Vehicle Tested
| 2015 Chevrolet Suburban LTZ 4WD
Base Price: $64,700
As-Tested Price: $72,835
Built in Arlington, Texas.
Options
Sun, Entertainment, Destination Package
Power Running Boards
Adaptive Cruise Control
Max. Trailering Package
Theft-Deterrent System
Engine: 5.3-liter V8, 355 horsepower
Transmission: 6-Speed Automatic
Drive Wheels: Four-Wheel Drive
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Chevrolet completely redesigned its iconic Suburban for the 2015 model year. Returning as a full-size four-door SUV, Suburban is one of the largest garage-friendly people movers available. It seats up to nine passengers and has a towing capacity of up to 8300 pounds when properly equipped. Competitors include the Ford Explorer, Nissan Armada, Toyota Sequoia and GMC's similar Yukon XL.
Unlike car-based haulers -- think Chevrolet Traverse, Honda Pilot, Nissan Pathfiner and Toyota Highlander -- the Suburban is a truck-based SUV with an available four-wheel-drive system that offers a low range for off-road slogging and a perimeter frame that provides a better towing experience. Chevrolet focused on giving the redesigned Suburban more features, an upscale interior, better fuel efficiency and more modern styling.
Standard in the 2015 Chevrolet Suburban is a new 5.3-liter V8 that features direct injection and cylinder deactivation for improved power and efficiency. The new V8 makes 355 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque.it mates to a 6-speed automatic transmission that features a column-mounted shifter with a separate shift gate for manual operation and a tow/haul mode.
Four-wheel-drive Chevrolet Suburbans come standard with a single-speed 4WD system. Those wanting more off-road capability can opt for a 4WD system with a two-speed transfer case and low-range gearing. A locking rear differential is standard on all Suburbans.
All Suburbans come pre-wired for towing and feature a 2-inch receiver. Ordering a Max Trailering package adds specific gearing and a trailer-brake controller. On the LS and LT, the Max Trailering package also adds air suspension with increased load capacity and leveling. Properly equipped, the maximum tow rating for the 2WD Suburban is 8,300 pounds, and 8,000 pounds for the 4WD models.
The 2015 Chevrolet Suburban is offered in three trim levels: Base LS, midlevel LT and luxury LTZ. Seating for eight is standard, but there are two optional seating arrangements. Second-row captain's chairs drop the passenger count to seven and an available-on-the-LS-only 40/20/40 front bench seat increases it to nine.
New features include a new MyLink touchscreen interface with added smartphone integration and the latest electronic safety features including lane departure warning, blind-spot monitoring and a frontal collision warning and mitigation. The 2015 Suburban also has a redesigned third-row seat that folds into the floor.
Prices start at $48,590 for the LS. The midlevel LT is $53,695 and the line-topping LTZ is $62,695. All have a destination charge of $995 and are built in Arlington, Texas.
Get Up and Go Instead of offering several different engines, Chevrolet engineers focused on offering an advanced V8 that could provide a good mix of power and economy. In fact, despite increasing horsepower and torque numbers by 10%, Chevrolet says the new Suburban is more fuel efficient than the outgoing model.
Get behind the wheel and stomp the go pedal and an unloaded Suburban will run from 0 to 60 mph in about 8.5 seconds. That's quick for a huge SUV and not far off the pace of smaller car-based crossovers. There's plenty of power to snap Suburban to attention from a stop or when passing is required. More impressive is the fact that performance doesn't seem to drop too much when you add a full load of passengers.
The 6-speed automatic might lack a few gears compared to some competitors but it's smooth shifting and quick to respond in passing situations. The manual mode and tow/haul mode will, no doubt, be appreciated by the horse-trailer set.
Overall the powertrain has a smooth and refined feel and never seems taxed. It wouldn't seem out of place in a Lexus or Mercedes-Benz.
The available automatic 4WD system provides several modes of operation include 2WD, 4WD Auto, 4WD Locked and 4WD low. It's seamless in operation and a far cry from 4WD systems of yore that required stopping the vehicle, shifting into neutral and cranking a lever. You still have to stop to shift into 4WD low, but now that's accomplished by a simple flip of a switch. The standard limited-slip rear differential is a great plus, especially on 2WD models that will be towing a boat out of the water.
