Background: Who says the trendy sport utility craze is a recent phenomena?
The venerable four-door Chevrolet Suburban, one of the largest SUVs you’ll see tooling down the highway, traces its user-friendly roots all the way back to 1935. Since its inception during the Franklin Roosevelt administration, the industry’s longest-running nameplate has stood as one of the largest and most versatile vehicles on the road. Built on a heavy-duty, body-on-frame truck design, it can handle many on and off-road chores. Many of the newer, diminutive sport utilities are built from a unibody frame common in traditional coupes and sedans. The last major, next-generation Suburban redesign occurred in 2000. For 2003, the full-size Suburban offers many updates including a new center console, tri-zone climate controls in some editions, optional XM Satellite radio ($325 plus a monthly charge) and an available rear DVD entertainment system ($1,295). Suburban offers three rows of seating standard. Chevrolet’s parent company, General Motors (the world’s largest automaker), assembles Suburban up Interstate 90 in Janesville, Wis. and south of the border in Silao, Mexico. The Suburban is the largest entry in Chevy’s 2003 SUV family that includes the compact Tracker, Blazer, Tahoe and TrailBlazer.
Engine/trim levels: Chevrolet offers several Suburban engine sizes and trim levels. Rear, two-wheel drive models or four-wheel versions are available. Four-wheel drive editions offer vertically-arranged automatic transfer case with push buttons on the dashboards left-side for shifting on the fly between two-wheel drive and four-wheel high drive. Shifting into four-wheel low, which sends maximum power to all four wheels, requires a stop and shift into neutral before engaging the four-wheel low. Four-speed automatic transmission comes standard in all versions. Trim levels include LS, LT and Z71. All three are available in ½-ton versions (1500) while three-quarter versions (2500) are available only in LS and LT. A 5.3-liter, V-8 engine delivering 285 horsepower comes standard in the ½-ton series (1500) while the larger 6.0-liter engine with 320 horses is unique to the ¾-ton series (2500). Optional across the board is an 8.0-liter engine generating 340 horsepower. The LT version with the 5.3-liter, V-8 had a fuel tank holding 31 gallons (the 6.0-liter model handles 37 gallons) of regular unleaded fuel. Most GM truck engines utilize regular octane fuel, a deviation from many competitors who utilize premium fuels for V-8 powertrains. Mileage ratings for the 5.3-liter V-8 checked in at 14 miles per gallon in the city and 18 m.p.g. highway.
Price: Chevrolet supplied the Daily Herald with a 2003 1500 ½-ton with the 5.3-liter V-8 and LT trim level package. Pricing began at $39,006. With several option packages and a $790 destination charge, the bottom line ended up at $47,587. The lowest-priced Suburban, a two-wheel drive LS 1500 starts at $36,500. Suburban’s closest domestic competitor, the Ford Excursion, also includes dozens of trim levels and variations. A two-wheel drive XLT version begins at around $37,000 while a Limited edition checks in at $49,935. Other super-sized SUVs available include the Toyota Land Cruiser and Lexus LX470 twin.
Standard equipment: All Suburban trim levels include: cruise control, rear window defroster, power locks, power mirrors, power windows, roof luggage rack, tilt leather wrapped steering wheel, cloth sunvisors with pull-out extenders, fog lamps, rear heat ducts, AM/FM radio with compact disc player and air conditioning. A nifty option is Quadrasteer, or four-wheel steer. In essence this helps the rather large Suburban maneuver more like a car half its weight. Quadrasteer enables the front and rear wheels to steer in opposite directions of one another (i.e. back wheels turned to the left with front wheels turned to the right) when engaged, thus reducing the room needed to make tight turns or pull into a tight parking spot. Quadrasteer (a $5,000 plus option) works as well as advertised. The 2003 model year is the first time Quadrasteer is available in Suburban, and it’s only available on the LS and LT models in the 2500 (3/4 ton) series. A rear DVD entertainment system, sunroof and satellite-linked XM radio are optional across the board. Heated front leather seats are standard in LT editions, optional in Z71 but not available in LS.
Dimensions:
Wheelbase: 130 inches
Overall length: 219.3 inches
Overall width: 78.8 inches
Overall height: 76.5 inches
Curb weight: 5,796 pounds
Towing capacity: 12,000 pounds when properly equipped.
