2021 Chevy Tahoe Diesel packs impressive fuel economy

GM's body-on-frame SUVs have always been big, but the 2021 Chevy Tahoe is huge. 

As this three-row hauler grows by liberal portions in its latest generation, there's always the concern that bigger equates to thirstier.

Since electrification is currently nonexistent in this segment, that really leaves one option to help mitigate the Tahoe's newfound heft: a diesel engine. And it works.

Resting under the hood is a 3.0-liter Duramax inline-six turbocharged diesel engine.

With 277 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque, it's not going to win any exhaust-pipe-waving contests against competitors' engines, like the twin-turbo gas V6 in the Ford Expedition (375 hp, 470 lb.-ft.), but that's not the point.

Chevy plopped the Duramax into the Tahoe to maintain the SUV's capability while giving the rig a big ol' fuel economy boost.

The Chevy Tahoe is one of just a few body-on-frame SUVs remaining, and two of its similarly structured competitors, the Nissan Armada and Toyota Sequoia, feel older and less well-equipped than GM's offering.

 The Ford Expedition comes close, but it doesn't have a diesel and it's a little less polished than the Tahoe. 

It's impressive just how much better the 2021 Chevy Tahoe is than before, and the addition of an inexpensive diesel engine offers buyers the chance to mitigate the thirst of a large SUV while retaining capability without sacrificing any of its newfound refinement.

Keep scrolling or clicking to check out even more pictures of the 2021 Chevy Tahoe Diesel.