Considering a 24 or 25 Tahoe/Yukon or Suburban

[Offthesheet]

Hello all, we have been in Toyota Vans and SUVs for a while and considering making the jump due to size etc. any thoughts on the gm products vs Toyota?

Also between the 5.3, 6.2 and the diesel what engine do you recommend most for reliability? Lastly, how are the new trucks for reliability?

 

[Joseph Garcia]

Welcome to the Forum from NH.

Lots of knowledgeable folks here who freely share their knowledge, experiences, and perspectives. Knowledge is power.

I hope that you will become a participating member in the Forum's discussions.

There are a number of threads here on 2024 trucks that you can search for and read. There's not too much here yet on 2025 trucks.

 

[Tahoe14]

You are going to get a lot of different opinions which can be very confusing, kind of like what is the best oil. There is a lot of good information on this forum about each one if you have the time to read some of it. There are pros and cons to each one. If it was me and I was going to spend that much money I would research each one and then most importantly as a buyer I would go drive each one and then decide for myself. Good luck with your decision.

 

[BacDoc]

Since you asked about comparison to Toyota I think you are looking at Sequoia. That was my original choice for a new SUV as Toyota does have a great reputation for reliability and quality control.

First I was not a fan of hybrid and smaller engine as I am a V8 guy and there is no replacement for displacement, but I was open minded and figured Toyota would have the technology dialed in. Gotta say that the driver position was good, all the cameras, climate controls etc were in the right place but the interior even on the Limited looked and felt “plasticky”. Truck drove nice but under full throttle it had the turbo delay and felt like the motor was under powered to me. Just listening to the truck at idle was disappointing too. I think some of us love the sound of the motor and it’s a big part of the drive experience - nothing like a V8!

Also the rear cargo area is a lot smaller than the Tahoe. The floor is higher due to the battery and when third row is down the shelving to make it level is kinda weird and not like Toyota. It seemed like an afterthought to fix that problem of unlevel floor.

It’s got a good tow capacity according to the specs but with the 6 cylinder hybrid the fuel economy is no better than GM V8 models.

As far as reliability I have read the Toyota and Lexus forums (the new GX 550 is a beautiful truck but too small for me) that a lot of Toyota fans are disappointed with the new offerings and the decision to discontinue the venerable Toyota V8. You see talk about lifter failure and bearing problems on this site, on the Toyota sites they also have problems with the new Imax Force turbo engines. Maybe even more than GM proportionally as they sell a lot less big trucks.

Sequoia is a beautiful truck for the people who want a big SUV and don’t need the room of the Tahoe/Yukon and don’t mind paying msrp or more. The 2 Toyota dealerships I looked at, both told me that paying msrp or below was not an option and both dealerships had mark up 2-3k above the window msrp.

 

[vcode]

Since you asked about comparison to Toyota I think you are looking at Sequoia. That was my original choice for a new SUV as Toyota does have a great reputation for reliability and quality control.

First I was not a fan of hybrid and smaller engine as I am a V8 guy and there is no replacement for displacement, but I was open minded and figured Toyota would have the technology dialed in. Gotta say that the driver position was good, all the cameras, climate controls etc were in the right place but the interior even on the Limited looked and felt “plasticky”. Truck drove nice but under full throttle it had the turbo delay and felt like the motor was under powered to me. Just listening to the truck at idle was disappointing too. I think some of us love the sound of the motor and it’s a big part of the drive experience - nothing like a V8!

Also the rear cargo area is a lot smaller than the Tahoe. The floor is higher due to the battery and when third row is down the shelving to make it level is kinda weird and not like Toyota. It seemed like an afterthought to fix that problem of unlevel floor.

It’s got a good tow capacity according to the specs but with the 6 cylinder hybrid the fuel economy is no better than GM V8 models.

As far as reliability I have read the Toyota and Lexus forums (the new GX 550 is a beautiful truck but too small for me) that a lot of Toyota fans are disappointed with the new offerings and the decision to discontinue the venerable Toyota V8. You see talk about lifter failure and bearing problems on this site, on the Toyota sites they also have problems with the new Imax Force turbo engines. Maybe even more than GM proportionally as they sell a lot less big trucks.

Sequoia is a beautiful truck for the people who want a big SUV and don’t need the room of the Tahoe/Yukon and don’t mind paying msrp or more. The 2 Toyota dealerships I looked at, both told me that paying msrp or below was not an option and both dealerships had mark up 2-3k above the window msrp.

Toyota went back to a solid rear axle on the latest gen, which really affected cargo/seat space. Every review I've seen questioned the logic of this.....

 

[mtcatgriz]

Hello all, we have been in Toyota Vans and SUVs for a while and considering making the jump due to size etc. any thoughts on the gm products vs Toyota?

Also between the 5.3, 6.2 and the diesel what engine do you recommend most for reliability? Lastly, how are the new trucks for reliability?

 

[luvHarleys]

Hello all, we have been in Toyota Vans and SUVs for a while and considering making the jump due to size etc. any thoughts on the gm products vs Toyota?

