Used car safety, rank #37 of 181
Chevrolet Tahoe 4WD Safety Rating (2017-20)
Real IIHS driver death rates for the 2017-20 Chevrolet Tahoe 4WD, a large SUV, compared with its class and with the current model.
The 2017-20 Chevrolet Tahoe 4WD has an IIHS driver death rate of 16 per million registered vehicle years against a large SUVs average of 22.5, which is 29% below the class average. That places it #37 of 181 used vehicles with a safety score of 79.2/100.
What the Chevrolet Tahoe death rate means
At 16 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, the Chevrolet Tahoe 4WD beats the large SUVs average of 22.5 by 29%. The 95% confidence interval is 3 to 28, so the upper end of the range overlaps the class average and the advantage is not certain.
The other-driver death rate of 42 measures the opposite risk: how many drivers of other vehicles died in crashes with a Chevrolet Tahoe. It is higher than the Chevrolet Tahoe's own driver death rate, the usual pattern for heavier vehicles. Remember that death rates describe vehicles and their drivers together: IIHS adjusts for driver age and gender, but not for where or how carefully people drive. Our score weights this model's own rate at 70% and its class at 30%; see how we rank used cars.
Compared with similar used SUVs
The safest large SUVs in the IIHS study, by our score, with the Chevrolet Tahoe 4WD highlighted. It ranks 2 of the 6 shown; the class leader is the Chevrolet Tahoe 2WD at a death rate of 9.
| Vehicle | Years | Death rate | Score | Reliability | Used price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chevrolet Tahoe 2WD | 2017-20 | 9 (0 to 17) | 85.4 | 3.5/5 | $28,000 to $48,000 |
| Chevrolet Tahoe 4WD (this page) | 2017-20 | 16 (3 to 28) | 79.2 | 3.5/5 | n/a |
| GMC Yukon 4WD | 2017-20 | 22 (4 to 40) | 74.5 | n/a | n/a |
| GMC Yukon 2WD | 2017-20 | 24 (0 to 55) | 71.0 | n/a | n/a |
| Dodge Durango 4WD | 2017-20 | 24 (8 to 39) | 71.0 | n/a | n/a |
| Dodge Durango 2WD | 2017-20 | 40 (5 to 76) | 53.1 | n/a | n/a |
Class average for large SUVs: 22.5 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years.
The new Chevrolet Tahoe
Death rates lag the market by several years. For the current Chevrolet Tahoe we score IIHS crash tests instead; here is how the latest model years rate on our new-car scale.
| Model year | Model | IIHS award | New-car score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Chevrolet Tahoe | No award | 56.1 (provisional) |
New-car scores use a different scale (crash tests, not death rates) and are not directly comparable with the 79.2 used-car score above.
Reliability and cost of ownership
Reliability: 3.5 out of 5
RepairPal rates the Chevrolet Tahoe 3.5/5, 21st out of 26 in its category. Owners spend about $744 a year on repairs and maintenance, visiting the shop 0.3 times a year for unscheduled work, and 16% of those repairs are severe.
RepairPal detailsSafety recalls for the Chevrolet Tahoe 4WD
A recall is a defect the manufacturer must repair free of charge, however old the car and whoever owns it now. On a used car this matters more than on a new one: the work is only done if a previous owner took it in.
3 recall campaigns on the 2020 model year, covering tires, fuel system, gasoline, service brakes, hydraulic.
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Tires
Risk: Over cured tires may develop a break in the sidewall resulting in sudden air loss or a belt edge separation which could lead to a tread/belt loss. Either condition can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tires, replacing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 22, 2021.
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Fuel system, gasoline: delivery, fuel pump
Risk: Over-pressurization can crack the fuel pump and cause leaks, increasing the risk of a fire in the presence of an ignition source.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began December 18, 2019.
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Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip, wheel speed sensor/tone ring
Risk: Unintended activation of the driveline-protection system will cause unintended braking on the wheel on the opposite side of the failed sensor, causing the vehicle to pull to one side unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the EBCM, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2019.
Recall campaigns from the NHTSA recalls database, retrieved 2026-09-04. A campaign covers a range of build dates, not every car of the model year, and IIHS reports this nameplate across several years while these results are for 2020. Confirm against the VIN. Recalls do not affect the death rate on this page.
Chevrolet Tahoe 4WD: Common Questions
Is the Chevrolet Tahoe 4WD a safe car?
Yes, by the measure that matters most. IIHS recorded a driver death rate of 16 per million registered vehicle years for the 2017-20 Chevrolet Tahoe 4WD, 29% below the class average (22.5 for large SUVs). That earns a used-car safety score of 79.2 out of 100 and rank #37 of 181 used vehicles.
What is the Chevrolet Tahoe 4WD driver death rate?
16 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, with a 95% confidence interval of 3 to 28. Drivers of other vehicles that collided with a Chevrolet Tahoe died at a rate of 42 per million. Source: IIHS driver death rates by make and model, covering 2017-20 models.
How does the Chevrolet Tahoe 4WD compare with other large SUVs?
The large SUVs class averages 22.5 driver deaths per million; the Chevrolet Tahoe 4WD sits at 16. Among the 6 large SUVs compared above it ranks 2 by safety score; the top of that group is the Chevrolet Tahoe 2WD with a death rate of 9.