The Chevy Suburban is a rather unique vehicle that has stood the test of time, and it has been a household name in the car industry for over 80 years. The first model was created in 1934, during the Great Depression. Even back then, it was innovative for its time as it was one of the first vehicles to use a full metal body rather than wood. While this helped spread the popularity of the Suburban, its main appeal has always been its ability to transport a large number of people at once. Some say it got its name because it’s as large as a house in the suburbs, and they wouldn’t be wrong for making such a claim. Two years ago, the Suburban received a major redesign and entered its twelfth generation, so what does the 2023 Chevy Suburban have to offer? Let’s find out!
Large Size and Capacity
While cars are no longer made of wood, the Suburban is still known for its large size and capacity. The 2023 Chevy Suburban easily holds eight people in its standard configuration. This puts its capacity into a different tier as many SUVs can only hold seven people. However, the Suburban goes even further with an available front bench seat, increasing passenger capacity up to nine. Due to this, the vehicle is very popular amongst large families.
The 2023 Chevy Suburban is one of the few vehicles that can fit more than seven passengers, and it does it right! Theoretically, a coupe can fit five people in it…if you don’t mind being packed like sausages in a can! Other full-size SUVs display a similar philosophy and skimp out on comfort for the third row in either seat quality or space. However, the 2023 Chevy Suburban makes sure that every passenger has all the legroom they could possibly want. The second row has an impressive 42 inches of legroom, while the third row has 36.7 inches to work with. This is more than enough room for the front passengers to have their seats reclined and for the second row to be completely unbothered by it. The same goes for the third row; everyone gets to ride and have personal space. No child can sit still for long periods of time, but with extra legroom, you won’t have to worry about the kids crawling all over each other.
Speaking of space, the 2023 Chevy Suburban’s cargo space is nearly unmatchable. It’s like driving in an RV…just without the toilet or the sink! The base trunk space alone is 41.5 cu.ft., which is slightly above average compared to other SUVs of its size. This is plenty of room for a cooler, a grill, and a parasol for a family beach trip, without needing to fold the rear seats down. With the third row down, the space comes to 93.8 cu.ft., and with the second row down, the cargo space caps out at 144.7 cu.ft. To help visualize the sheer amount of space in the Suburban, it can easily fit around four refrigerators. It’s almost large enough to stuff an entire suburb inside; maybe that’s where the name comes from?
Safe to Drive
There is no hiding the fact that the Suburban is popular amongst larger families. However, due to its sheer weight and size, it is not a car that the whole family can drive. Or is it? The 2023 Chevy Suburban comes standard with a plethora of driver-assist features that will ensure whoever is behind the wheel is capable of driving the behemoth with ease.
Chevy Safety Assist is built into all models, free of charge. This suite includes features such as Automatic Emergency Braking, Forward Collision Alert, Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning, Following Distance Indicator, and Front Pedestrian Braking. All of these tools are welcome additions for new drivers and will ensure that the Suburban doesn’t even get so much as a scratch on it! So when one of the teens gets curious about learning how to drive, you know everything is going to be alright! Along with Chevy Safety Assist, there is standard Front and Rear Park Assist. Parking tools are useful to more than just new drivers, as getting into a tight space is always a challenge.
There is no such thing as too safe, and for those who agree, the Suburban offers additional driver-assist features in its higher trims. It has Side Blind Zone Alert and Rear Cross Traffic Alert, HD Surround Vision cameras, and Rear Pedestrian Alert. With all of this assistance, driving a large vehicle seems a little less daunting.
Powerful Engines
A large, powerful car needs an equally large and powerful engine. Fortunately, the 2023 Chevy Suburban matches its great size with a monstrous engine. In fact, it has three monstrous engines to choose from. It comes standard with a 5.3L Ecotec3 V8 engine that offers 355 hp, 383 lb-ft of torque, and, most impressively, a towing capacity of 8,300 lbs. The EPA-estimated fuel efficiency of this engine is 15 MPG in the city and 20 MPG on the highway.
The base specs are a great display of the capability of the 2023 Suburban. Those 355 horses are more than enough to haul nine people and still be able to zoom on the highway at a decent pace. Additionally, the towing capacity exceeds its own weight. A Chevy Suburban can tow another Suburban with a couple thousand pounds to spare. It can haul a couple of jet skis, as well as a grill and other equipment for a lake camping trip.
If you are not impressed by 355 hp, the available 6.2L V8 engine bumps the performance up to 420 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque. The EPA-estimated fuel efficiency is 14 MPG in the city and 20 MPG on the highway. Usually, a larger engine gets significantly worse fuel efficiency. So it is a welcome surprise that there is hardly any fuel economy dropoff between the 5.3L and the 6.2L engines. The biggest step up for the 6.2L engine is that 420 hp, which is enticing for those who want their Suburban to have a little more bang for their buck. Even though it is a family car, that doesn’t mean it has to feel like one behind the wheel.
The third option available is a much smaller 3.0L Duramax Turbo-Diesel I-6 engine. It has 277 hp, 460 lb-ft of torque, and a towing capacity of 8,000 lbs. However, the Duramax has the best fuel efficiency of all three engine options. It drops a lot of the power in exchange for above-average gas mileage. Coming in at an astounding EPA-estimated 21 MPG in the city and 27 MPG on the highway, this engine gets about the same gas mileage as a standard sedan. For those who expect to do a lot of driving in this SUV, the Turbo-Diesel is going to save a ton of money by not having to make constant pit stops.
An American Legacy
The 2023 Chevy Suburban is as large as the legacy its previous generations have left behind in the hearts of American drivers. This vehicle is the answer for any large family looking for an SUV that can transport everyone at once. It can carry large groups of people without the fear of everyone being cramped for space and still have plenty of room for luggage and other cargo. With its seats folded, the Suburban becomes a massive cave able to fit large items with ease. While the Suburban has been on the market for over 80 years already, it just keeps getting better.