The 5.3-liter V8 has all of the latest fuel economy tricks with the exception of turbocharging. It has cylinder deactivation, variable-valve timing and direct injection. The cylinder deactivation is barely noticeable and shifts between V4 and V8 mode as power demands increase and decrease. It is interesting to note that the Suburban can cruise at 65 mph in four-cylinder model on flat ground. That's impressive.
All of the fuel-economy trickery adds up to gains of 1 mpg city and highway on most models. The 4WD model has EPA numbers of 15 mpg city, 22 mpg highway and 18 mpg combined. While those don't sound too impressive, keep in mind that the Suburban tips the scales at 5,800 pounds. Real-world driving yields an impressive 16 mpg around town and 21 mpg on the highway. Straight highway cruising at reasonable speeds (below 70 mph) will likely best the EPA estimate of 22 mpg by a mile or two. Suburban comes standard with a 31 gallon fuel tank that gives it an impressive highway range of 682 miles.
On the Road Suburban's ride quality benefits from the long, 130-inch wheelbase and ponderous 5800-pound curb weight. The two combine with a compliant suspension to provide a smooth and comfortable ride. The LTZ comes with an adaptive suspension that evens out ride motions further. On the downside, the available 22-inch wheels have a negative impact, imparting too much harshness on bumpy roads.
Though Suburban is a large and heavy vehicle, it doesn't drive like a boat. Response to steering input is quick and the brakes seem to have plenty of stopping power. Body lean is kept mostly in check and the tires have good dry and wet road grip. Still, it's a lot of truck and drivers are best served to avoid sudden maneuvers. At parking speeds, Suburban has a generous turning radius -- despite having a very long wheelbase -- and it's as daunting to park as its nearly 19-foot length might suggest.
Interior noise levels are impressively on par with many luxury sedans. Wind noise is kept well in check at speeds below 75 mph and tire roar never seem to intrude on conversation. The engine sounds smooth and refined at any speed.
Behind the Wheel Chevrolet designed doubled down in an effort to create an interior that was both upscale and functional for the new Suburban and, for the most part, they succeeded. The overall quality and design of the 2015 Chevrolet Suburban's interior is noticeably improved compared to the previous-generation and materials are a cut above most in the class. Fit and finish is above average and the interior is amongst the quietest among all SUVs.
Drivers face a gauge cluster with white-on-black graphics that are easy to read day or night. In between there's a nice central information display that's easy to navigate and puts a lot of important information right in front of the driver. Center-stack display screens come in either 4.2- and 8.0-inch size, depending on options. Both are very well designed and provide a wealth of information. Unfortunately, the capacitive screen is slow to respond to input and that makes you wait for things to properly display.
Front-seat passengers are treated to large and comfortable seats that offer great long-haul support -- as they should in a vehicle like this. LS buyers will be disappointed that they don't get a telescoping steering wheel. Outward visibility isn't as bad as the vehicles sheer size might suggest and it's aided by lots of electronic safety features.
Second- and third-row seats are adult friendly and quite comfortable as well. The second-row buckets are nice and they flip and fold quickly. There is plenty of leg room and great head room, significantly more than in Tahoe. Remember that you only have nine-passenger capacity in the base model but you can get eight in the other trim levels.
The rear seats are no longer removable, as they now fold flat into the floor. This eats into maximum cargo space a bit, but makes for more "everyday" cargo room. The power-fold option is a nice touch but certainly isn't necessary. Speaking of cargo space Suburban has you covered. All seats in use, there is 38.9 cu. Ft. Fold the third-row seats and you get 76.7 cu. ft. All seats folded and you have 121.1 cu. ft. Only Ford Expedition EL offers more cargo room.
Bottom Line First appearing in 1935, the Suburban lays claim to the title of longest-running continuous nameplate. The 2015 version is far and away the best Suburban ever and perhaps the best mainstream large SUV on the market. The only problem is that the 2015 Suburban can also get quite expensive. Kudos to Chevy for upping the quality of the interior and the safety and technology content, that's something that Suburban owners will appreciate.
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