Lucas Bell 
General Motors absolutely dominates the full-size SUV segment. As a result, there was plenty for buyers to be excited about when the 2021 Chevy Suburban and Tahoe models made their debut back in December. The new independent rear suspension provides a better ride and more rear legroom, while the redesigned interior is even more premium than before. For the fuel-efficient buyers, GM even announced that the LM2 Duramax would be joining the lineup late in 2020. Well, as the year starts to draw to a close, EPA fuel economy figures for the 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe and 2021 Chevrolet Suburban Duramax Diesel 2WD utility vehicles have been announced.
According to the EPA, the 3.0L LM2 Duramax-equipped 2021 Chevrolet Suburban is able to achieve 23 MPG combined, with ratings of 21 MPG city/27 MPG highway. The smaller 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe fairs slightly better in EPA testing, reaching 21 MPG city/27 MPG highway, for a total combined rating of 24 MPG. The diesel engine helps both SUVs return significantly better fuel economy than either of the V8 engine options available from GM. For comparison, the 5.3L L84 V8-powered Suburban with 2WD is only able to achieve a total combined rating of 18 MPG.
2021 Chevrolet Suburban and 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe buyers won’t just see an increase in efficiency should they option for the LM2 Duramax. The turbocharged inline-six produces 277 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque, with the latter figure rising far above that of the standard L84 V8. All three powertrain options come mated to GM’s 10L80 10-speed automatic transmission.
While General Motors has yet to officially release pricing information for the new powertrain option, we at MC&T have the details. GM slashed the price of the LM2 Duramax for the Silverado 1500 and Sierra 1500 models earlier this year, with it now sitting at just $995. Enjoying this price cut will also be GM’s line of diesel-powered T1 SUVs, as the diesel engine option will come in cheaper than the 6.2L V8 option when customers place their orders.
