2023 Chevy Suburban Overview

What’s new:

  • Now you can get help driving without using your hands with Super Cruise.
  • The 2023 High Country trim of the 12th-generation Suburban, released in 2021, will include adaptive cruise control.

Sometimes, being big isn’t enough. This is something that the 2023 Chevrolet Suburban can do. This SUV, based on a truck and has been around for a long time, is 15 inches long and has 16 cubic feet more space behind the third row than the already big Tahoe. By folding down the second and third rows, you can get more than 140 cubes out of a car that isn’t a van.

The last time the Suburban was redesigned was two years ago. This was the first time in the model’s 86-year history that it had a multilink rear suspension. This change made the third-row seats more comfortable, the ride better, and gave the driver more confidence. From 2023 on, the two highest trim levels of the Suburban will come with GM’s Super Cruise technology. Under certain circumstances, this feature lets you drive without using your hands on certain highways. Chevy says that Super Cruise won’t be out for a while, and when it is, it will only be on the top trims of the Suburban.

Few cars can compare to the Suburban. The Ford Expedition Max is the best choice because it is about the same size and has similar features. The GMC Yukon XL is the corporate twin of the Suburban, but it’s a little more upscale. The Tahoe, the standard Expedition, the Nissan Armada, and the Toyota Sequoia are all big competitors.

Pros:

  • The vast interior makes a lot of room for people and things.
  • Diesel engines are a good choice if you want to save money on gas.
  • High ability to pull.
  • Even though it is big and heavy, it is easy to control.

Cons:

  • The size of the city makes it hard to park and move around.
  • Some safety features are only available on trim levels that cost more money.
  • It may be hard to reach or use the controls inside.

How do you move the Suburban? The V8 engine in our test Suburban was 6.2 liters. It has a lot of power, and a smooth 10-speed automatic transmission sends it to the wheels. On our test track, it took the Suburban 6.7 seconds to go from 0 to 60 mph. It’s like the Expedition.

Both the way the brakes work and the Suburban drives are perfect. From 60 miles per hour, the sizable three-row SUV we tested came to a complete stop in only 122 feet, which is pretty good. But even on the road with turns, this is a big vehicle. Even though the Suburban is well-balanced and can handle sharp turns, the steering is not responsive. Towing is helpful because it likes to stay straight.

How lovely is the Suburban to ride in? The Suburban’s independent rear suspension makes riding over bumps in the road easier than earlier models with solid rear axles. Our test vehicle also had Magnetic Ride Control and an air suspension that could be changed. They work well to keep the road from getting into the cabin. Even though the Suburban sometimes feels like a busy boat, we’re sure that these suspension upgrades will make the ride better.

In other ways, the Suburban can’t escape being a truck. Even though there is a power lumbar adjustment and the front leather seats are roomy and comfortable, the car could be more pleasing overall. A few of our drivers said that they were too flat and needed to give more support. Most of the time, climate control works too hard, and some buttons are small and hard to press.

How does the inside look? The Suburban has plenty of headroom, legroom, and space for adults in the third row, as long as you don’t mind the stiffer seats in the first and second rows. Although some controls are difficult to reach due to a lack of space, the overall button layout can be confusing. It’s about to get out of hand.

There’s no trouble getting in or out. All three rows can quickly get to by climbing through the large doorways. The driver has to be up high to see over the oversized hood. Even though the seat and steering wheel are very flexible, you can’t get rid of the thick roof pillars, which makes blind spots much worse.

How good is the tech? The Suburban’s touch screen is clear and easy to use, but it can be hard to use because it is so big and has such a large viewing area. Both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto can be used wirelessly and are included as standard features. Both worked well in our tests. The Bose stereo system with ten speakers sounds excellent, and most trims come with a wireless charging pad.

We also like the lane-keeping assist and the adaptive cruise control, which are great features for such a big car. The rules can be hard to use if you haven’t done them before, which is a downside.

What about putting things away? The best thing about the Suburban is the space it has. It has a vast cargo hold in the back, with 41.5 cubic feet of room behind the third row. When folded down, it has more space than the Ford Expedition Max, at 93.8 cubic feet. This is among the most compelling arguments favoring investing in a Suburban. But, for such a big car, the storage space inside is a letdown. For example, the center console could be more helpful and flexible in other three-row SUVs, and the front cupholders are smaller.

The Suburban should have no trouble pulling a trailer. The most weight that can be pulled behind a medium-to-large trailer is 8,300 pounds, and towing technology has come a long way.

How well does it use gasoline? This was a surprise: during our tests, the 6.2-liter V8 in our test Suburban got a combined 16 mpg, and it did better than that, getting 18.7 mpg on our mixed city and highway route. From what we’ve seen, both the Ford Expedition Max and the lighter Tahoe with the 5.3-liter V8 beat that number.

The success of the Suburban is due to the larger 6.2-liter V8’s advanced cylinder deactivation technology, which saves fuel at highway speeds. It’s also important to know that the engine needs premium energy. Still, it was a good performance.

Should I invest in a Chevrolet Suburban or not? When it comes to power and space, the base models of the Suburban are an excellent buy. However, some features, like adaptive cruise control, are only available on the most expensive trims. Compared to the average interior materials, models like the High Country with many extras can be too costly to buy.

The basic warranty on the Suburban is for three years or 36,000 miles, and the safety on the powertrain is for five years or 60,000 miles. It also comes with roadside assistance for five years or 60,000 miles, rust protection for six years, and one year of free maintenance.

The Suburban’s size makes it what it is, for better or worse. The big SUV is hard to move around on the road because it is tall, comprehensive, and heavy. Even if you are an excellent driver, you are always aware of how much space you take up.

It does have a personality, though. No matter which trim level you choose, the Suburban has powerful engines, a lot of space for cargo, and an excellent towing capacity. If spending time with your family on a lake or on vacation is crucial to you, the Suburban can help you do these things for many years. Just be ready to deal with the bad things that come with it.

Since you’re getting a big SUV, you’ll need a big V8 to go with it. So, it would help if you thought about the RST. This Suburban is the most affordable choice. It has a 6.2-liter V8 engine. The powerful upsized V8 did better than the base 5.3-liter V8 in our fuel economy tests. The RST also has a long list of impressive standard features that make the SUV more comfortable, functional, and attractive.

Chevrolet Suburban variants:

In 2023, the large three-row SUV Suburban will have six trim levels: the LS, LT, RST, Z71, Premier, and High Country. Most trims have a 5.3-liter V8 with 355 hp and 383 lb-ft of torque and a 10-speed automatic transmission. All trim levels can get four-wheel drive, but it comes standard on the Z71.

2023 Chevrolet Suburban Video Review

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