2015 Chevrolet Suburban 1500

2015 Suburban 1500 Photos
The Chevrolet Suburban holds title as America's oldest continuously sustained nameplate, a legacy that dates to 1935, suggesting that the basic idea, a big family hauler capable of seating eight or nine passengers, hauling lots of cargo, towing substantial loads, or combinations of all three, has made sense to a lot of buyers for a long time.

This is the 12th chapter in the ongoing story, a makeover that Chevrolet characterizes as all-new. However, just new seems a little more accurate. The foundation, an updated version of the rugged GM 900 truck frame (the Suburban has always been a body-on-frame design), is basically the same one that supported the 11th generation, and chassis and body dimensions are essentially the same.

On the other hand, the sheetmetal, with a distinctive character line running the length of the body just below the greenhouse, is all new. So is the interior. So is the 5.3-liter V8 EcoTec3 engine, although the specs may not reflect this at a glance. Same bore, same stroke, same displacement, and those bore centers date all the way back to the small-block Chevy V8 of 1955. They seem to have become as inviolable as holy scripture at General Motors powertrain engineering.

But this is a much different 5.3-liter V8, with a new aluminum block, new aluminum cylinder heads, new crankshaft, new pistons, higher compression ratio, direct fuel injection. More power: 355 horsepower (380 hp on E85 fuel) versus 320 in the previous version, 383 pound-feet of torque (416 lb.-ft. on E85), enough grunt for a towing capacity of 8000 pounds with four-wheel drive, 8300 pounds with 2WD.

More impressive, there's improved fuel efficiency to go with the increased thrust: 15/22 mpg City/Highway with 4WD, according to the EPA, 16/23 mpg for rear-wheel-drive versions. Pretty impressive for an engine configuration, pushrod-activated overhead valves, that pre-dates World War I.

Equally impressive is how well the new Suburban comports itself on the road. We hear the term car-like driveability in connection with a lot of crossover SUVs, but it's a non-sequitur with vehicles in this size class. Still, the Suburban is gratifyingly prompt in its responses, an active safety plus for a vehicle that's likely to be loaded with kids, and it's a smooth operator in terms of ride quality.

The new skin isn't exactly head-turning, it's hard to make a big two-box truck look like anything but a big two-box truck, but there are enough styling tweaks to differentiate it from generation 11, it's unmistakably Chevy, and aerodynamic efficiency has been improved. Aerodynamic efficiency isn't a concept we associate with a vehicle that has the contours and dimensions of a small garden shed, but the improvement contributes to fuel economy as well as reduced interior noise levels. Much reduced.

There are elements that could be even better. For example, though the new 5.3-liter V8 is robust, there's a senior member of the EcoTec3 family, 6.2 liters, substantially more power, but even though it's an option in the Chevy Silverado, it's not …
Full Review

The Chevrolet Suburban holds title as America's oldest continuously sustained nameplate, a legacy that dates to 1935, suggesting that the basic idea, a big family hauler capable of seating eight or nine passengers, hauling lots of cargo, towing substantial loads, or combinations of all three, has made sense to a lot of buyers for a long time.

This is the 12th chapter in the ongoing story, a makeover that Chevrolet characterizes as all-new. However, just new seems a little more accurate. The foundation, an updated version of the rugged GM 900 truck frame (the Suburban has always been a body-on-frame design), is basically the same one that supported the 11th generation, and chassis and body dimensions are essentially the same.

On the other hand, the sheetmetal, with a distinctive character line running the length of the body just below the greenhouse, is all new. So is the interior. So is the 5.3-liter V8 EcoTec3 engine, although the specs may not reflect this at a glance. Same bore, same stroke, same displacement, and those bore centers date all the way back to the small-block Chevy V8 of 1955. They seem to have become as inviolable as holy scripture at General Motors powertrain engineering.

But this is a much different 5.3-liter V8, with a new aluminum block, new aluminum cylinder heads, new crankshaft, new pistons, higher compression ratio, direct fuel injection. More power: 355 horsepower (380 hp on E85 fuel) versus 320 in the previous version, 383 pound-feet of torque (416 lb.-ft. on E85), enough grunt for a towing capacity of 8000 pounds with four-wheel drive, 8300 pounds with 2WD.

More impressive, there's improved fuel efficiency to go with the increased thrust: 15/22 mpg City/Highway with 4WD, according to the EPA, 16/23 mpg for rear-wheel-drive versions. Pretty impressive for an engine configuration, pushrod-activated overhead valves, that pre-dates World War I.

Equally impressive is how well the new Suburban comports itself on the road. We hear the term car-like driveability in connection with a lot of crossover SUVs, but it's a non-sequitur with vehicles in this size class. Still, the Suburban is gratifyingly prompt in its responses, an active safety plus for a vehicle that's likely to be loaded with kids, and it's a smooth operator in terms of ride quality.

The new skin isn't exactly head-turning, it's hard to make a big two-box truck look like anything but a big two-box truck, but there are enough styling tweaks to differentiate it from generation 11, it's unmistakably Chevy, and aerodynamic efficiency has been improved. Aerodynamic efficiency isn't a concept we associate with a vehicle that has the contours and dimensions of a small garden shed, but the improvement contributes to fuel economy as well as reduced interior noise levels. Much reduced.

There are elements that could be even better. For example, though the new 5.3-liter V8 is robust, there's a senior member of the EcoTec3 family, 6.2 liters, substantially more power, but even though it's an option in the Chevy Silverado, it's not …
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Retail Price

$49,000 - $66,785 MSRP / Window Sticker Price
Engine 5.3L V-8
MPG Up to 16 city / 23 highway
Seating 8 Passengers
Transmission 6-spd auto w/OD
Power 355 @ 5600 rpm
Drivetrain four-wheel, rear-wheel
Curb Weight 5,546 - 5,775 lbs
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