Heavily camouflaged, what appears to be the next-generation Chevrolet Tahoe doesn't look drastically different than the current model.
It's big. It's bold. It's an SUV. However, look closer and you'll see the vehicle -- expected to be unveiled next year as a 2020 model -- has some major differences under the skin.
Most notably, spy photos of the vehicle undergoing road tests in Milford, Mich., show the large SUV with an independent rear suspension, a notable engineering change from its traditional live axle design, matching the latest redesigned Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator.
Independent rear suspensions enhance a vehicle's ride and handling; however, they add more complex moving parts that cost more and could add additional weight.
Other than the suspension, the model caught testing features twin dual exhausts and possibly a smoother design. Everything else is pretty heavily covered.
Expect the next-gen Tahoe, which shares the same new T1 platform with General Motors' full-size pickups, to follow the lead of the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra and rely more heavily on mixed materials, in part to reduce weight, and to feature plusher interiors.
The current-generation Tahoe debuted alongside the GMC Yukon in 2013 as a 2015 model.
U.S. sales of the body-on-frame SUV are up an estimated 17 percent through August, according to the Automotive News Data Center.
