Chevrolet Tahoe

The Chevrolet Tahoe (/ˈtɑːhoʊ/) is a line of full-size SUVs from Chevrolet marketed since the 1995 model year. Marketed alongside the GMC Yukon for its entire production, the Tahoe is the successor of the Chevrolet K5 Blazer; the Yukon has replaced the full-sized GMC Jimmy. Both trucks derive their nameplates from western North America, with Chevrolet referring to Lake Tahoe; GMC, the Canadian Yukon.

Initially produced as a three-door SUV wagon, a five-door wagon body was introduced for 1995, ultimately replacing the three-door body entirely. The five-door wagon shares its body with the Chevrolet and GMC Suburban (today, GMC Yukon XL) as a shorter-wheelbase variant. Since 1998, the Tahoe has served as the basis of the standard-wheelbase GMC Yukon Denali and Cadillac Escalade luxury SUVs. The Tahoe is sold in North America, parts of Asia such as the Philippines, and the Middle East, plus other countries including Bolivia, Chile, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, and Angola as a left-hand-drive vehicle. The Yukon is only sold in North America and the Middle East.

The Tahoe has regularly been the best-selling full-size SUV in the United States, frequently outselling its competition by two to one.

For 1983, GM introduced its first mid-size SUVs, which shared the same model names as their full-size counterparts; the S-10 Blazer and GMC S-15 Jimmy were identified by a model prefix, with the K5 Blazer/Jimmy now identified as "Full-Size" versions. From 1987 to 1991, the K prefix was changed to V, as K was moved to the GMT400 platform.

To reduce confusion, GMC renamed its full-size SUV to Yukon for 1992, leaving the Jimmy name exclusive to the mid-size model. Chevrolet followed suit in 1995, with Tahoe replacing the full-size Blazer alongside the Yukon.

For 1992, General Motors redesigned its full-size SUV lines, moving from the Rounded-Line C/K chassis to the GMT400 architecture first introduced for 1988. While the five-door Suburban wagon only underwent a generational transition, the full-size Blazer underwent extensive design changes. No longer a half-cab pickup truck, the model line became a three-door version of the Suburban. In the change of its body configuration, the Blazer saw it removable hardtop replaced by a full-length fixed steel roof. The previous retractable-glass tailgate was replaced by a tailgate with a liftgate rear window. Along with improving rollover safety and reducing water and air leaks, the bodywork changes increased component commonality between both three-door wagons and the five-door Suburban. In addition, the three-door SUVs underwent a series of branding changes. To reduce the branding confusion between full-size and mid-size GMC SUVs, the two divisions phased its traditional nameplates towards its mid-size SUV lines. GMC reintroduced the full-size Jimmy as the GMC Yukon, with the Full-Size Blazer nameplate retained by Chevrolet (renamed Chevrolet Blazer for 1993). For 1995, the division renamed the Blazer as the Chevrolet Tahoe.

For 1995, alongside the introduction of the Chevrolet Tahoe and the five-door body (see below), the entire GMT400 model family underwent a mid-cycle revision. Following a 1994 update of the grille, the interior received a more substantial revision, including a redesigned dashboard (including a redesigned instrument cluster and a driver-side airbag); the Tahoe also adopted the folding side mirrors of the Suburban.

1996 saw several revisions to the driveline, as the 5.7L V8 became the Vortec 5700 engine (following internal engineering revisions for increased output and fuel economy). Three-door wagons saw the return of available rear-wheel drive (for the first time since 1991) and push-button shifting was introduced for the 4x4 transfer case. Daytime running lights became introduced as a standard feature. The Mexican-market Chevrolet Silverado received its own front grille (fitting a Chevrolet emblem to a GMC grille).