Wars in all parts of the globe; a fuel crisis; oil spills; an economic meltdown.
Nothing can kill the Chevrolet Suburban . A staple of the bowtie brand’s fleet since 1935, the Suburban nameplate has been around longer than most automakers.
The dedicated legion of Suburban buyers ranks among the most loyal – and the most demographically desirable – in the entire industry. To see what all the fuss is about, we sampled the nicest Suburban we could find. And don’t mind the big Chevrolet banner across the windshield; while your local dealer will no doubt gladly recreate one for you, this Suburban was the first Diamond Edition to roll off the automaker’s Arlington, Texas, assembly line. As such, the workers deep in the heart of Suburban country are pretty proud of it.
What is it?
Expressing nary a whimper of complaint, Chevrolet’s Suburban has soldiered on for 75 years, providing shuttle service for gaggles of rugrats and hauling trailers overloaded with boats, cars, furniture and lawnmowers. First offered to Depression-era commercial buyers as “carryall†solution to all of their needs, it has evolved into a relatively luxurious passenger hauler.
To celebrate its anniversary, Chevrolet took to the stage at the Chicago Auto Show with a limited-run Diamond Edition Suburban. More an appearance package than anything else, it crowns the half-ton Suburban range by adding pearlized white paint and unique badging to the already top-of-the-line Suburban LTZ.
Chevrolet could have made the package a little more special with more features, but it wisely decided to keep enough room between the Diamond Edition and GMC ’s more opulent Yukon XL Denali.
What’s it up against?
If it’s the biggest of the big you’re after – and you want to tug a trailer or bound across a rough road every once in a while, the Suburban’s only real rival is the extended-length Ford Expedition EL. Don’t forget to shop the nearby GMC showroom, too, where they’ll be more than happy to introduce you to the Suburban’s GMC Yukon XL cousin. Spend a bit more and you can upgrade to a Cadillac Escalade ESV. We recently tested a full-boat Escalade ESV Platinum, which retails for 50 percent more than the Diamond Edition ‘Burb.
If you don’t need the a two-speed transfer case or rugged body-on-frame construction you will find only slightly less room in a Chevrolet Traverse or a GMC Acadia .
Any breakthroughs?
Unfortunately, the Diamond Edition package doesn’t bring anything of real substance to the table, aside from fancy badges and some stitching on the headrests.
The basic Suburban isn’t exactly teeming with technological advances, either. It’s a tried-and-true formula that will always have a buyer base as long as GM can figure out how to make it meet fuel economy standards.
How does it look?
Although major advances have been made under the skin, the Suburban’s crisply-toned two-large-box shape traces its roots back about 40 years. The squared off packaging pays off big time in terms of cargo and passenger space.
Unlike the last Suburban’s bubbly detailing, the corners all seem to have been sanded off at sharp points. That’s just fine with us. From every angle, this big ‘ute is well proportioned and cleanly finished. We especially like the modest chrome detailing that sets LTZs and Diamond Editions apart from your neighbor’s lesser LT or LS ‘Burb.
Now it’s time for the Joneses to keep up with you.
We weren’t as enthralled with the 20-inch chrome-clad (think durable plastic covers over alloy) wheels. They’re the same ones that gave a recent Silverado a buckboard ride, and while things seemed a bit smoother in the ‘Burb, they’ll no doubt annoy a few drivers with their cost of tire replacement ($184 each at Tire Rack).
And on the inside?
Climb aboard – it takes a good swing of the leg to hop up even with its running boards – and it’s a standard GM full size pickup and SUV parts bin affair. That’s not necessarily a bad thing; despite fresher full-size pickup designs from Dodge and Ford , we’ve always liked the simple and elegant GM approach. The dashboard is swathed in meticulously assembled, nicely grained (albeit rock hard) plastics and the liberal use of faux wood is actually done to good, Cadillac -esque effect. We were particularly impressed with the fit and finish of our Suburban, which exhibited nary a squeak nor a rattle during our week-long evaluation.
Our test Suburban’s navigation screen doesn’t boast GM’s latest software, but it is generally easy and functional to use. Climate controls feature small buttons, but they are easy to master.
