Here's How Much 2021 Chevy Tahoes Have Depreciated In Five Years

The very first Chevrolet Tahoe was introduced for the 1995 model year, and since then, it has served as GM's standard-length full-size SUV. Today, it slots underneath the longer Suburban and above the smaller Chevrolet Traverse. The 2021 model year began the Tahoe's fifth generation, with a 210.7-inch body, an independent rear suspension, and 66% more cargo room behind the third row than the previous generation, which went from 15.3 to 25.5 cubic feet.

The 2021 Tahoe's engine options included a 355-horsepower 5.3-liter V8, a 420-hp 6.2-liter V8 on the High Country, and a 277-hp 3.0-liter turbodiesel inline-6, with a total of six trims that ran from the LS, starting at $50,295 with destination, to the High Country, starting at $69,395. Five years later, Kelley Blue Book (KBB) fair purchase prices run from $31,000 for the LS to $39,900 for the Z71, while CarEdge has the average value of a 2021 model year Tahoe down 35.9%, from $63,814 to $40,895.

In a study covering March 2025 to February 2026, iSeeCars puts the Tahoe's five-year depreciation at 45.3%, second-lowest among large SUVs, against 52.1% for the segment and 41.8% for all vehicles. Both percentages sit below that large-SUV figure. In that same study, the GMC Yukon and Yukon XL came in at 48.0% and the Chevrolet Suburban at 49.7%. All in all, this is not as bad as the worst depreciating SUVs over the last five years, but is that enough of an incentive to actually buy a five-year-old Tahoe?

The Tahoe's depreciation looks steep in pure dollar value mainly because it was expensive from the get-go. A depreciation rate of 35% to 45% translates into a loss of anywhere between $20,000 and $30,000, depending on the trim level. It sounds bad, but it is still better than most comparable SUVs.

The gap between the High Country and the cheapest LS trims is $19,100, but their KBB's fair purchase prices now put them only $8,200 above, at $39,200 versus $31,000. The market also worked against it. When these trucks were new, used-car prices were at record highs, and Manheim's index, which tracks what dealers pay at auction, peaked at 257.7 as 2021 ended. By June 2024 it read 196.1, a 23.9% drop, and the Tahoe's value fell with it. 

KBB's tracker has the 2021 Tahoe up $2,794 in 2023, then down $11,584 in 2024. The third reason for the Tahoe's steep depreciation curve is the 2025 refresh. Revealed in late 2023, it brought a cool new screen with Google and a gear selector mounted on the column, along with handling upgrades and a revised front end. A 2021 Tahoe has none of that, which can make it less desirable on the second-hand market.

The fourth reason is what buyers actually think of the 2021 Tahoe. The SUV averages just 2.6 out of 5 across 84 reviews on Edmunds, and 39% of them are one-star. KBB's consumer score for the Tahoe is higher at 3.4 out of 5, but only 50% of its reviewers actually recommend the truck. Consumer Reports has also recommended avoiding the 2021 Tahoe because of reliability issues.

A strong argument for buying a used 2021 Tahoe is what it costs to run. CarEdge puts a Tahoe's maintenance and repairs at $9,967 over its first 10 years, which is $1,455 below the average SUV, with a 12.58% chance of a major repair within five years. The purchase price is also far lower than it was at launch. KBB's fair purchase prices run from $31,000 for the LS to $39,900 for the Z71. 

However, the downsides are the ongoing costs and reliability. According to CarEdge, insuring a Tahoe costs about $2,527 a year, and RepairPal rates it with a 3.5 out of 5 in reliability, which puts it 21st out of 26 midsize SUVs — not the most reassuring number. On average, you can expect to get between 16 and 24 mpg from the 2021 Tahoe, which also is not ideal for cost-conscious owners. Though, the 2021 Tahoe makes sense if you want a lot of space for activities, as it's one of the best sub-$30k SUVs in terms of interior space. 

Ultimately, if you genuinely need three rows of space, lots of cargo room, and the capabilities a big SUV gives you, a 2021 Tahoe can make sense in today's prices, especially if you manage to find a well-kept, low-mileage example under $30k. A quick look on Autotrader and Cars.com shows that buyers still have a wide selection of 2021 Tahoes to choose from across a broad range of prices and trims.