Our productions are always ambitious.
We knew we needed a serious support vehicle for our next project-driving out to the middle of the California desert to shoot a "How to" video series on motorcycle adventure riding for our sister site, Motorcycle.com.
In came the 2026 Chevy Tahoe Z71.
We had to crush hundreds of highway miles, work through some fairly rough off-road trails while scouting remote locations, haul massive amounts of camera gear and camping supplies, and even mount a camera rig to the back of the truck to capture tracking shots of the bikes.
So, here's how the 2026 Chevy Tahoe handled our week-long grind.
122.7 Cubic feet of cargo space
Starting price as tested: $85,595
While looks are always subjective, I do find the Tahoe to be one of the best-looking vehicles in the segment, especially in this Cypress gray paint job and Z71 off-road package.
Despite the name, it's actually fairly green depending on the light. I really like the grille and the new headlight design as well. And, with the combo of the red tow hooks, silver skid plates, black accents, and off-road tires, it looks like a seriously rugged machine.
The engine is kind of a sore spot for this truck. With the 6.2L V8 pumping out 420 HP and 468 lb-ft of torque, I expected it to feel sufficiently peppy, but its power delivery feels kind of vague and sluggish.
While it does tow up to 8,400 lb, which seems like a lot-our Z71 4WD is rated for 8,200 lbs-it's actually one of the lowest in the segment. Get this: the Tahoe weighs over 300 pounds less than a Toyota Sequoia, which can tow up to 9,520 lbs, and 600 pounds less than a Jeep Grand Wagoneer, which is capable of dragging 10,000 pounds.
Adding insult to injury, both of those vehicles get better fuel economy, with the Tahoe only getting between 16-17 mpg combined. The one good thing is that to upgrade the engine from the 5.3 L to the 6.2 L is only around $2500, so I'd highly recommend that. Then again, GM's 6.2L V8 has been subject to some big-time recalls and highly publicized lawsuits over the last couple of years.
Thankfully, the ride is very comfortable. We had the Adaptive Air suspension on this thing, which can automatically adjust the ride height for ground clearance and passenger entry/exit. It also has different stiffness settings for highway or off-road driving, which was fantastic for us, as we were constantly going from on-road to off-road looking for cool places to shoot.
This suspension was also very handy when we were shooting our car-to-motorcycle scenes because it helps keep body motion in check, which helped keep our cameras stable and made for some incredibly smooth shots. It tracks very straight on the highway too, which helps make up for the lack of lane tracing technology.
The steering wheel feels nice and beefy as well, although the actual steering dynamics do feel a bit vague, but that's the same as every big SUV these days with an overboosted electronic power steering system. They're designed to feel comfortable, not sporty. Overall, the ride is very sturdy and comfortable, which is what you want from a big SUV.
Inside the Tahoe, the sheer volume of space was a massive asset for our production. The seats fold completely flat with the push of a few buttons, making it incredibly easy to load our cumbersome camera equipment and camping supplies.
It offers a cavernous 122.7 cubic feet of maximum cargo room, and even with the third row up, there is still 25.5 cubic feet available. Speaking of the third row, there is a ton of room back there, easily accommodating full-grown adults it offers 34.5 inches of legroom and 38.2 inches of headroom.
Up front, the seats are fairly comfortable for long trips, though they could use a bit more cushioning. We also loved the cool new power sliding center console, which moves backward at the push of a button to open up and reveal a hidden storage drawer-perfect for stashing smaller valuables while out on a shoot.
However, for a vehicle approaching $86,000 USD, the standard black leather interior and fake wood accents feel a bit basic and lack a truly premium atmosphere. It is also exceedingly dark inside. While there is a two-tone grey option for the Z71 trim, the colors remain dark and don't look great. When you jump up to the Premier trim, there's a much brighter grey and a beautiful brown option available in the High Country. Because of how massive and shadowy the cabin is, the sunroof-a $1,965 upgrade within the sun and tow package-feels almost mandatory.
On the technology front, the massive 17.7-inch infotainment screen flows beautifully across the dash from the 11-inch digital instrument panel. The multitude of displays gives the cockpit a highly modern feel and puts essential information right in the driver's line of sight. The main center screen comes fully loaded with built-in Google capability, voice recognition, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Keeping all our production gear powered on the go was effortless thanks to a 120v plug, wireless charging pad and the many USB ports scattered throughout the cabin. Another absolute lifesaver was the 360-degree camera system, which offers a plethora of different views, which was great for parking in downtown LA where we started and ended our trip. The dedicated hitch view is especially fantastic, making it incredibly easy to back up and mount a trailer.
For passengers in the back, the experience is top-notch. The second row features its own climate control and heated seats to keep everyone comfortable during early morning shoots. The second-row screens are a highlight; they feature phone mirroring, come with two Bluetooth headsets, and have tons of preloaded streaming apps. They even include two HDMI ports, which you can use to connect any video game console. While dealership pricing varies, this rear seat media and navigation package usually runs around $2,500 and is absolutely worth the investment if you have kids on a long road trip.
My biggest frustration is Chevrolet's optional equipment bundling. Getting the incredibly useful rear camera mirror-necessary for us with our camera cases blocking the rear view-requires stacking five different packages: Technology, Max trailering, Z71 Off-Road, Off-road Capability, and Comfort at a whopping cost of $7,715. You get a lot for that price, but it seems crazy if you really just wanted to add the camera mirror. To make matters worse, that steep price doesn't even get you Super Cruise. That driver assistance tech isn't even available on the Z71, forcing you to step up to the RST trim and pay $11,400 for an "advanced technology" package.
That pricing feels absurd when many other brands include similar systems on their base models now.
Tons of entertainment options for passengers
3rd row fits full-grown adults
Confusing and expensive packages
Ultimately, the 2026 Chevy Tahoe Z71 proved to be an incredibly capable tool for our motorcycle adventure production.
Its massive, easily accessible cargo capacity swallowed our equipment whole, and the adaptive air suspension provided the buttery-smooth ride we desperately needed for our rear-mounted camera rig tracking shots. While it suffers from some sluggish engine performance and frustratingly priced tech packages, its overall comfort, rugged styling, entertainment options, and versatility make it a great tool for chasing motorcycles on and off the beaten path.
If it can do that, imagine what it can do for your annual family camping trip.