Some families dream of trips to Walt Disney World or an amusement park like Six Flags, but others prefer a different adventure that takes them deep into the woods and the unknown. Adventurous families come in all types, not one better than another. Mine is of the mud-on-the-tires sort, often looking for ways to get away from the crowd, around a campfire, and under the stars. It’s good for the soul. It’s also something we can do on the weekend without taking a second mortgage on the house to navigate the wild world of Disney.
Over the years, I’ve seen more and more families on the trail as they’ve discovered the joy of off-roading and overlanding. The camaraderie that comes from navigating a route in the woods and the peace of ending the day around a campfire with family and friends is alluring in so many ways. Automakers are also noticing the trend, delivering models like the 2023 Chevy Tahoe Z71 that’s proven its chops on the trail alongside long standing warriors from Jeep and Toyota.
While models like the Jeep Wrangler and Toyota 4Runner can arguably accommodate families, they have their limits. How so? The Wrangler and 4Runner force drivers to compromise passenger volume and comfort for cargo capacity and capability. The Tahoe Z71 doesn’t require this compromise because it’s a family-friendly SUV that can accommodate your weekday commute as readily as it can answer the call of the wild with your family in tow.
The Z71: What It Means for the 2023 Tahoe
The Tahoe is one of the best-selling SUVs in the segment because it takes a no-compromise approach to practicality, performance, and capability. The 2023 Tahoe offers seating for eight passengers, ample room for adults in the third row, and 122.9 cu.ft. of cargo space. There’s no question that it’s designed with families in mind, from the available rear-seat media system to Google Built-In compatibility and smartphone integration that keeps everyone informed and connected every mile down the road.
The 2023 Tahoe Z71 builds on the SUV’s best-selling features and prepares it for the trail. Like a Chihuahua that barks as though he’s a big dog, the Tahoe has an expansive footprint but doesn’t let that stop it from exploring the unknown as a nimble and curious trail runner, always looking for more around the next bend. Adventurous families reap the rewards.
The Power to Explore
The Tahoe Z71 comes standard with four-wheel drive, equipped with Chevy’s 5.3L V8 engine and a 10-speed automatic transmission, producing 355 hp and 383 lb-ft of torque. While the engine gives the Z71 ample power and its throaty, naturally aspirated growl, it’s not enough for most adventurers lugging the nearly 6,000-lb Z71 over rugged terrain. The SUV needs more power, a realization Chevy had in 2022 when it finally offered the 6.2L V8 as an available upgrade.
With the 6.2L V8 under the hood, the 2023 Tahoe Z71 is more than capable of handling its own on technical terrain. The power plant churns out 420 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque. This significant upgrade gives the SUV more low-end power to pull itself over steep inclines and obstacles and tow heavy loads without breaking a sweat. The boost in horsepower is also a welcome addition, adding noticeable pep to the Tahoe’s on-road performance, where even adventurous drivers spend most of their time.
The Tahoe’s 10-speed automatic is integral to how the SUV performs and is the fruit of GM’s partnership with Ford. The transmission is a staple for Chevrolet but truly shines in models like the Tahoe Z71. How so? Its wide gear range is tuned explicitly for adventure. For example, it can quickly drop three to four gears and set the engine up to reach peak torque when ascending steep terrain. It responds in kind when navigating descents, balancing power output with braking to give you outstanding control.
The Confidence to Explore
You can find an off-road-oriented trim in nearly every lineup today, but most of these models are only designed to look like trailblazers rather than blaze new trails. The Tahoe Z71 differentiates itself as a full-size, family-friendly SUV that gives you the confidence to explore. It doesn’t just look like an adventure-ready SUV; it is one. The 2023 Tahoe Z71 comes with everything you’d expect of an off-road rig, including a Galvano-finished front skid plate to protect the SUV’s undercarriage from damage on the trail. However, even novice off-roaders know there’s more to an off-road vehicle than a sheet of armor. Fortunately, Chevy delivers and equips the SUV with an exclusive high approach angle front fascia that gives it a better approach angle (34.9 degrees) than rivals like the Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro (33.0 degrees).
While your approach angle has a lot to do with if or how easily you can navigate an obstacle, you also have to account for ground clearance. The SUV’s standard 8-inch ground clearance isn’t much to brag about, but that changes when you add Chevy’s first-in-class 4-corner air ride adaptive suspension. Often a staple on luxury SUVs where ride quality is paramount, the Tahoe Z71’s suspension gives the SUV a distinct advantage by making it more aerodynamic and improving its ground clearance. For example, it automatically adjusts the height of the SUV to enhance performance and efficiency at highway speeds, or you can manually adjust it for maximum ground clearance when navigating technical terrain. This gives the Tahoe Z71 a maximum ground clearance of 10 inches when operating in 4LOW.
Along with maximizing the Tahoe Z71’s ground clearance, Chevrolet also makes it easier to see what’s ahead on the trail. The Tahoe offers up to 13 available camera views: three hitch views, six driving views, and four parking views. This comprehensive system of cameras gives you every possible view around the SUV, whether you’re towing a trailer or trying to park the full-size Tahoe in a tight spot. Moreover, the system offers a front camera view that minimizes the need for a spotter in most conditions. Instead, you can see the trail ahead from the Tahoe’s expansive center touchscreen display.
Why Versatility Defines the Tahoe Z71
Think about how much time you spend on the trail or in the woods with your family compared to how much time you’re behind the wheel navigating your commute, running errands, and managing school drop-offs, pick-ups, and activities. Most families want and need a vehicle that can handle everything without compromise. We want our cake, and we want to eat it too.
The Tahoe Z71 delivers that versatility in many ways. It’s a full-size, family-oriented SUV that’s spacious enough to accommodate your gear and comfortably fit adults even in the third row without compromising comfort. It’s also laden with innovative technology that suits every driving need. For example, the rear media system is exceptional for entertaining young passengers as you make your way out of the city and toward the mountains. Likewise, the Chevy Safety Assist suite gives you peace of mind every moment on the road by outfitting the Tahoe with a virtual spotter that’s constantly watching the front, sides, and rear of the SUV to alert you to potential collisions.
Chevy finds plenty of other ways to add value to the Tahoe Z71 with tools like Super Cruise. As the first genuine hands-free driver-assist technology in the industry, Super Cruise lets you take your hands off the wheel and enjoy the drive along over 200,000 miles of compatible roadways throughout North America. Suddenly, driving the Tahoe becomes less about getting from point A to point B and more about relishing the moments in between. And isn’t that what we all look for in our day-to-day lives?
Down the Trail or Around the City: The Tahoe Z71 Gets It Right
The 2023 Chevy Tahoe is what adventurous families dream of; it’s a capable SUV that doesn’t force us to compromise on quality, comfort, performance, or capability. It’s so versatile that it can accommodate our weekday needs and venture off the pavement and down the trail on the weekends. It means off-roading families don’t have to invest in a dedicated trail runner, at least not until they’re ready, and can answer the call of the wild with confidence from behind the wheel of a Tahoe Z71. Its versatility alone makes the Tahoe Z71 an incredible value and a must-have for families looking to get a little mud on the tires as they answer the call of the wild.
