Car and Driver ranked all three-row SUVs. See why the 2024 Chevrolet Tahoe, Suburban and GMC Yukon came out on top!
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Car and Driver is out with its annual list of Best Three-Row SUVs for 2024 and 2025. The Large SUV category has great news for the 2025 Chevrolet Tahoe, Chevrolet Suburban and 2025 GMC Yukon. The Chevy Tahoe places first, the GMC Yukon comes in second and the Chevy Suburban is third. That is high praise for the three GM vehicles, and we will show you why they swept the awards.
2025 Chevrolet Tahoe
There is a reason that the Chevrolet Tahoe is by far the top-selling large SUV. It is easier to maneuver than the larger Chevrolet Suburban but has significant cargo space and is very comfortable for passengers. Soccer and hockey families love the Tahoe for all of its interior space.
Car and Driver describes the Chevrolet Tahoe this way:
“The 2025 Chevrolet Tahoe full-size SUV is a truck-based behemoth with plenty of room for hauling people and cargo, and plenty of tow capacity as well. The Tahoe’s stout truck-based frame and muscular engines—a choice of two V-8s and a diesel inline-six—make it a prime tow vehicle. There's a Z71 model that's well-equipped to tackle off-road trails as well. Inside, the Tahoe’s three rows can seat up to eight, and the interior can be ordered relatively spartan or nearly lavish. None of its trims, though, are quite as fancy as those in its mechanical siblings—the GMC Yukon Denali or the ritzy Cadillac Escalade. A large infotainment display dominates the dashboard and is angled slightly toward the driver; Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both included. Rival SUVs such as the Ford Expedition, the Jeep Wagoneer, and the Nissan Armada offer similar packages, but the Chevy's superior on-road refinement is a bonus that we appreciate and suspect other drivers will too.”
What's New for 2025?
Car and Driver Continues:
“The Tahoe receives a mild styling refresh for 2025 as well as a revised dashboard with a newly standard 17.7-inch infotainment touchscreen and 11.0-inch digital instrument cluster. The Chevy's V-8 engine offerings remain the same as last year, but the optional diesel inline-six sees a power boost to 305 horsepower and 495 pound-feet of torque, increases of 38 horses and 35 pound-feet. Several new towing aids have been added to assist the driver, including one that monitors the trailer's tire health. Chevy says the Tahoe’s suspension has been revised to dial in more comfort, and air springs are now available on the RST trim instead of only to Z71 and High Country models.”
The refreshed 2025 Chevrolet Tahoe will start at $59,000 but different trim packages and options can quickly drive it closer to $90,000. It is cheaper than the Cadillac Escalade but has much of the same equipment. The Tahoe checks all of the boxes plus can be outfitted for exactly what your lifestyle requires.
See the full Car and Driver Review Here
2025 GMC Yukon
The GMC Yukon is basically a fancier version of the Chevrolet Tahoe. Yukons typically cost a little more and have nicer interiors. Yukons may have a few more bells and whistles but they ride on the same underpinnings as the Tahoe and usually have the same power plants.
Car and Driver rated the 2025 GMC Yukon 2nd and said this:
“If the 2024 GMC Yukon and the long-wheelbase Yukon XL seem very similar to the Chevy Tahoe and Suburban, it's because they are. Cut from the same giant sheet of cloth, the full-size Yukon lives as big as its Chevy counterparts, providing the same passenger and cargo hauling capabilities but designed to portray a fancier lifestyle. There are three rows of seats inside and can fit up to eight passengers. The base engine is a 355-hp V-8, but a larger 420-hp V-8 is available. For the very best fuel economy, choose the turbo-diesel inline-six with an EPA-estimated 27 mpg. Despite its rather lux top-trim pricing, even the Denali and Denali Ultimate versions of the Yukon are no match for the opulence illustrated by the Cadillac Escalade or Lincoln Navigator. The Yukon and Yukon XL instead shine in their mid-range SLT and AT4 trims as slightly elevated variants of their Chevrolet siblings, but all trims are 2024 Editors' Choice honorees.”
The 2025 GMC Yukon starts around $60,000 but the different trim levels add up quickly. Specialized packages like the AT4 off-road version and the luxurious Denali trims put the Yukon right around $100,000.
See Car and Driver’s Review Here
2025 Chevrolet Suburban Takes Third Place
The 2025 Chevrolet Suburban is essentially an extended version of the Chevrolet Tahoe. It is longer than the Tahoe and has much more cargo space. It is one of the longest running nameplates in the automotive business.
Car and Driver gives this overview of the Suburban:
"Big families require big solutions, as do big boats and RVs, and full-size SUVs such as the Chevrolet Suburban are a solid answer. It maximizes space and pulling power, and while the shorter Tahoe can also seat up to eight passengers, the Suburban offers additional cargo space. The Suburban comes standard with a 355-hp V-8 but can also be optioned with a 277-hp inline-six turbodiesel or a 420-hp V-8. Every Tahoe uses a 10-speed automatic transmission, and aside from the dirt-ready Z71 trim, it can be configured with rear- or four-wheel drive."
You can read Car and Driver’s review Here.
Rounding Out the Top Five Large SUVs
The Jeep Wagoneer and its longer sibling, the Jeep Wagoneer L were selected for fourth place. The Ford Expedition and the longer Expedition Max take fifth place. With the top three vehicles in a tight race, GM appears to take the large SUV crown this year.
Chevrolet Photo
Mary Conway is a professional automotive journalist and has decades of experience specializing in automotive news analysis. She covered the Detroit Three for more than twenty years for the ABC affiliate, in Detroit. Her affection for the Motor City comes naturally. Her father ran a gas station while Mary was growing up, in Wisconsin.
Follow Mary Conway at @MaryConwayMedia and send her car news tips for future stories.
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