The “continuous craze for truck power” is no surprise to us here at the Mid-Missouri Powerhouse, as the ability to haul, tow, and traverse your way confidently when needed is always a bonus. Muscular and solid are traits that define a good deal of our fleet, and the Car and Driver staff was ready to dish out an abundance of praise for the full-size 2025 Chevy Tahoe.
It arrives poised and confident at the table with plenty of room for hauling cargo and passengers, along with a towing capacity that positions it at the top of its class. Its burly and capable powertrain options leave no room for the sluggish or weary, with two V8s and a diesel inline-six rounding out its admirable bag of tricks. The Z71 model is equipped to handle the toughest challenges the trail has to offer, and the Tahoe's three rows comfortably seat up to 8.
A large infotainment display dominates the dashboard, and it's poised at the ultimate angle for quick visual access. Those in the rival camp such as the Ford Expedition, Jeep Wagoneer, and Nissan Armada offer similar features, but the Tahoe offered this testing crew excellent on-road manners as well. If it doesn't have quite the XXL size to meet your fancy, its sister Suburban is poised and waiting to haul more of whatever your load consists of.
The dashboard is revised for 2025 with a 17.7-inch infotainment touchscreen, along with an 11.0-inch digital instrument cluster. The V8 offerings are the same as last year, with the inline-six boasting a power boost of up to 305 horsepower and 495 lb-ft of torque. Towing aids have grown to be more of a much-needed help to the driver than ever imagined in years past, and one new one for the Tahoe this year closely monitors the trailer tire's condition.
The suspension has been fine-tuned to offer more long-term comfort, and air springs are now available on the RST trim. Some very cool new wheel options that are available across the entire lineup, with the 24-inch designs being the largest ever mounted. Here it is stated that the RST and Z71 models seemed to offer the best value, with the RST serving up the same variety of aggressive stances that made the Blazer so popular. The Z71 trim offers a very rugged appearance, four-wheel drive as standard, and the off-road equipment to properly tackle the outer limits you've had your eyes peeled on Google Maps for!
The 6.2-liter V8 offers a very handy extra 65 horsepower on deck, and both models are mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission. The Z71's 20-inch wheels wrapped with all-terrain tires are the ideal set for crawling over roots and ruts, and the underbody skid plates are a necessary form of prevention for the many obstacles that off-roading can serve up. The Z71 that this crew had access to had air spring suspension which allowed it to quickly raise or lower the ride height for a full-fledged assault of the great outdoors.
The rear-wheel drive and pleasantly rambunctious 5.3-liter V8 equip the Tahoe to brandish the notable 8400-lb towing capacity. The 6.2-liter V8 only shaves 100 pounds off, with the diesel showing up in a formidable 3rd place at 8200 lbs. Most buyers who select the Traverse have the “long weekender” in mind, and a very wide center console offers ample storage for the bring-along companions such as cool beverages, the connected devices, along with purses or backpacks.