Also between the 5.3, 6.2 and the diesel what engine do you recommend most for reliability? Lastly, how are the new trucks for reliability?

I
This diesel is NOT like the HD Duramax trucks. It’s unlike any diesel offering by GM in the US. It’s like the 2500+/F250+ that rumble around making diesel noises, and, don’t like constant restarts, but are built to idle for weeks if need be on jobs sites.

It’s the best engine in the 1500 series truck/large SUV line of GM vehicles, imho. And I’ve Burbs since 1988 through 2021, as well as a 5.3 2015 GMC Sierra, and 2019 5.3 Tahoe LT.

Historically, I’ve had a VW Rabbit diesel -55mpg; Volvo straight diesel, and a MF diesel …lol.. farm tractor.
And, using the old military Chevy off the shelf diesels pickups - while beasts, that experience pushed me away from US made diesels.

The 3.0 engine was designed/built by Opal utilizing European diesel technology, under guidance of/with GM specs. which have been greatly successful over the years for everyday users.
The inline straight 6 cylinder configuration has demonstrated, over time, to be the best configuration for many diesel engines for durability and torque etc.
There is a Utube video of the Senior GM Engineer about how this engine came about.

Now I have about 15k miles on the truck. I’ll never go back to a gas engine.
The 6.2 has had bearing issues; don’t know if GM has that under control yet.
AFASIK, the lifter issue is still present , but frankly, other than hearing about bad bearings, I only follow the diesel 3.0 pages.

Hope GM stays with this engine - it’s a solid winner. Very nice torque, very smooth and quick acceleration without having to punch it - you’ll be going faster than you think.

MPG:
22mpg on our short runs/food, etc
28.8 typical on the road
27.5 @ 75-80mph
30-31 @ 60-72mph
25.1 @ 85mph (I live in Texas y’all)

Good luck with your search!

Also, Rivard in Tampa; Covert in Austin, and a place in Mo give nice discounts straight off sticker, and are use to ‘fly in’ buyers, or drive down buyers

 

[mtcatgriz]

I purchased the Yukon Diesel and put about 65,000 miles on it. It performed well until we had transmission problems in Wyoming. Not a good place to break down! We limped in to A GM Dealer in Boulder Colorado, and there it sat for 5 months. Despite many phone calls to GM nothing happened. I finally called the state Attorney General…and then it got fixed. No rental or loaner provided even though it was under warranty.

No more GM for me!

 

[ZKWBQD]

Hello all, we have been in Toyota Vans and SUVs for a while and considering making the jump due to size etc. any thoughts on the gm products vs Toyota?

Also between the 5.3, 6.2 and the diesel what engine do you recommend most for reliability? Lastly, how are the new trucks for reliability?

I have owned both. I've owned many suburbans, Tahoes, and a Toyota Sequoia. You'll find the Toyota to be more reliable. The problem is that the Sequoia went to a hybrid version which I did not want. I'm now driving a new Tahoe that I like, once I permanently disabled the engine stop-start and the daytime running lights.

 

[JayceeP]

Sequoia cargo is brutal but Toyota tends to make a bulletproof product.

Love our 2024 Yukon XL SLT so far with the diesel. Tons of torque and pulls very well on the highway. This thing will cruise!! To the post above, very good mpg and pleased with it thus far after 1,300 mils of ownership.

I’d get the XL or suburban… if you’re gonna go big, go all the way. I also like the look better, especially with the 22” wheels. I felt the SLT was well euppped, didn’t need to jump another $8k for the Denali.

Things I don’t like:
-weird steering wheel and seat adjustments. I don’t feel the steering wheels comes out far enough toward the driver. I’m 6’4 and feel like I really need to reach for the wheel with the seat back. Awkward.
-what’s up with the climate auto fan speed setting being so hard to adjust? My F150 has it right on the touch controls… the Yukon has it buried in the digital menu so you can’t really change it on the fly
… can’t really come up with anything else.

 

[SNWMBL]

I’ll second everything that’s been said so far. My wife was really nervous about driving a suburban due to the larger size(came from a Honda Pilot) but it’s a non issue, they are very easy to drive around and the cameras help her. We only have 2 kids but the extra cargo is awesome, so much room behind the 3 row. Can pick up in-laws from the airport, bring the kids and hit up Costco at the same time and everyone is comfortable. Now have 18,000 miles on the 3.0 in a year of ownership and this is my favorite motor I’ve had in a vehicle. Quiet, smooth and incredible MPG for its size. All the MPG numbers being posted are accurate and not exaggerations. Hand calculated wife gets 22mpg city and about 32 mph on the highway depending on speed.

