The 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe—and its longer counterpart, the 2021 Suburban—isn’t what we would call a performance SUV. Especially when you consider just how capable SUVs like the BMW X5 M and Porsche Cayenne Turbo are. Still, there’s nothing wrong with trying to make the big Tahoe and Suburban perform better. Cue a new catalog of performance parts for the full-size SUVs, straight from Chevy itself.
Among these upgrades is a $625 performance air intake. The intake is available for the SUVs’ 5.3-liter and 6.2-liter V-8 engines and, according to GM Authority, reduces air restriction by 13 percent and 17 percent for each engine, respectively. There’s no word on if that translates to more horsepower, but ensuring your engine can breathe a little easier is never a bad thing. There’s also a new, red air filter and a clear cover for the airbox that adds a nice splash of color to the engine bay.
There’s also an available performance exhaust system. The cat-back setup is said to reduce engine back pressure by as much as 30 percent. The decrease in back pressure means two things: One, your engine is going to sound nice and meaty. Two, more horsepower.
The system is available in two flavors: a $1,645 single-outlet side exhaust tip or a $2,145 dual exhaust option with tips that poke out at the rear of the vehicle. For Tahoes and Suburbans equipped with the 5.3-liter V-8, the side-exit setup nets an extra 7 hp and 4 lb-ft of torque. The dual tips, meanwhile, free up 4 horses and 2 extra lb-ft of twist. Opt for the latter exhaust with the 6.2-liter engine and an extra 11 hp and 6 lb-ft of torque come into play.
The final item on the menu is an upgraded brake kit. The $2,895 setup includes front-mounted six-piston Brembo calipers that clamp down on larger rotors.
Admittedly, none of these pieces will make either the 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe or Suburban a Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat competitor, but each represents a relatively inexpensive way to further improve the dynamics of Chevy’s full-size SUVs.
