Chevrolet’s popular Tahoe RST model is already a very expressive SUV that blends capability with plenty of street cred. But we’ll admit that we always thought the raw performance heart of the matter could be improved. Chevrolet has answered our cries for change with the 2023 Tahoe RST Performance Edition which improves performance and handling for Chevy’s bread and butter SUV offering.
Johnny Law Supplied Parts Make RST Performance Edition Sizzle
While this particular upgrade is not meant to take on the bonkers Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat, the Performance Edition is supposed to be a gradual upgrade to some of the core essentials that make the RST stand out from the rest of the Tahoe crowd. In this case, Chevrolet sourced alot of the hardware from the Tahoe Police Pursuit Vehicle (TPPV) with the suspension, brakes and other hard points all being carried over for enhanced handling.
But while this variant has the proverbial footwear and some of the chassis enhancements from the PPV model, it thankfully keeps the burly 6.2 liter V8 that powers other RST models. but it now makes 433 hp and 467 lb-ft of torque thanks to a new exhaust system as well as a revised air intake design. Those figures are a bit short of the Durango SRT’s 6.4 liter Hemi, but Chevrolet says that they are enough to launch the RST Performance Edition to 60 mph in 5.8 seconds before the big Chevy tops out at a pedestrian 124 mph.
With the performance hardware taking center stage, it should come as no shock that the rest of the changes to the model are very minimal with Performance Edition models getting a black out package for the RST badges as well as standard aluminum sport pedals. It’s also important to note that the RST includes alot of the equipment from the Tahoe luxury package to begin with and that means goodies like a heated steering wheel, heated second row seats adaptive cruise control and more.
When Can I Buy One?
The 2023 Tahoe RST Performance Edition will begin making its way to Chevrolet dealerships later this year. Like before, the Performance Edition will be in a separate tier from the standard RST model and will be a $8,525 add-on on top of the fore-mentioned $66,595 model which follows a similar script that we saw on older RST models. That also means a bumped up price tag capable of surpassing $70,000 but we’ll admit that you do get a sharp looking ride for the money especially when you factor in some of the subtle enhancements that the RST Performance Edition brings to the table.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.