A pleasing interior, except for the back seats
Our long-term Tahoe has over 20,000 miles on its odometer now, but it has a different character on short commutes versus extended drives. I consider comfort one of the most important considerations of any good road trip vehicle. Our route was going to take us over 13 hours, excluding pit stops along the way. So being cozy was a big deal.
My family felt the Tahoe’s front seats were comfortable, while the two rear rows were not so much. Those seats felt cushy enough to keep everyone happy at the start of the trip. However, as time marched forward and miles amassed, passengers in the two rear rows grew uncomfortable. Through the course of the trip, we rotated passengers into each row so that everyone had a chance to experience the different paddings. The consensus was what you might expect. The front seats were definitely the most comfortable in the cabin, followed by the second-row captain’s chairs. We agreed that the second and third rows were not suitable for adults on a trip as long as ours. Thankfully, the Tahoe is so spacious that it granted passengers the opportunity to stretch and reposition themselves in their seats in order to minimize the strain.
In-cabin noise was not an issue on the highway. The Tahoe’s insulation, in tandem with a great HVAC system, kept the interior calm and isolated from outside conditions. Cabin atmosphere was consistently pleasant and the numerous windows allowed for natural lighting to illuminate the cabin well. The suspension wasn’t the most compliant on bumpy surfaces, but at highway speeds it really did not bother us too much.
Does the Tahoe have sufficient space for road trips?
Our Tahoe is definitely spacious. We inspected the cargo area behind the third row before heading out to see if our luggage would fit. Chevrolet lists the cargo capacity behind the last row at 25.5 cubic feet. For us, that translated to almost enough room since we did have to stack bags on top of others. It would have been nice to fold the third row flat for more storage, if only we didn’t have passengers sitting there.
We utilized free space around the passengers to place belongings that didn’t fit behind the third row. There is ample room between the second-row captain’s chairs and for smaller items in front of them. It didn’t matter that we had an adult in one seat and a baby seat in the other. The center console up front granted us an additional bin for snacks and those assorted articles needed for a long drive. This cabin is all about road trip utility.