The Suburban is an extended-length version of the Chevrolet Tahoe, designed to accommodate additional cargo, as well as adult-sized third row passengers. Like the Tahoe, it was introduced for 2000 and will remain in its current form for another year. The vehicles share their smooth and relatively economical V8, though the Suburban's acceleration is compromised by its additional mass. They also share their low-quality interiors and RV-like handling response. While the Suburban corrects the Tahoe's cargo and third-row-seat space issues, it comes at a price. The Suburban doesn't come equipped with the same level of feature content as the other vehicles here, unable to match the Tahoe's without leaving this price bracket. Thus, its additional space lets it edge out the Tahoe, but its additional cost holds it back from outdoing anything else.

     The Suburban shares its comfortable ride with the Tahoe, but the larger vehicle's wheelbase limits the available "Autoride" suspension's unwanted ride motions. The Tahoe handles like a large truck, and the Suburban naturally handles like a slightly larger truck. They share the same slow steering response, but the Suburban feels even more ungainly, and is much harder to maneuver in tight spaces. As in the Tahoe, the 5.3-liter V8 is not especially quick, but still feels suitably powerful even as it accelerates the Suburban at the slowest rate of this group, possibly in part because of the engine's rich sound. The cabin is suitably isolated from wind and road noise as well. The Suburban's weight gain in relation to the Tahoe had no effect on its EPA fuel economy numbers; the vehicles tied for the best mileage in this group.

       The Suburban also shares most of its interior with the Tahoe, including its well placed, comfortably-sized, and shapeless front seats. Unlike the version of the Tahoe reviewed here, this lower-end trim of the Suburban makes use of a middle-row bench seat rather than the more-comfortable buckets that are available on both. Still, leg and headroom are generous, and the seat is high enough. The third row seat represents a greater difference between the two vehicles, as the Suburban's can easily hold adult passengers in reasonable comfort, though the seat could be softer and higher. Cargo space is by far the best in this group in every measurement, it has almost three times as much space behind the third row as the Tahoe, and twice as much as all but one remaining competitor. The small rear doors complicate entry/exit, and with the bench seat, it is rather difficult to access the third row. The Suburban, like the Tahoe, shares its low quality interior with every other GM large truck from a $15,000 Silverado pickup to a $60,000 Escalade SUV, and it is not up to the standards of any class that it is forced to compete in. Hard, cheap plastic is found everywhere, and some trim pieces fit poorly. The instruments, at least, are easy to figure out, and the gauges are clear enough. 

     The Suburban earned four out of five stars for  the driver and three out of five stars for the front passenger in the NHTSA frontal crash test, its additional mass hurting its score relative to the Tahoe. In the NHTSA rollover resistance dynamic testing however, it beat the Tahoe's stability by not tipping up as the Tahoe did. NHTSA estimates that the 4WD version reviewed here would have a 21% chance of rolling over in a single vehicle accident, beating the Tahoe by 5 percentage points.

       The Suburban reviewed here was less expensive than the Tahoe, but came with far fewer features. It lacked the Tahoe's rear-seat entertainment system (a feature that would have pushed the vehicle out of the set price range for this group), as well as such features as a sunroof. Equipped with fewer features than any other vehicle in this group, it came priced at the same level as most of the others, significantly cheaper only than the better-equipped Tahoe, even at $10,400 under the sticker price.

      Overall, the Suburban beats the Tahoe for the simple fact that there is a compelling reason to choose one over its competitors: its cargo space. It also features an almost best-in-class third row seat, and didn't tip in NHTSA rollover testing. However, aside from the cargo space, other full-size SUVs can match the Suburban's other strong points, and add a few of their own. And when the vehicle's rather high price is considered, you're probably better off with something else unless you do need the space that only the Suburban can provide.

Pros:

-Cargo Space

-Third-Row Comfort

-Refinement

-Ride Comfort

-Fuel Economy

Cons:

-Agility

-Features for the Money

-Interior Quality

Overall:

If only size matters, the Suburban is number one, but more than size matters.

Version Reviewed:

1500 LS 4WD

Options Added to Vehicle Reviewed:

 -

Price of Version Reviewed:

$38,081

Powertrain:

5.3-liter V8

Vehicle Overview