Is the Chevrolet Tahoe 4WD?
Rear-wheel drive comes standard, but four-wheel drive with a 2-speed transfer case for low-speed off-roading is available across the lineup for $3,000.
Chevy fits the Tahoe with a fully independent suspension that counteracts the SUV’s prodigious weight to make it feel lighter and more agile. The available magnetic ride control dampers smother road imperfections even better, and an available air suspension can raise or lower the big rig by nearly four inches. The Tahoe remains flatter around corners and has a firmer, more controlled ride than the Wagoneer, but the Wagoneer’s softer setup smothers road imperfections better.
How fast is the Jeep Wagoneer?
The Wagoneer comes only with a twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-6. The Wagoneer is quick for its cinder-block shape and size, trimming a full second off its 60 mph time to 6.3 seconds. The front end lifts and the big block pounces on the pavement. It’s remarkable for a vehicle weighing more than 5,800 pounds. The inline-6 ties up with an 8-speed automatic transmission, but at speed the twin-turbo requires a deeper stab of the throttle to get it to downshift.
It’s quick for its cinder-block shape and size, trimming a full second off its 60 mph time to 6.3 seconds. The front end lifts and the big block pounces on the pavement. It’s remarkable for a vehicle weighing more than 5,800 pounds. The inline-6 ties up with an 8-speed automatic transmission, but at speed the twin-turbo requires a deeper stab of the throttle to get it to downshift.
The quickness comes at the cost of towing capacity, however. The Wagoneer V-8 can tow up to 10,000 pounds. The Grand Wagoneer gets a high-output version of the twin-turbo inline-6, making 510 hp and 500 lb-ft, but it also rides calmer with its standard air suspension. Four-wheel drive is standard on the Grand Wagoneer, and towing is capped at 9,810 pounds.
Is the Jeep Wagoneer 4WD?
To put it simply, yes. But nothing’s simple on a Jeep except for the crawling. Rear-wheel drive comes standard, but four-wheel drive is available for $3,000 across the lineup, except on Series III or Grand Wagoneer models, where 4×4 is standard. It comes in three different grades, however, with Quadra-Drive adding a 2-speed transfer case on demand and Snow, Sand, Mud, and Rock modes apportioning the most torque to the axle with the most grip. Quadra-Drive II adds an electronic limited-slip rear differential and a better crawl ratio for more tenacious off-roading. A rear load-leveling suspension comes standard to balance heavy cargo loads or when towing. An available air suspension and adaptive dampers cushion the ride on the road, and the suspension raises the ground clearance from 8.0 inches to 10.0 inches for off-roading.
Advantage: Wagoneer, but it gets expensive.
Jeep Wagoneer vs Chevy Tahoe fuel economy
- Tahoe turbodiesel rates at 21 mpg city, 28 highway, 24 combined with rear-wheel drive
- Base Tahoe V-8 drops to 15/20/17 mpg with RWD or 4WD
- Tahoe 6.2-liter V-8 rates at 16 mpg combined with RWD or 4WD
- Base Wagoneer inline-6 rates at 17/24/20 mpg with RWD; 4WD costs it 1 mpg
- Grand Wagoneer twin-turbo inline-6 with 4WD rates at 14/20/17 mpg
Chevy’s V-8s are among the most efficient on the market, thanks to cylinder deactivation that shuts down up to six cylinders at highway cruising speeds. Jeep’s Hurricane engine can be fitted with mild-hybrid or plug-in hybrid systems, but that hasn’t happened on this iteration of the Wagoneer, yet. Despite diesel’s tarnished rep in recent years, it’s an excellent option for users who log mostly highway miles. It, along with twin-turbo engines and hybrid systems from rivals have proven a winning replacement for displacement.
Advantage: Tahoe turbodiesel.
Tahoe vs. Wagoneer prices, trims, and warranty coverage
- Base Tahoe LS costs about $60,000
- Base Wagoneer costs about $61,000
- 4WD adds $3,000 to each model
- Best picks: Wagoneer base model, Tahoe LT
How much does a Jeep Wagoneer cost?
