But the Tahoe and Suburban’s enduring status in the industry will keep sales strong, said Bob Krapes, Chevy’s truck marketing director. The Suburban is the industry’s longest-running nameplate at 85 years, and the Tahoe has been on the market for 25 years.
“With those two together, we have great loyalists of Chevy customers,” Krapes said.
To tap into that base, the brand is helping dealers connect with previous Tahoe and Suburban buyers. Chevy also plans to expand its marketing approach with mass media, digital efforts, social media and more. Through July, Chevy already had sold 3,000 Tahoes, with the top two trim levels — High Country and Premier — accounting for half of those sales, Krapes said.
Long term, Chevy expects the top two trims to make up about a quarter of sales for the Tahoe and Suburban combined. The base LS is expected to be less than 10 percent of volume, while penetration of the three midlevel varieties — Z71, LT and RST — will depend on the market. Starting prices range from $49,995 for the Tahoe LS to $73,295 for the Suburban High Country.
