Chevrolet updated the Tahoe last year in the U.S., keeping the usual engine options: two V-8 gas engines and a diesel inline-six. But for the Chinese market, the Tahoe comes with a smaller engine—a 2.7-liter four-cylinder turbocharged unit. Known as the Turbomax, this engine is usually found in smaller General Motors vehicles in the U.S., but now it’s powering this large SUV in China.
In China, the Turbomax engine produces 299 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. While those numbers sound decent, they’re lower than what the U.S. versions offer. The 5.3-liter V-8 sold in America has 36 more horsepower and 14 more pound-feet of torque. The gap is even bigger with the 6.2-liter V-8, which adds 121 horsepower and 91 pound-feet. Even the 3.0-liter diesel engine beats the Turbomax, delivering six more horsepower and 126 more pound-feet of torque. Despite these differences, the Tahoe in China only comes with the Turbomax engine, paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission.
It’s hard not to wonder how a smaller engine will handle such a big, heavy SUV, especially for towing or long-term reliability. General Motors seems confident that the Turbomax will meet the needs of Chinese drivers, even though it’s the only option available for the 2025 Tahoe there. It would also be interesting to see how fuel-efficient this engine can be, given the Tahoe’s size and weight.
The starting price for the Tahoe in China is RMB 650,000, which is close to $90,000. That’s much higher than the U.S. version, which starts at $60,495. But the Chinese model comes with more features as standard. For example, it’s only sold with four-wheel drive, a feature that costs an extra $3,000 on the base model in the U.S. It also includes adaptive air suspension, something you can’t even get on entry-level Tahoes in America.
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Chevrolet sells the Tahoe in China through The Durant Guild, GM’s special platform for luxury imports. Other vehicles like the Corvette, Celestiq, Hummer EV, and Yukon are also available through this program. The Durant Guild opened its first showroom in Shanghai earlier this year, with plans to open more in major cities by the end of the year. This is part of GM’s effort to make its premium vehicles stand out in the competitive Chinese market.