With a starting price of about $61,000, the Wagoneer seems expensive relative to the competition. Part of that is from one of the highest destination fees we’ve come across: $2,000, sneaked in under the list prices. But the base Wagoneer comes very well-equipped, with a power tailgate, a 10.1-inch touchscreen, wireless smartphone charging, a 10.3-inch digital instrument cluster, leather upholstery, heated and cooled front seats, a 9-speaker Alpine audio system, and 20-inch alloy wheels. The options add up, starting with a long-wheelbase Wagoneer L that adds $3,000-$3,500, or Grand Wagoneer models that start at about $87,000 and can run well into Escalade territory at close to $120,000 with a rear-seat entertainment system, heavy-duty tow package, and highway driver-assist package.
Which Jeep Wagoneer should I buy
Skipping the wheelbase and Grand Wagoneer propositions, the Jeep Wagoneer is sold in base, Series II, Carbide, and Series III grades. The Series II includes nappa leather upholstery, adaptive cruise control to a stop, active lane control, and luxurious options such as heated second-row captain’s chairs, power-folding third-row seats, and a rear entertainment system.
The $76,000 Series III adds second-row heated seats and some nicer interior finishes, but we’d stick with the Base model.
Every Wagoneer has an average 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty with 5 years/60,000 miles for the powertrain.
How much does a Chevrolet Tahoe cost
The Tahoe positions itself as a relative value. It varies based on the three powertrain options, but the base LS costs a bit over $60,000 with rear-wheel drive and the 5.3-liter V-8. The 6.2-liter V-8 available on RST, Z71, Premier, and High Country trims costs between more than $8,000 and almost $10,000 more.
Standard gear includes cloth upholstery, power-adjustable front seats, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, a 17.7-inch infotainment touchscreen, and keyless and remote start, but the Tahoe can’t match the Wagoneer’s loaded equipment list. The warranties are aligned, however.
Which Chevy Tahoe should I buy?
The $63,000 LT model upgrades with heated front seats, wireless smartphone charging, a hands-free power tailgate, driver’s seat memory, and leather upholstery.
The top High Country model nudges into Wagoneer Series III terrain with its magnetic adaptive damping, cooled front seats, heated and power-adjustable second-row captain’s chairs, power-folding third row, head-up display, and Bose 10-speaker audio, but, at more than $80,000, it’s a bit much.
Advantage: Tahoe for value, base Wagoneer for loaded features.
Tahoe vs. Wagoneer specs and dimensions
- The Tahoe stretches to 211.3 inches long with a 120.9-inch wheelbase
- Wagoneer measures 214.7 inches long with a 123.0-inch wheelbase
- Tahoe cargo volume is 25.5 cubic feet, or 72.5 cubes with the third row down
- Wagoneer cargo volume is 27.4 cubic feet, or 70.8 cubes with the third row down
Is the Jeep Wagoneer bigger than the Chevy Tahoe?
Yes, in both standard- and extended-wheelbase editions. It’s as if Jeep benchmarked, then one-upped Chevy. Shocking, we know. Even the Wagoneer L measures exactly one inch longer than the Chevy Suburban.
In either case, both full-size SUVs fit up to eight full-size passengers. If Dick Van Patten were wrong and eight isn’t enough, Chevy still offers a $250 credit for a front bench seat to fit in nine people. Most shoppers opt for second-row captain’s chairs to seat seven.
The Tahoe has 25.5 cubic feet of space behind its third row, and adults can functionally sit in the wayback with 34.9 inches of rear legroom, which is as much space as the second row of many compact crossovers. But the Wagoneer offers 36.6 inches of rearmost legroom, and good enough thigh support to seat two adults in comfort for extended journeys. Jeep outdoes Chevy in the front row, too, with comfy buckets standard with power adjustments, as well as heating and cooling.
The Wagoneer has pushbutton second-row seats that are simple to operate for every age, and the captain’s chairs are even easier to move. The Tahoe’s second-row seats slide and collapse with two levers. When both rear rows are folded flat, it opens up 122.7 cubic feet of cargo room versus 116.7 in the Wagoneer.
