The Suburban is a huge, old-fashioned, truck-based SUV, the quintessential family truckster for large families who live beyond the suburbs. What sets it apart from other SUVs is that it provides three rows of seats -- for carrying up to seven, eight, or even nine people -- yet still retains generous cargo space, along with a hefty towing capacity. Add a luxurious and quiet interior and the added traction of four-wheel drive and you get a uniquely capable vehicle.
Based on the frame of the full-sized Chevrolet Silverado pickup, the Suburban -- and its GMC Yukon XL twin -- is one of the last few SUVs with real truck capabilities in a world where nearly every other SUV has adopted carlike unit-body structures. Despite the Suburban's major updates for 2015, it still delivers a relatively truck-like driving experience and fuel economy compared to better handling car-based SUVs. Then again, none of those "crossovers" can match the Suburban's combination of talents.
The interior is now beautifully finished and has all the latest technology. The Suburban, and its shorter Chevrolet Tahoe sibling, have chiseled looks and get slightly better fuel economy than before.
At well over $70,000, the loaded Suburban Premier competes with many other luxury SUVs that offer a better driving experience and even more luxury, if not quite as much sheer utility.
The first thing you notice when driving the Suburban is that it is exceptionally quiet, a lot like a good luxury car. Handling is sound and responsive enough, with no excessive body lean, but the feeling of bulk is ever present. The Suburban's ride is stiff, somewhat snappy with lots of jiggle at low speeds. Choosing the Magnetic Ride Control option improves the ride significantly and pays dividends in handling, but it adds a lot to the base price.
With its 355-hp, 5.3-liter V8, the Suburban seems like it ought to deliver plenty of gusto, but it doesn't, feeling a little underpowered and flat-footed. One consolation is its 16 mpg overall, which is a substantial improvement over the old model and is pretty good for this sized vehicle.
You could almost move into this spacious coach. With the second-row captain's chairs, accommodations are sumptuous for four people. The tight third row has enough room for adults, though we can't say they'll be comfortable.
A new power-folding third-row seat can fold down to make a flat load floor. A new power-release for the second-row captain's chairs makes access to the third-row easier, too. Even though you no longer need to wrestle the third-row seat out of the truck to open up cargo space, it still doesn't fold into a well. So the load floor is higher than it could be, which robs some cargo space and means you have to lift luggage high when loading.
The interior is plush, with lots of soft-touch padded surfaces, highlighted by nice stitching, giving it a tailored, hand-sewn look. The cockpit looks modern with controls that wrap around the driver and a legible and easy-to-understand MyLink touch screen that manages the audio, climate, phone, and navigation systems. If it weren't for the '70s-like high-effort, long-reach column shifter and foot-operated parking brake, the interior would look modern enough to justify the Suburban's price.
Cabin storage includes a seemingly endless supply of large and small bins, open and covered. Up to six USB ports are available, plus five 12-volt power ports and a 110-volt outlet.