Inside: Because of its girth, riders find ample head and leg room in second and third row seating, a claim many mid-size sport utilities can’t make. The second row comes standard with a 60/40 spilt-folding bench or two optional bucket seats. The third row is a 50/50 split bench. Our test Suburban had second-row bucket seats (new for 2003) with backrests that folded down once seat cushions were folded forward. Second-row bucket seats are not removable, but the third-row bench was removable. Maneuvering into the third row required waltzing between the two second-row bucket seats in our test edition. Front wipers activate from the turn signal stalk. Rear wipers monitor from a knob on the dashboard’s far left side near the headlight control. The gear shift lever is on the steering column’s right side as is the ignition cylinder. Our test suburban included compass and outside temperature readings tucked inside the upper right corner of the rearview mirror. Near the mirror are three dials for rear-seat ventilation functions. Secondary radio controls are mounted on the front of the steering wheel. Also on the steering wheel are driver information center buttons which when pushed, provide fuel and trip information displayed in an instrument panel window. Cruise control is operated via the turn signal stalk. The driver’s door has several functions including heated front seats, adjustable brake pedals, power windows, power outside mirrors and power locks. The parking brake is foot-operated, as with most truck-based sport utility vehicles. The expansive, mostly analog instrument panel has a large central speedometer, tachometer to the left and four smaller gauges, including the fuel level, to the right. A digital, horizontal gearshift indicator rests along the bottom. New for 2003 is a center console between the front bucket seats. A large storage bin includes a flip top opening from the left side. In front are permanently molded beverage holders and an open area for holding assorted stuff. The center dashboard has the stereo system with toggle-like buttons operating station pre-set selections and a digital clock display in the frequency window. Below is a square ventilation area with two dials controlling dual temperature settings, a toggle button for fan speed and push buttons for fan direction. A large, thick horizontal grab handle is situated above the glove box. A second ceiling handle for the front passenger is also available.
Outside: Suburban retains the “box” image with “B” and “C” pillars surrounding the windows that are vertical in nature rather than angled. In front, Suburban retains the two-tier grille with the Chevrolet bow tie in the middle. The circular, non-locking fuel door with tethered cap is found on the left rear fender. A mast radio antenna adorns the right front fender. Those with the optional XM Satellite radio find a second, stubbier antenna on the roof near the driver’s door. The liftgate opens two ways: the entire door, hinged at the top opens from the bottom, or for quick trips into the hatch area, the glass door opens independently also from the top. Standard is a rear wiper. Tri-color, vertical taillights flank each side of the door. Large, body-colored sideview mirrors fold in, or break away when brushed against larger, immovable objects. Strap-like door handles are also body colored. The spare tire gets mounted under the vehicle. Our test Suburban included rather thin running boards, helpful when getting from the outside to the inside. Stepping into Suburban still requires a leap of faith. Suburban could benefit from thicker running boards that retract into the lower portion of the vehicle, a nifty option appearing on the smaller Lincoln Navigator.
Safety features: New for 2003 are optional, adjustable brake and accelerator pedals, benefiting those of shorter stature. Also available are nifty turn signal arrows built into the glass of the large, sideview mirrors that blink with the rest of the lighting system, helping to alert other vehicles on the road of your intention. Standard in four-wheel-drive editions is autotrak. Our test vehicle included this feature, which utilizes a column of push buttons enabling the vehicle to shift-on-the-fly from many driving modes. Included is an auto/4wd mode which automatically switches into four-wheel drive from two-wheel drive when road conditions dictate such a move. Also available for 2003 LT and LS Suburbans with the 5.3-liter engine (without autotrak) is GM’s Stabilitrak. This system automatically sends engine power to a particular brake with no driver input depending on road conditions and improves vehicle stability on various road surfaces at various speeds. Standard across the board are child safety rear door locks, dual two-stage front air bags (side air bags are optional across the board), remote keyless entry, driver lockout protection, front and rear crumple zones, daytime running lights, theft deterrent system and four-wheel anti-lock brakes. The passenger air bag system automatically deactivates when detecting that a small child is occupying the seat. Also available is OnStar, GM’s Satellite linked communications system linking occupants with a manned center. The hardware for this system is standard in LT and optional everywhere else.
Warranty: Suburban comes with General Motors standard three-year/36,000-mile (whichever comes first) warranty covering both the drivetrain and basic warranties. The corrosion warranty is good for six years or 100,000 miles. Roadside assistance is also three years or 36,000 miles.
Final thoughts: The Suburban ranked as one of the largest vehicles on the road until the Ford Excursion debuted in 2000. Excursion is more than six inches longer but lacks the marketing muscle and impressive owner loyalty rating Suburban enjoys. Plus Ford announced last year that Excursion production will end in a year or two. Suburban fills a marketing niche for those needing room to carry up to eight passengers along with better-than-average towing capacity. With improved ride, handling, noise reduction and optional Quadrasteer, the once clunky Suburban is now a refined mode of transportation capable of hauling people or widgets in comfort and good looks. The ride and handling refinements in Suburban and other large SUVs over the past decade is quite impressive. These are no longer rough-riding hard-to-steer behemoths, but family-friendly and driver-friendly people haulers. |