The Chevy Tahoe has long been enormous on the outside and surprisingly small on the inside, especially if you had the misfortune of being assigned to the third row. The seat was so close to the floor that your knees could inevitably serve as a chin rest. By contrast, the Ford Expedition’s third row has been one of the most spacious found in any vehicle that can’t be described as “shuttle” or “bus.”
The reason for this difference was the solid rear axle the Tahoe continued to possess long after the Expedition and other competitors switched to an independent rear suspension (IRS). Among other benefits, an IRS lowers the floor, making it possible to mount the third-row seat in a way that doesn’t force your head onto your knees, or conversely, into the ceiling. For 2021, the all-new Tahoe finally has an IRS, and although the new styling, high-quality interior and available diesel engine will get a lot of attention, nothing makes a bigger difference. Not only is the Tahoe’s third-row seat actually useable, it joins the Expedition’s as being one of the most spacious, period. It’s not quite as spacious as the Ford’s, and the seat itself is a little flat, but beggars, choosers, etc.