The Chevrolet Suburban, which has been around since 1935, is one of General Motors' longest running nameplates. Originally a wagon, the Suburban eventually became one of the first SUVs when it adopted the body style in the 1960s and shared its body-on-frame underpinnings with the Chevrolet Silverado. Now in its 11th generation, the Chevrolet Suburban continues to use the same underpinnings as the Silverado pickup. However, the latest version has a new suspension setup to maximize comfort and interior space.
What's New?- New generation of Chevrolet's largest SUV rides on a new platform, offers more space, and features an independent rear suspension
- Diesel engine joins the lineup for the first time
- Off-road-oriented Z71 added as a mid-level trim
What We Think:
The 2021 Chevrolet Suburban's size makes it an ideal shuttle or family vehicle (when a minivan is out of the question), which means excellent ride quality is of the utmost importance. Thankfully, the new suspension setup delivers just that, as we initially experienced in the smaller Tahoe. With the available Magnetic Ride Control dampers and adaptive air suspension, the SUV glides over road imperfections and doesn't toss passengers' heads around excessively, even in Sport mode. That said, coil-sprung examples are less settled.
The new Suburban offers significantly more passenger and cargo space than its predecessor; even full-size adults fit in the third row. In terms of interior quality, though, the Suburban falls short of the standard set by the Ford Expedition. That said, it's easy to ignore the interior shortcomings when you're controlling one of the Suburban's excellent powertrains with your right foot; the Duramax diesel/10-speed automatic combo is especially worthy of attention.
