Our Opinion - 2023 Chevrolet Suburban Review After 87 years, the 1935 brand name Suburban is still as well-known as Coca-Cola. This huge full-size SUV, which is now in its 12th generation and has a body-on-frame design, still has three rows of seats, room for up to eight people, and a lot of towing power. The Tahoe, a little shorter than the “Burban,” is looked at on its own. The standard engine is a V-8 with 355 hp. An optional inline-six turbo diesel with 277 hp and a gas V-8 with 420 hp is also available. Except for the Z71 model, which can only be driven off-road, all engines are connected to a telepathic 10-speed automatic transmission, and either rear- or all-wheel drive can be chosen. When their third rows are folded down, Suburbans have 20 cubic feet more space than Jeep Wagoneers. The optional air suspension makes it possible for the Suburban to handle bumps in the road. Even though the inside design and materials aren’t great, the 10.2-inch touchscreen makes it easy to control the temperature and get around. What's New? The 2023 Chevy Suburban is the same as the 2022 model, but the Premier and High Country trim levels now come with GM’s very effective hands-free driving system, Super Cruise. Radiant Red Tintcoat, Sterling Gray Metallic, and Silver Sage Metallic are the new colors for the outside of the car. Finally, the Suburban LS, LT, RST, and Premier grilles can be blacked out. Pros and Cons Pros: Ample space for goods and a place to sit A robust engine lineup Stable handling and riding User-friendly infotainment system Cons: Hard to find a parking spot Engine, Transmission, and Performance The Suburban has three different engines: two V-8s and a diesel six-cylinder. They all have a 10-speed automatic transmission and either rear-wheel drive or drive on all four wheels. All but the top-level High Country come with a 5.3-liter V-8 engine with 355 horsepower. It has a standard 6.2-liter V-8 engine with 420 horsepower, but a 3.0-liter six-cylinder diesel engine can also be ordered. Even though it only has 277 horsepower, the smaller V-6 has the same 460 pound-feet of torque as the larger V-8. The Suburban can also have an air suspension and dampers that can be changed. The latter lets the Suburban ride height be adjusted automatically and by hand. This enables the airflow, ground clearance, and passenger access to improve. If you want a sporty look, the RST model is for you. The 22-inch wheels and external trim are blacked out. The Z71 trim level has all-terrain wheels with a diameter of 20 inches, skid plates under the body, and a two-speed transfer system with regular four-wheel drive. It also can hold up better. Safety The Suburban has advanced towing aids and several technologies that help the driver. Among the essential safety features are the following: Automatic emergency braking and a warning of a possible front-end collision are standard. It offers lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assistance. Blind-spot and rear cross-traffic alerts are available. Internal and External Cargo Capacity The Suburban can carry a lot more people and goods than its predecessor. The second and third rows have a few more inches of legroom, and the seats in the second row can move forward and backward. The independent rear suspension of the Suburban makes the load floor lower and adds 23 cubic feet of cargo space (a total of 145 cubic feet). Most of its popular features, like being able to charge your phone wirelessly and having heated and cooled seats, are still there, but the size of the head-up display has grown. A 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster comes standard on the LT model and higher. Fuel Economy and Actual MPG The diesel engine is the least expensive option for the Suburban. The rear-drive type gets 21 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway. Bothgines get 20 mpg, b on the road. The optional 6.2-liter V-8 gets one more mpg in the city than the standard 5.3-liter V-8. After putting it through our rigorous testing process on our 75 mph highway route, we can figure out a Suburban’s real-world mpg. On our interstate trip, we tested a Tahoe, a smaller version of a Suburban. It got 27 mpg, which shows that it is more efficient than gas engines. Since the Tahoe diesel’s highway mpg is only slightly better, we don’t expect this engine to make the Suburban do much worse. Infotainment and Connectivity Modern families need a way to get around and something to do, and the Suburban is set up to do both. Every model comes with a Wi-Fi hotspot, multiple charging ports, and the option of a rear-seat entertainment system with two 12.6-inch displays located behind the front seats. The base LS model’s infotainment screen is 8.0 inches, but the rest of the Suburban lineup has a 10.2-inch touchscreen that is easy to use and works with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Towing and Payload Capacity Rear-wheel-drive When the optional Max Trailering package is added to a Chevy Suburban with a 355-hp 5.3-liter V-8, it can pull 8,300 pounds, which is the most of any vehicle. When the Suburban has four-wheel drive and a diesel engine, it can pull up to 7,800 pounds. Price and How to Choose We recommend the RST because it has a sporty look, with 22-inch wheels and blacked-out exterior trim. Standard features include a Bose sound system, first- and second-row seats made of leather, heated front seats with memory settings, and an automatic liftgate. If we had to pick one of the three engines, we’d go with diesel because it uses less gas and keeps its power steady.
