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The Chevrolet Tahoe, Suburban and GMC Yukon are rated at 17 mpg combined with their most efficient gasoline engine, the 5.3-liter V8, according to The Drive’s review of fuel-economy data. That matches the figure for the 2010 model year, though the SUVs briefly had higher ratings in intervening years. The comparison does not establish that every version or driving condition produces the same real-world mileage.
General Motors’ most fuel-efficient gasoline-powered full-size SUVs are rated at 17 mpg combined for the 2025 model year, matching the figure reported for 2010, according to a comparison published by The Drive. The figure applies to the Chevrolet Tahoe, Chevrolet Suburban and GMC Yukon when equipped with the 5.3-liter V8, and highlights how little their best reported combined fuel economy has changed across the period.
The comparison concerns the most efficient gas-engine configuration in each of GM’s three full-size SUV lines, not every trim or powertrain. The Drive says all three share the 17 mpg combined rating for 2025. The figure is a fuel-economy rating; it should not be read as a guarantee of the mileage an individual owner will get in daily driving.
The SUVs’ ratings have not been flat throughout the intervening years. According to The Drive’s account of the data, they reached 19 mpg combined from 2016 through 2018, and were rated at 18 mpg in 2015 and from 2019 through 2021. Ratings then returned to 17 mpg after 2021 and remained there through 2025.
The report contrasts that SUV record with GM’s full-size pickups, which it says rose from 18 mpg to 20 mpg over the comparison period. The Drive attributes the truck improvement to base models with smaller engines. It also notes that the best-rated Toyota Prius hybrid moved from 50 mpg to 57 mpg over the same period. Those comparisons involve different vehicle types and configurations, so they do not show that the SUVs and cars are directly comparable in size, use or powertrain.
What Flat SUV Ratings Mean
Fuel economy affects the ongoing cost of owning large SUVs, particularly for drivers who cover substantial distances. A rating that remains at 17 mpg combined means the reported efficiency figure for the best gasoline-powered configuration has not improved between the two model years cited, despite the long interval. Actual fuel use and costs vary with driving patterns, conditions and fuel prices.
The comparison also makes powertrain choice relevant to shoppers. The Drive points to GM’s Duramax inline-six diesel as an alternative for buyers seeking better efficiency, while cautioning that diesel’s cost per mile depends on current fuel prices. The source does not provide a specific price calculation, so buyers would need to compare local fuel costs, expected mileage and the price difference between configurations for their own circumstances.
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Ratings Rose Before Falling
The reported history complicates the idea that these SUVs have held exactly the same rating every year. The Drive says the best combined figure rose above 17 mpg in several periods, peaking at 19 mpg between 2016 and 2018, before falling back to 17 mpg after 2021. The headline comparison is between 2010 and 2025, not a claim that ratings stayed unchanged throughout every model year.
The report also says GM introduced the Duramax I6 in 2021, the same year as the final stretch of 18 mpg ratings in its account. That timing alone does not establish why the SUVs’ gasoline ratings later declined. The source notes that GM has a new family of V8 engines expected to reach SUVs, but does not specify when particular models will receive them or what their fuel-economy ratings will be.
The data has limits, too. The Drive says the underlying Modelyears.com comparison omits vehicles introduced or discontinued during the period, models affected by name changes, and some vehicles without continuous powertrain comparisons. Those gaps mean its broad market comparisons should be treated as a selected dataset, not a complete record of every vehicle or configuration.
“make sure you do the math with current diesel prices first”
— The Drive, discussing diesel fuel costs
GM Chevrolet Tahoe Suburban Yukon fuel-efficient engine
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Limits of the Mileage Comparison
The supplied report does not identify every trim, testing detail or source-year entry behind the specific ratings, and it does not provide a link to a complete model-by-model table in the quoted material. It also does not give real-world owner data, so the 17 mpg combined rating cannot establish what drivers will achieve in varied conditions. The comparison’s exclusions further limit how broadly its figures can be applied.
It is also unclear from the source when GM’s new V8 family will appear in these SUVs or whether those engines will improve fuel economy. The report offers no ratings for the future engines. Its observation that the Duramax I6 arrived in 2021 does not, by itself, explain the later change in the gasoline SUVs’ reported ratings.
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Watch for New V8 Ratings
The next useful update will be official fuel-economy information for GM’s upcoming V8-powered SUVs, including model-year ratings and the specific configurations to which they apply. Until those figures are published, the effect of the new engine family on SUV efficiency remains unknown. Buyers comparing gasoline and diesel models can meanwhile use current local fuel prices and expected annual mileage to estimate their own operating costs, rather than relying on mpg alone.
best full-size SUVs for highway driving
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Key Questions
Which GM SUVs are included in the 17 mpg figure?
The comparison covers the Chevrolet Tahoe, Chevrolet Suburban and GMC Yukon, using their most efficient gasoline engine, the 5.3-liter V8, according to The Drive.
Does 17 mpg describe every version of those SUVs?
No. The reported figure applies to the most efficient gasoline-powered configuration identified in the report. It is not presented as the rating for every trim or powertrain, and it does not predict every owner’s real-world mileage.
Did the SUVs always have a 17 mpg combined rating?
No. The Drive reports ratings of 19 mpg from 2016 through 2018 and 18 mpg in 2015 and from 2019 through 2021. It says the figure returned to 17 mpg after 2021 and remained there through 2025.
Could GM’s new V8 engines improve SUV fuel economy?
The source says GM has a new V8 engine family expected to reach SUVs, but provides no arrival date or fuel-economy ratings. Any effect on mileage remains unknown until model-specific information is released.
Does a diesel SUV necessarily cost less to run?
Not necessarily. Fuel costs depend on local diesel and gasoline prices, as well as how far and how a vehicle is driven. The Drive advises comparing cost per mile rather than treating a higher-efficiency rating as proof of lower running costs.
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