Model Years

Chevrolet Tahoe Best and Worst Years

Counting owner complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2023 Chevrolet Tahoe drew the most (148; most-reported area: engine) and the 2020 the fewest (12).

Data: US EPA and NHTSAUpdated Sep 27, 2026

Every model year since 2016 in one place: EPA fuel economy, NHTSA recalls, owner complaints and crash test ratings. The best fuel economy rating, 24 mpg combined, arrived in 2021 and has held since. Crash ratings for the Tahoe Police Pursuit Vehicle are left out. NHTSA files most of its recalls and complaints under the regular Tahoe name, so they appear here.

Best and worst years, by owner complaints

Model years ranked by owner complaints filed with NHTSA in their first three years (model year Y: filed by the end of Y+2), so every year is measured over the same time on the road. Years without three full years of data, and launch or final years with very few sold, are left out. Counts are not adjusted for how many were sold.

Model yearFirst 3 yearsAll complaintsRecalls
Most reported: engine
1482205
Most reported: engine
12045316
Most reported: engine
671874
Most reported: brakes
622568
Most reported: powertrain
291734
Most reported: engine
281043
Most reported: powertrain
271052
Most reported: powertrain
12553

Year by year

Model yearBest ratingRecallsComplaintsCrash test
2026
24 mpg
Diesel
326
2025
24 mpg
Diesel
148
2024
24 mpg
Diesel
367
2023
24 mpg
Diesel
5220
2022
24 mpg
Diesel
4187
2021
24 mpg
Diesel
16453
2020
18 mpg
Gas
355
2019
18 mpg
Gas
2105
2018
19 mpg
Gas
3104
2017
19 mpg
Gas
4173
2016
19 mpg
Gas
8256

Owner complaints by model year

All complaints filed so far. Counts rise with sales volume and with time on the road, so recent years look better than they may turn out. The highlighted bar is the model year with the most complaints in its first three years.

2023: 220 complaints

Show as a table
Owner complaints by model year, Chevrolet Tahoe
Model yearComplaints
2016256
2017173
2018104
2019105
202055
2021453
2022187
2023220
202467
202548
202626

Best combined rating by model year

The best-rated version in each model year. Gas: 17 to 19 mpg (every year from 2016 to 2026); highest in 2016. Diesel: 24 mpg (2021 to 2026).

  • Best gas version
  • Best diesel version

2026: gas 17 mpg · diesel 24 mpg

Show as a table
Chevrolet Tahoe best combined mpg by model year
Model yearBest gas versionBest diesel version
201619–
201719–
201819–
201918–
202018–
20211824
20221724
20231724
20241724
20251724
20261724

Comparisons

Questions

Which Chevrolet Tahoe years have the most problems?

Counting owner complaints filed with NHTSA in each model year's first three years, the 2023 (148) drew the most, then the 2021 (120). Most-reported area for the 2023: engine.

Which Chevrolet Tahoe years have the fewest problems?

The 2020 (12) drew the fewest complaints in its first three years. The 2024, 2025, and 2026 are not ranked yet: they have had fewer than three full years on the road.

Which Chevrolet Tahoe years should you avoid?

Complaint counts can't tell you whether a particular car is sound, but they show where owners reported the most trouble: the 2023, against 46 complaints in a typical Chevrolet Tahoe year. Whatever the year, check the car's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy. Safety recall repairs are free at Chevrolet dealers.

Which Chevrolet Tahoe years have the most recalls?

The 2021 has the most safety recalls in NHTSA's file (16), then the 2016 (8). A recall can cover a problem that affects only a few cars, so open a year's page to see what each one covers. Two recalls tell owners not to drive the car or to park it outside until it is repaired: NHTSA 16V-256 (2016 models) and NHTSA 26V-289 (2016 to 2017, 2019, 2026 models).

What are the most common Chevrolet Tahoe problems?

Of the 1,694 owner complaints NHTSA lists for 2016 to 2026 models, the areas named most are engine (31%), powertrain (21%), and brakes (14%). One complaint can name more than one area. The recalls and problems page for each year breaks this down further.

Which Chevrolet Tahoe year has the best MPG?

The best EPA fuel economy is 24 mpg combined, first reached by the 2021 diesel version and matched by every year since.

Sources and method

  • US EPA fuel economy data (fueleconomy.gov), file dated Sep 18, 2026.
  • NHTSA recall file dated Sep 27, 2026 and owner complaint file dated Sep 26, 2026; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings.

Complaint counts are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.