Advantage: Wagoneer.
Tahoe vs. Wagoneer exterior design and interior quality
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Both SUVs share a platform with pickup trucks
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The Wagoneer design channels its retro namesake, without wood paneling
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The Tahoe mimics the blocky elements of the Chevy Silverado
Is the Jeep Wagoneer a good-looking SUV?
Big and beautiful, bald and beautiful, it takes a believer. The Wagoneer embraces the square ends of its original model, but it shares a platform with the Ram 1500 pickup truck and is so much bigger than any Wagoneer that came before it. It’s all about proportions, and the long nose and brawny stance of the 1980s Wagoneer has been replaced with a stout, vertical nose adorned with Jeep’s seven-slot grille. That grille is the only obvious relation to the Jeep brand as the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer portend a breakout luxury sub-brand. The massive greenhouse occupies much of the visual space down the side, in lieu of wood paneling, and the blockiness appears too pronounced in the rearmost windows, where it’s offset by a body-color D-pillar like the original instead of visually wrapping into the rear windshield as in the Tahoe. Automotive tastes have changed in 40 years.
Inside, Jeep leans into its luxury promise with a wing-like dash tipped in chrome, and upholstery decked in richer grades of leather and cross-stitching up the lineup. With an available 45 inches of screens spanning the front, it doesn’t overwhelm the fine materials on the dash, though we’d skip the optional passenger screen.
Is the Chevy Tahoe a good-looking SUV?
It’s more traditional, in the sense that Chevy created and keeps redefining the full-size segment. The Tahoe features a rather large 17.7-inch touchscreen and an 11.0-inch digital instrument cluster. Otherwise, it’s a no-frills arrangement, much like the Silverado pickup, until you get to top trims like High Country that reach into Denali and Escalade territory.
Outside, the Tahoe can ride on 22-inch wheels that make the sharp horizontal bands on its steep face even more imposing in rear-view mirrors. The rear end is more unified than the Wagoneer, even with the odd triangular mast over the rear door pillars. Advantage: Chevy Tahoe.
Tahoe vs. Wagoneer safety
- Tahoe gets four stars from the NHTSA, including a three-star rollover rating
- Wagoneer gets the same results from the NHTSA
- Tahoe gets a Poor rating in the IIHS’s updated moderate front overlap test
- Automatic emergency braking is standard on both
How do the Jeep Wagoneer safety features compare to the Chevy Tahoe
The Tahoe comes better equipped and with more sophisticated driver-assist options, but it has worse crash-test scores from the IIHS, including a Poor rating in the updated moderate front overlap test, while the Wagoneer gets a Marginal rating. The Tahoe comes standard with automatic emergency braking, parking sensors, automatic parking, rear cross-traffic alerts with brake support, active blind-spot monitors, rear-seat reminder, a surround-view camera system, active lane control, and adaptive cruise control. Options include Super Cruise and active blind-spot monitors that cover a trailer.
The Wagoneer gets automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitors, front and rear parking sensors, and rear cross-traffic alerts. Options surround-view camera system, adaptive cruise control, active lane control, automatic parking, automatic high beams, a driver-attention monitor, and night vision. The Tahoe can be fitted with GM’s Super Cruise limited hands-free driving system that gives a welcome assist on road trips. Jeep buyers have to step up to the Grand Wagoneer for a similar system that we don’t find as effective.
Advantage: Draw.
Jeep Wagoneer vs. Chevy Tahoe: Which is better?
The Jeep Wagoneer eclipses its benchmark, mostly due to its loaded feature set. The extra roomy interior and its physics-defying twin-turbo inline-6 give it an edge, as well. It earns a TCC Rating of 6.3 out of 10. But it’s expensive, and the Tahoe’s overall value and established dominance in the segment still earn TCC Rating of 6.2 out of 10 which is high considering the fuel economy penalty. You can’t go wrong with either if you need their capability, but before making that decision, make sure they can fit in your garage.
Winner: Jeep Wagoneer.
—Senior Editor Kirk Bell contributed to this report.