Sounds like Chevy (and GMC) hit the sweet spot of a confounding and crowded market with the Tahoe and Yukon sport/utility vehicles.
You don't need to know much about the SUV market to understand why it's become so segmented. Many experts are at a loss to explain which models are trucks and which are unibody models, more like cars. This delineation holds for size, too. Sometimes, a few inches in wheelbase or overall length can make the difference between being too big (or too small) and just right.
Take for example the Chevy Tahoe, which may get confused with the Suburban at a dozen paces; the Tahoe fills the niche of full-size four-door SUV without being as large as the Suburban. In fact, the Tahoe is 20 inches shorter, with a wheelbase 14 inches shorter; it weighs 500 pounds less than the Suburban, too. GMC's Yukon is essentially identical to the Chevy, with a few extra option-package goodies. (Muddying the waters are the Yukon Denali, a more premium version of the Yukon, and the Yukon XL, a higher-end Suburban clone.)
Fortunately, Chevy didn't gut the Tahoe just to make it less expensive. It's got four full-size doors, ample interior room with seating for up to nine, and a useable payload: Maximum towing capacity is as high as 8100 pounds, just 700 pounds shy of the Suburban.
While Chevy's half-ton SUV gets one engine, the Tahoe buyer has the choice of two, the familiar 4.8-liter V-8 shared with the Silverado, on which the Tahoe is based, and the similarly familiar 5.3-liter V-8. The smaller engine makes a respectable 275 horsepower and 290 pound-feet of torque; the larger one doesn't rev quite as hard, making 285 horsepower, but 325 pound-feet of torque. The general consensus is that if you're hauling toys--boat, travel trailer, whatever--it's worth taking the slight fuel-economy hit and opting for the larger engine. The 4L60-E four-speed transmission is the only choice, while Tahoes can be ordered with either two- or four-wheel drivelines.
Changes over this model's run have been comparatively minor. New in 2000, the Tahoe sprang from the Silverado platform in four-door form only. Unchanged, save for new colors in 2001, the Tahoe received package tweaks in 2002: the Premium Ride suspension became standard and the drivetrain received minor updates for durability. In 2003, tri-zone climate control became standard and the brakes were revised for improved feel. A stability system was optional on the large-engine version. For 2004, Chevy once again updated the braking system for more reserve power and added interior amenities. Finally, in 2005, Chevy made the overhead liftgate standard across the board, and a navigation system became optional.