The naturally aspirated sporty V8 SUV with more torque than a Mustang GT

Even as the industry pushes for efficiency, it seems you can’t separate the V8 from the American SUV. That means, at least for now, you can still get a three-row SUV with a domestic badge and eight cylinders up front. Better yet, it also means that some SUVs will outsmart the thoroughbred sports cars. Enter the Chevrolet Tahoe RST. Chevy’s sporty version of the Suburban’s smaller brother is available with two gas-guzzling V8 engines.

At first glance, the eight-cylinder Tahoe RST just seems like a flashier version of one of Chevrolet’s most successful SUVs. But there’s more than meets the eye to the RST. Most notably, the more powerful of the two V8s, a naturally aspirated 6.2-liter pushrod V8, outpaces the latest version of America’s favorite pony car, the S650 Ford Mustang GT.

The 6.2-liter Chevrolet Tahoe RST, the sporty SUV with Muscle Car Torque

In 2018, Chevrolet introduced a ‘Rally Sport Truck’ variant of the popular Tahoe SUV. Sure, the RST wasn’t a Tahoe SS that so many Chevy fans had waited for and so desperately desired. But it did represent the sportiest thing with a Tahoe badge, and it could be available with a big, naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V8. The big V8 under the hood means one thing for the Chevrolet Tahoe RST: torque. With the 6.2-liter mill in place, the Tahoe RST produces 460 LB-FT of torque and 420 horsepower. That’s not just powerful for a truck or SUV; those are real muscle car numbers.

That means the Tahoe with the optional 6.2-liter core has the power to pull and not just take off at the stoplights. By specifying the four-wheel drive Chevrolet Tahoe RST with the larger of the two V8 engines, a towing capacity of up to 7,600 kg is possible, according to the manufacturer. That’s 600 fewer than the rear-wheel drive 3.0-liter Duramax inline-six diesel mill can pull. However, it is less prone to dragging than the smaller of the two eight-cylinder engine options. Chevrolet says a Tahoe with rear-wheel drive and the L84 5.3-liter V8 can tow up to 8,400 pounds with the $590 Max Trailering Package. Adding all-wheel drive drops the Tahoe’s towing capacity by about 200 LBS.

Performance Specifications

More torque than a Ford Mustang GT

The Chevrolet Tahoe RST’s 460 LB-FT of torque does more than just help tow a trailer or make three rows of passengers smile; it earns the large SUV some bragging rights. Most notably, a Tahoe RST with the optional 6.2-liter V8 under the hood produces more twist than a new seventh-generation S650 Ford Mustang GT. Specifically, the Blue Oval says a 2026 Ford Mustang GT produces 480 hp and 415 LB-FT. That power comes courtesy of a naturally aspirated 5.0-liter DOHC Coyote V8, the latest version of the same mill that has powered the Ford pony car since 2011. Additionally, power-hungry Mustang fans can opt for the optional performance exhaust system, which boosts output to 486 hp and 418 lb-ft of torque.

As such, the Chevrolet Tahoe RST produces less power than the Coyote-powered Mustang, but more torque. At 460 LB-FT, the Tahoe RST’s 6.2-liter V8 produces 42 LB-FT more than the high-output Ford Mustang GT. It’s not just the Mustang GT either. The king of Ford’s naturally aspirated stable, the Ford Mustang Dark Horse also tops out at 418 LB-FT. As a result, the Chevrolet Tahoe RST with the 6.2-liter V8 produces more torque than anything in the naturally aspirated collection of modern Ford Mustangs.

It’s all in the RST’s 6.2-liter V8

Of course, buyers who want Mustang-beating torque will have to opt for the larger of the Chevrolet Tahoe RST’s two V8 options. The Tahoe RST’s 5.3-liter EcoTec3 L84 V8 produces 355 hp and 383 LB-FT of torque. Needless to say, the smaller V8 isn’t quite up to Mustang standards.

Things get even spicier with the Tahoe RST’s Performance Upgrade Package. It’s an expensive, albeit power-swelling option available from the factory. For $4,350, the upgrade package adds a high-performance air intake system and a cat-back performance exhaust system in place of the Tahoe’s standard equipment. As a result of the enhanced performance package, the 6.2-liter V8’s output increases to 433 hp and 467 LB-FT of torque. It’s an increase of 13.0 ponies and 7.0 LB-FT of torque. That bump extends the RST’s torquey lead over America’s last remaining pony car (with its own performance exhaust setup) to 49 LB-FT.

A thirsty Tahoe

Granted, the optional 6.2-liter V8 in the Chevrolet Tahoe RST boasts Mustang-beating torque. But the weight and power of the big V8 means frequent (and expensive) stops at the pumps. And it is big. Chevrolet says the all-wheel-drive RST tips the scales at about 5,580 pounds. Combined with the beefier 6.2-liter V8, the Tahoe RST, with power to all four tires, is good for about 14 mpg in the city. Highway mileage is slightly better at 18 mpg, but also less than the 20 mpg highway of a rear-wheel drive Tahoe. However, in a real-world fuel economy test, raters found Car and driver managed to get 20 mpg out of an all-wheel drive Tahoe with the bigger V8.

Surprisingly driveable for a large SUV

Even with a hefty curb weight, the Chevrolet Tahoe RST is deceptively agile. Unlike the base model, Chevrolet adds the 6.2-liter RST Performance Edition Brembo brakes, Firestone Firehawk Pursuit 275/55R20 tires and retuned dampers. Additionally, Bow Tie tested the 2023 Tahoe RST Performance Edition with the 6.2-liter V8, which showed faster acceleration times across the board. If that wasn’t enough, the larger, sleeker Tahoe scrubbed 7 feet from the base model’s braking distance from 60 mph to zero, coming to a stop in just 130 feet.

Space for the whole family

Chevy is quick to point out that the addition of a big V8 and performance kit doesn’t compromise its utility as an SUV. For starters, the RST Performance Edition has the same 7,600-pound trailer rating as the base RST. On the inside, the Tahoe remains a three-row application in the RST trim with room for up to nine passengers with the bench seat. Of course, the big Chevrolet SUV will be more comfortable with seven or eight passengers on board. You know, instead of trying to cram an entire baseball team into the Tahoe.

Adding the 6.2-liter V8 increases the price

The base model 2025 Chevrolet Tahoe LS starts at approximately $60,995. But if you choose the RST version, you increase the price considerably. For 2026, the all-wheel drive RST with the 5.3-liter V8 has an MSRP of $71,995. The rear-wheel drive variant costs $3,000, starting at $68,995. Adding the big V8 to the formula obviously increases the price of the RST even more. For Chevrolet Tahoe RSTs with power going to just two wheels, opting for the 6.2-liter V8 means a starting price of $77,365. That’s a big $8,370 difference between the engine options in the rear-wheel drive models. As for the all-wheel drive model, the starting price exceeds the $ 80,000 threshold. All in all, the Tahoe RST with all-wheel drive and the 6.2-liter V8 costs about $81,760 before fees.