Ace of Base: 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe

Last night, General Motors showed off the new iteration of its Cadillac Escalade. Before that, the 2021 GMC Yukon and Chevrolet Tahoe appeared in separate events, as if parents were throwing two birthday parties for warring twin boys. You know which brand we’re choosing for Ace of Base duty.

And before you get yer knickers in a knot, I know that’s not a base Tahoe in the hero image — it’s an RST. Absent of an actual build and price tool, we’re working with what we have on the media site. Hey, we’re tryin’ to get you the most up-to-date information about base model vehicles! Qwityerbishen.

What we do have is access to the Fleet Order Guide for 2021. This gives us the detail we need to determine if the Tahoe remains a good option at its entry level or if you have to be one of those people and pop for a High Country.

An aside: the Tahoe/Suburban are the only members of this trio in which customers are even considering the cheapest trim. After all, if Sally Supervisor pulls up next to another soccer mom in the drop-off lane driving a Yukon Denali, you just know she’ll sneer at the proles in their Yukon SLTs. Same goes for the mighty Escalade; when Simon Cowell rolls up next to someone in his Premium Luxury Platinum ESV, the other driver is going to want to run theirs through a paper shredder.

Anyway, back to the bowtie. For 2021, the LS remains its entry level model and comes with the likes of tri-zone air conditioning, wireless phone projection, and an interior many leagues better than the Silverado. Its 10.2-inch infotainment display is the same as that in more expensive models, as are the number of USB ports. Wireless charging — different than wireless projection — does vanish, however.

What else does one give up in the LS? You’ll have to fold those rear seats using your own muscles and nav is not available on the base model at any price. Good job you go to the gym and own a phone, respectively.

Its 10-speed automatic is standard across the board and no Tahoe buyer, save for High Country shoppers, get to taste the 6.2-liter V8. All hands must drink from the 5.3-liter V8 well unless they pop for the new diesel. Safety nannies like automatic emergency braking is also standard on the LS, though rear-cross traffic and blind zone alerts are AWOL. In fairness, the latter is — along with a heated steering wheel — optional on all trims save the Premier and High Country. This seems like an egregious example of penny pinching.

Your author’s favourite package on the old Tahoe, the Custom, which deposited nearly $4,000 back into your bank account while binning the third row, seems to be off the table for now. What is still available is a front bench seat, found as order code AZ3 and providing a 40/20/40 chesterfield on which to sit (I was able to find a low-res image of that, strangely). This makes the LS — and it’s only available on the LS — a nine-passenger conveyance, just like Caprice wagons of old. Tremendous.

As equipped, it’s the spiritual successor to my father’s squarebody Blazer. I’ll take mine in Midnight Blue Metallic, please.

[Images: 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? L

et us know in the comments and feel free to eviscerate our selections.

The model above is shown with American options and priced in American Dollars. Your dealer may sell for less.