We’re less enthralled with the skinny-rimmed steering wheel that is also more or less shared with the Chevrolet Impala ; big trucks and SUVs deserve their own appropriately meaty tiller.
Wrapped in fairly high grade leather, the Suburban’s front captain’s chairs proved decently comfortable on long drives, although the standard-on-LTZ ventilation system makes the seats a little lumpy in certain spots.
Our test Suburban was configured as a seven-passenger, which meant that the second row featured roomy captain’s chairs that mostly mimic those up front. The third row is unique among large SUVs in that it is actually quite tolerable for three smaller adults on a 20 mile drive. For kids, the third row is no doubt heaven because it is barely within screaming distance of mom and dad up front.
Another major advantage to the Suburban is it actually retains good cargo space behind the third row, unlike smaller SUVs. The third row can be folded for some additional capacity, but it doesn’t tuck away into the floor like in a minivan. If you need to haul lots of luggage or plywood (or, say, a Miata) in the cargo area, you’ll need to lift out the third row. Better start working out, Poindexter.
But does it go?
At 5,836 lbs., the 222.4-inch long Suburban is hardly designed to make you think you’re in a sports car.
Despite Suburbans you might have seen recklessly swerving between lanes – those with mommy screaming at little Billy in the “way back†or daddy yakking on his cell phone – the Suburban is actually a manageable and docile SUV.
It possesses acceptably alert steering that responds quickly to driver inputs and it is surprisingly easy to navigate into a parking space. We found it to feel less ponderous overall than a recent Ford Expedition test vehicle, although we give the Ford a slight edge in terms of ride quality.
Not that the Suburban rides poorly; although it lacks the magnetic-controlled shocks of the Escalade, its smaller 20-inch wheels (small being a relative term) and Autoride damping help smooth out the ride.
The 5.3-liter V8 doesn’t give it loads of power, but the six-speed automatic transmission is always willing to downshift to find more grunt. It’s smooth at every speed, and while it’s not the ideal motor for regular towing users (who should upgrade to a Suburban 2500 with the 6.0-liter V8), it moves out of its own way with reasonable alacrity.
The V8 is rated at 320 horspoewer and 335 lb-ft. of torque, most of which is produced at fairly low engine revolutions for unstressed around-town driving.
We didn’t have the opportunity to strap a trailer to our Diamond Edition Suburban, but previous experience with this powertrain and package has suggested that it is best left with lighter duty loads. We also didn’t try to spend much time off of the pavement in the Suburban; its large size would no doubt be a hindrance on tight trails, although we were pleased with the way the fairly long-travel suspension soaked up ruts on the worst unpaved rural roads we could throw at it. It comes with a multi-mode transfer case that includes a pavement-acceptable automatic mode and a low range for low speed off roading or even pulling a boat out of the water.
The Suburban’s curb weight means the EPA classifies it as a commercial vehicle when it comes time to setting fuel economy standards; thus it carries a big N/A for city and highway mpg figures. We saw a dismal 12 mpg in strictly city driving, about 14-15 mpg in lower traffic suburbia and around 18 mpg on the highway.
Why you would buy it:
With 2.5 kids, a dog and a boat, you’re Joe Average on Wisteria Lane. The Suburban does it all – and the Diamond Edition sets you apart from the neighbors.
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Why you wouldn’t:
A vehicle weighing twice as much as a compact car is quite a bit for someone who usually rides alone.
Leftlane’s bottom line
We love the Chevrolet Suburban. It fulfills a need for thousands of Americans and, like the Corvette, it’s about as patriotic as a car can be. Although we’re all for reducing our use of precious oil, we at Leftlane hope we never see the day when the Suburban is deleted from Chevrolet’s lineup.
But we think dealers should hand prospective buyers a questionnaire to see what they really should be taking home. Several kids and a need to tow or go off road? Enjoy your Suburban. No need for a trailer hitch beyond the ability to strap a few bicycles on? A Traverse is waiting for you. Single or married without kids? Here, have a Malibu. You’ll come to your senses someday.
2010 Chevrolet Suburban LTZ 4WD Diamond Edition base price, $57,790. As tested, $60,580.
Sun & Entertainment package, $1,840; Destination, $950.
Words and photos by Andrew Ganz.
