year’s redesign made the Tahoe even bigger than before, extending its length and creating more room for third-row passengers and cargo hauling. The blocky new body looks like an automotive rendition of Yosemite’s magnificent El Capitan rock formation, and my test Tahoe in the new Dark Ash Metallic color added to that effect. I loved looking at it.

Tahoe offers a choice of six trim levels, starting with the base LS model at $51,395 and climbing to the top-level High Country trim at $71,695. A destination charge of $1,695 is included in these figures.

The standard 2022 Tahoe engine is a 5.3-liter V8 (355 horsepower, 383 pound-feet of torque). Two others are available: a 6.2-liter V8 (420 hp, 460 lb-ft) and a 3.0-liter six-cylinder turbocharged diesel (277 hp, 460 lb-ft). Every Tahoe model comes with a 10-speed automatic transmission and either rear-wheel or all-wheel drive.

I drove the Tahoe Z71. This $61,995 model is priced midway in the lineup and is equipped to handle rugged landscapes far beyond trips to Costco (not to underestimate the challenges of a Costco parking lot). All-wheel drive is standard equipment and includes the hard-core feature of a two-speed transfer case for true four-wheel drive. Hill descent control and adjustable ride height are in there, too.

On the outside chance you’re wondering about an electronic limited-slip differential, yes the Z71 does have one, new for 2022.

My tester was outfitted with the more powerful 6.2-liter, available as an option. Please look the other way while I give its fuel economy rating: 14 mpg city, 19 mpg highway, and 16 mpg combined. The more fuel-efficient turbo diesel engine is not offered on this model.

A front skid plate, red tow hooks, black and black-chrome exterior accents, 20-inch wheels and all-terrain tires are among the distinguishing visual features of the Z71.

You’d think driving around in something resembling El Capitan would be cumbersome, but the 2022 Chevy Tahoe is limber, even when tooling on Snohomish County’s adored twisty backroads. Of course Tahoe wouldn’t be anyone’s first choice for carving corners, but at least it doesn’t sway or feel like a Community Transit bus. The ride is solid, smooth, supple and quiet, including on the freeway.

The Z71’s standard seating arrangement is for two in the front row, three in the middle row, and three in the back row. Captain’s chairs are optional for the middle row. Third-row legroom is notoriously cramped in most SUVs, but Tahoe provides nearly 40 inches. And it isn’t stolen from the second row, where legroom measures 42 inches.

My Tahoe tester included a long list of optional luxury, off-road, towing and performance packages totaling $11,215 and delivering the level of comfort, convenience, and technology only money can buy. In spite of such extravagance, Chevy kept the infotainment system intuitive and the touchscreen eminently usable, and was savvy enough to also include physical controls.

2022 CHEVROLET TAHOE Z71

Base price, including destination charge: $61,995

Price as driven: $72,710

Mary Lowry is a member of the Motor Press Guild and a member and past president of the Northwest Automotive Press Association. She lives in Snohomish County. Vehicles are provided by automotive manufacturers as a one-week loan for evaluation purposes only. Manufacturers do not control content of the reviews.