2015 Chevrolet Tahoe SUV

PREVIEW

You'd think the end times might be near for big full-size SUVs like the 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe, but you'd be wrong. For drivers who need room for big families and power to tow big toys, the Tahoe is still the premier alpha SUV.

For 2015, Chevrolet fully redesigned the Tahoe. The big SUV will still ride on a traditional body-on-frame architecture, based around the structure of the new Chevrolet Silverado. The Tahoe also lifts Silverado styling cues, including a new grille, full-width bumper and sculpted sides and fenders for a more modern, even aerodynamic look.

More importantly, Chevrolet will endow the Tahoe with a new 5.3-liter V8 featuring direct injection and cylinder deactivation for better power and efficiency. The new V8 produces 355 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque and sends it through a six-speed automatic transmission equipped with a tow/haul mode and automatic grade braking function. The Tahoe is rated to tow up to 8,500 pounds.

A diet of extensive aluminum and high-strength steel helped shed around 250 pounds from the new Silverado pickup, but the Tahoe's weight loss is more modest. An aluminum hood and liftgate panels help trim some flab, although new features and technologies negate some of the losses. Among them: a standard center airbag between the driver and passenger, active cruise control, blind-spot warning, forward collision alert, lane departure warning and adaptive suspension on LTZ models.

To diminish the Tahoe's appeal to thieves, Chevrolet adds available sensors for window or glass breakage, vertical movement and interior movement. When triggered, sensors will sound the Suburban's alarm and shut down key systems that allow it to start or roll.

Upgraded upholstery quality, improved dash and door panels, 5- and 8-inch touchscreen displays, and Chevy's MyLink smartphone integration align the new Tahoe interior with the classy offerings of its Ford and Toyota competitors. The Tahoe also finally gets third-row seats that fold into the floor. This convenience -- past Tahoes required the removal of the third seat for maximum cargo space -- comes at a cost, however: 14 cubic feet of cargo capacity are lost, leaving 94.7 cubes to work with when the second row is folded flat.

The 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe should be available next summer with a base price around $41,000. Check back for a full review of the 2015 Tahoe, including specs, driving impressions and buying advice as it becomes available.