 

[BacDoc]

I’ll second everything that’s been said so far. My wife was really nervous about driving a suburban due to the larger size(came from a Honda Pilot) but it’s a non issue, they are very easy to drive around and the cameras help her. We only have 2 kids but the extra cargo is awesome, so much room behind the 3 row. Can pick up in-laws from the airport, bring the kids and hit up Costco at the same time and everyone is comfortable. Now have 18,000 miles on the 3.0 in a year of ownership and this is my favorite motor I’ve had in a vehicle. Quiet, smooth and incredible MPG for its size. All the MPG numbers being posted are accurate and not exaggerations. Hand calculated wife gets 22mpg city and about 32 mph on the highway depending on speed.

Quiet, smooth and great fuel economy, good to hear and 18k is enough miles to give a real report on how the real world numbers are. I hear a lot of positives about these diesel engines.

 

[Saltydog]

I second the idea of Suburban or Yukon XL, the only reason we had the SWB Yukon was to fit in the garage.

Our Grand Wagoneer barely fits.

 

[vcode]

I had a Tahoe and now have a Yukon XL. Given the choice, I would have gone with a std Yukon but the deal was too good. It is only my wife and I and the Tahoe was good for 99% of what we hauled.

 

[Stbentoak]

I had a Tahoe and now have a Yukon XL. Given the choice, I would have gone with a std Yukon but the deal was too good. It is only my wife and I and the Tahoe was good for 99% of what we hauled.

I can certainly see the utility of an XL, but my vehicle is going in the garage every night and a standard wheelbase one is all that will fit. It does 99.9% of what we want size wise so that's where we will remain.

 

[vcode]

I can certainly see the utility of an XL, but my vehicle is going in the garage every night and a standard wheelbase one is all that will fit. It does 99.9% of what we want size wise so that's where we will remain.

Yep, first thing I did on my 60 mile test drive was to park it in my garage. It fit but it is a much tighter fit than the Tahoe. I would buy a Tahoe or regular Yukon if I got a new one.

 

[blanchard7684]

Hello all, we have been in Toyota Vans and SUVs for a while and considering making the jump due to size etc. any thoughts on the gm products vs Toyota?

Also between the 5.3, 6.2 and the diesel what engine do you recommend most for reliability? Lastly, how are the new trucks for reliability?

I'm an almost life-long Toyota nerd...but I too had to get the best full size SUV out there due to size and Toyota shrinking the Sequoia massively.

After years of research I picked a Z71 Suburban with 5.3 (with no moon roof and no air suspension) as my best chance of getting a reliable extra large SUV.

It hasn't disappointed yet but only has 10,000 miles on it. I drive it almost exclusively on very long road trips between rural and remote destinations. A decent and usable 4wd was a must have.

What I actually needed was a Tahoe but seeing the extra cargo space in the Suburban was too good to turn down. I'm glad I opted for the extra room.

Coming from Toyota Van and SUVs the first thing you will notice is the massive amount of room and the size difference a Tahoe & Suburban have.

The third row is fully usable and comfortable for long road trips for adult sized people. It also leaves a good amount of cargo space behind third row. There is slightly more leg room in Suburban vs Tahoe in third row.

The space behind third row in my 24 suburban is more than I have behind second row in my 5th gen 4runner.

Nearly all the trim levels in Yukon or Chevy will feel like a luxurious upgrade compared to the Toyotas.

You get a whole lot more SUV for the same money, essentially, in comparing prices for Sequoia and those of Yukon and Tahoe/Suburban.

The 5.3 was my pick for reliability reasons. There are very few, minimal, known issues on the 5.3 especially compared to other options.

Coming from the Toyota products you will find the 5.3 to be plenty powerful. The internet will tell you the 5.3 is a dog and a worthless engine. The reality is far, far from this.

The 6.2 is a monster of an engine but is having a rough go of it right now with serious engine problems. GM indicates the issues are ironed out for the 2025 model year. If you have to win drag races with your SUV the 6.2 is the way to go...but I'd wait it out a bit more to see if the dust is truly settled on the bearing issue.

You'll hear and read alot about lifter problems dating back a decade or more. However overall the lifter issue isn't as prevalent from 2022 on. ( The 6.2 had an oversize lifter bore issue but that has been fixed for a few years now).

The DFM system (dynamic fuel management) is a hydraulic system of sorts that actuates pins inside the lifter. This causes the lifter to move without opening the corresponding valve. This system is at the heart of engine lifter reliability. Not only is the DFM function a source of reliability issues, but the small needle bearings in the lifter roller themselves can wear out.

The good news is that you can either opt to install a DFM defeating device or drive in L9. Both will disengage the DFM function.

Changing oil on higher frequency than OEM recommendations seems to also correlate well with increased lifter life. Oil changes are super easy on these engines as well.

If fuel mileage is an absolute must have then the 3.0 diesel is the way to go. The 3.0 gets amazing fuel mileage.

I have a 2019 Tundra so I went from LOLWTF mileage to about 18 mpg in the 5.3 suburban (that is at 78 mph highway speeds with moderate amount of passing).

Although there are some valve body issues popping up, the 10 spd transmission in the GM products seem to be better executed and better tuned than the Ford (despite the 10 spd being co developed by both OEMs).

Basically if you need the size the GM product is likely your best bet.