2023 Chevy Tahoe RST Performance Review: Big Ol’ Fella That’s Down to Boogie

While our options for sub-4,000-pound Chevys are sadly few and far between, there's plenty to choose from when you ratchet up the gross vehicle weight rating to well above 6,000 pounds. With what feels like a bazillion accessory package options available for pretty much everything it sells, the brand could be called an accessory package company that sells automobiles, and when it comes to performance-minded packages in particular, even the Tahoe gets an enthusiast-geared Bowtie Brigade treatment.

The 2023 Chevy Tahoe RST Performance 4WD is a curious iteration of GM's mighty body-on-frame SUV. It's as big as you think it is—massive—and is very good at big SUV things. Except, this one's outfitted with police-spec handling and grip components, and even sports some mild engine tuning to bump power by a decent little margin. It might not be for everybody, but it could definitely be something special to somebody. Especially if they take it for a spin on a fun road, or take on an off-the-beaten-path day trip. Both of which I had the opportunity to do, and walked away with a smile on my face.

The Rally Sport Truck Basics

Rally Sport (RS) is a badge that's familiar to any Chevy head; it's an appearance package that blacks out certain exterior components to give a sportier look. In the case of Chevy trucks, the Michigander institution tacks on a T to denote it as, well, a Rally Sport Truck.

On the 2023 Tahoe, it's a welcome addition: I dig its look in general, and giving it a darker grille and black wheels that are accented by black badges looks great on its deep, Radiant Red paint. Though, this is the RST Performance, which features a few more nice add-ons, particularly when it comes to power and handling—more on that later.

Swinging open one of the '23 Tahoe's doors revealed a truly massive interior. I am six-foot-three standing up and even I felt small in there—even I had to climb up into its cab. It had been a while since I'd driven an SUV that measured around 81 inches wide, 210 inches long, and nearly 76 inches tall. But it was a breath of fresh air, as it was nice to slide in and never be in fear of bumping my head (headroom measures out to 42 inches), being a bit too scrunched, or knocking my elbow. Or some other ailment-inducing scenario for big, clumsy folks.

And it's a reasonably plush cabin, too. The seats were comfortable, reasonably supportive, and featured both heating and venting. I had all the legroom one could ever want, but I wish they had a little more tilt and thigh support, as I found myself re-adjusting quite a bit during longer multi-hour stints at the helm. Rear seats were easy to move around and fold down to a flat floor, too, which brought cargo room up to a very generous 123 cubic feet. For my fellow cyclists out there: I hauled my XL-sized road bike down to Orange County for some Pacific Coast Highway cruising and didn't have to detach/readjust any component, just roll it in and out at an angle.

When it came to interior materials, Chevy outfitted the Tahoe with upscale-feeling buttons and switches, particularly for transmission controls, and red stitching across the dash and center armrest. It's not quite Caddy-level (it ought to not be, after all), but I doubt most folks throwing down $80,000 on a surprisingly fun-to-drive, spec'd-out Tahoe would have much to complain about. The instrument cluster is all digital, quite easy to read and navigate through, and was thankfully never affected by any degree of glare. Chevy's latest infotainment system was same song, second verse: it was a snap to figure out and didn't exhibit any annoying amount of lag.

In the advanced driver assistance arena, Chevy Safety Assist is standard across all Tahoe trims and includes automatic emergency braking, forward collision alert, lane keep assist/lane departure warning, and front pedestrian braking. These were all easy to switch on and off and operated generally well, though automatic emergency braking was quite sensitive, and forward collision alert occasionally got confused on mildly curvy roads.

Driving the Chevy Tahoe RST Performance

Behind the Tahoe's massive, aggressive face lives GM's 6.2-liter naturally aspirated V8. It produces 433 horsepower and 467 lb-ft of torque in the RST Performance, a gain of 13 hp and 7 lb-ft over the standard RST's figures. This is due to a better intake system and performance exhaust fitted behind the catalytic converter. With a 10-speed automatic bolted up to the all-aluminum lump, the 5,845-pound Performance will reach 60 mph in just 5.8 seconds, and cover a quarter of a mile in just 14.2 seconds—both of these figures are around two-tenths quicker than those of the lesser, standard RST.

There’s also an added aural gusto that made for a fun driving experience in any scenario. The hopped-up Tahoe's exhaust let out a decibel or two more than a more conventional model's while taking it easy around town. Then, punching the throttle gave it a proper, menacing single-cam growl—Chevy engineers tuned its tone just right for any self-described V8 aficionado who doesn't want to disturb the peace on the regular.

But alas, these Certifiably Excellent Noises probably contributed to my less-than-ideal mileage over 440 miles behind the wheel. I managed just 12 mpg against the EPA's 16 mpg combined rating. But I did at one point reach 19.3 mpg on the highway, which beats out its EPA-estimated 18. So I had that going for me, which is nice.

One of the RST Performance Package's main draws is the police-spec equipment that's bolted up to increase performance, notably its stiffer springs, retuned dampers, and other chassis improvements. Plus, cop-spec 275/55/20 Firestone Firehawk Pursuit tires are mounted up at all four corners. So, for those who want to quote part of that famous line from The Blues Brothers in earnest, you don't have to travel all the way to the Mt. Prospect city police auction to do so.

This left me a tad conflicted: On one hand, the car was noticeably more jiggly around town than most other full-size trucks and SUVs that I've driven. I don't think most people willing to throw down $80,000 on a Chevy will dig that. But on the other, it was surprisingly fun to toss around on a fun road.