Ace of Base: 2018 Chevrolet Tahoe Custom

In 1978, two years before I appeared on this earth, my parents traded their two-year old Chevy Nova for a brand-new K5 Blazer at Riverview Chev-Olds in Grand Falls, Newfoundland. They were headed to jobs on the Great Northern Peninsula and, with sound reasoning, figured a four-wheel-drive rig would be a good idea. They were right.

My parents went on to keep that blue-and-white Blazer for 13 years, so I have many good memories of it stored away in the back of my rapidly balding head. Learning of the new-for-2018 Chevrolet Tahoe Custom yesterday, I became unreasonably excited for two different reasons: 1) it reminded me of the old Blazer, and 2) I had found my Ace of Base for today.

Great looking truck, eh? You know I had to slide it in here somewhere. On to the new Tahoe, then.

Starting at $43,700 sans destination fee, the 2018 Tahoe Custom bins its third-row seats but retains a hairy-chested powertrain and the ability to tow 8,600 pounds — when properly equipped. Right now, the Max Trailering Package is available for $580 as a standalone option. Bank on it being at least $600 next year. With inevitable amounts of GM cash on the hood and some shrewd negotiation, I firmly believe a sub-$40,000 transaction price is well within the realm of reality.

Joining Tahoe’s third row in the dumpster are upmarket features like HID headlamps, power liftgate, and leather seats. That’s fine – Dad didn’t need that stuff and neither do I. Thanks to the ever-popular economies of scale, though, the Custom retains some of the good stuff like Apple CarPlay, remote start, and a raft of USB ports. Hey, base models don’t need to be total penalty boxes; that’s the whole point of this series, after all.

For the current model year LS trim, any color on the greyscale is $0, as is the natty shade of Blue Velvet Metallic. If GM is smart, they’ll mirror these offerings for the 2018 Custom and even if they don’t, the Blazer Tahoe looks mean in black. Eighteen-inch hoops on the Custom look good, avoiding the gonzo-sized dubs found on more expensive models, and I am glad GM didn’t take the whole thing downmarket by dousing the door handles and grille with a depressing coat of flat black paint.

Theoretically, GM could go one step further, yanking the seats and infotainment from the police-spec Tahoe PPV, but that might be a bridge too far for most buyers. As is, Custom customers (guffaw) will still enjoy traditional cues such as the thick baseball bat of a shift lever sprouting from the steering column like an overgrown sycamore branch.

By relegating the third-row seats to the sidelines, the Tahoe Custom opens up a few extra cubes of cargo space, for a total of 54 cubic feet, or about the same size volume as my office at the Ford dealer where I sold cars 15 years ago. An office which, it must be noted, I shared with another 6’6” salesman, one who spent years as a roughneck in the Alberta oil patch. It was a fetid environment. I chose to close most deals out in the lot or on the showroom floor.

I still hold a candle for a two-door version of the Tahoe that I logically know will never happen. Nevertheless, the introduction of this Custom is great news, putting me squarely in mind of the old Blazer. Just one request, Chevy: append the word “Deluxe” to this new trim and I promise you’ll have a new customer.

[Image: General Motors]

Not every base model has aced it. The ones which have? They help make the automotive landscape a lot better. Any others you can think of, B&B? Let us know in the comments. Naturally, feel free to eviscerate our selection.

The model above is shown in American dollars with American options and trim, absent of destination charges and available rebates. As always, your dealer may sell for less.