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2021 Chevrolet Suburban Road Test and Review

Ron Sessions
by Ron Sessions
March 2, 2021
6 min. Reading Time
2021 Chevrolet Suburban ・  Photo by Ron Sessions

2021 Chevrolet Suburban ・ Photo by Ron Sessions

The Chevrolet Suburban is the granddad of all SUVs, first appearing in 1935 as an oversized station wagon body on a truck chassis. Though rugged, the early Suburbans were hardly built for off-road exploration; four-wheel drive wasn’t even available for the super-sized Chevy utility until the 1960s.

The redesigned 2021 Chevrolet Suburban is one of a handful of jumbo-sized SUVs that can comfortably carry seven to nine passengers and all of their luggage, and tow a trailer weighing more than 8,000 pounds. It’s available with rear- or four-wheel drive and shares its layout and most of its under-the-skin components with the GMC Yukon XL and Cadillac Escalade ESV. The Suburban’s principal competitor is the long-wheelbase Ford Expedition Max. For 2021, the Suburban is slightly longer, taller, and wider than previous versions. The new model receives improvements in ride quality and third-row-seat room, and it expands infotainment, safety, and driver-assistive technology. The 2021 Suburban lineup consists of the base LS, volume-leading LT, well-equipped Premier, sporty-looking RST, off-road-enhanced Z71, and top-of-the-line High Country. Including the $1,295 destination charge, rear-wheel-drive 2021 Suburbans are priced starting from $52,995 and topping out at $73,595. Four-wheel drive versions cost $3,000 more except for the Z71 which has standard 4WD.

Major Chassis Updates

Looking nearly identical to the 15.7-inch shorter Chevrolet Tahoe, the 2021 Suburban grows in wheelbase and overall length to top that of the Ford Expedition Max, giving it an edge over the jumbo Ford in cargo capacity and overall interior space. The biggest improvement in the new Suburban is the adoption of an independent rear suspension, which dramatically benefits ride quality on rough pavement or uneven surfaces. It also upgrades vehicle dynamics in the areas of stability, steering response, and overall precision.

An air suspension with ride-height adjustment and automatic load-leveling is available for the Z71 and High Country trims. It can lower the ride height by three-quarters of an inch on the highway to improve aerodynamics and fuel efficiency. When in Park, the Suburban can be lowered 2 inches for easier loading and unloading. Ride height can also be increased up to 2 inches to increase ground clearance for off-road operation. The available Magnetic Ride Control suspension “reads” the road surface and adjusts each shock absorber individually for the optimum balance of body control and ride quality. Already in use in the new Corvette and various Cadillac models, it is standard on the High Country and Premier and optional on the Z71.

 Photo by Ron Sessions

Photo by Ron Sessions

Under the Hood

Buyers can choose from three available engines to power the 2021 Chevrolet Suburban. The popular and well-proven 5.3-liter and 6.2-liter small-block gas V8s used in previous years return, and there is an all-new 3.0-liter turbodiesel six-cylinder, which we have covered in a separate review. Each engine is paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission, co-developed with Ford.

Standard fare in all Suburban trims except the top-of-the-line High Country model is the direct-injected 5.3-liter V8. It’s rated at 355 horsepower and 383 lb-ft of torque. With this engine, the near 6,000-lb Suburban can accelerate to 60 mph in just over 7 seconds. EPA fuel-economy estimates are 16 mpg city/20 mpg highway/18 mpg combined for rear-wheel-drive models and 1 mpg less with four-wheel drive. Moving up to the High Country nets the more potent 6.2-liter V8 with 420 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque on tap. The larger gas V8 can muscle the Suburban from zero to 60 mph in just over 6 seconds flat. EPA estimates for rear-drive versions are 15 mpg city/20 mpg highway/17 mpg combined, while 4WD again costs 1 mpg. V8-powered Suburbans can tow between 7,500 and 8,300 pounds, depending on equipment. 

 Photo by Ron Sessions

Photo by Ron Sessions

Push-Button Shifter

One big change for the new Suburban is how the driver changes gears. Instead of the traditional steering column shifter, the big Chevy sports a set of dash-mounted buttons to the left of the infotainment screen. General Motors' GMC brand has been doing this on new models for several years, and the latest Chevrolet Corvette uses a push-button shifter as well.

The buttons are large and easy for the driver to reach without leaning forward. To minimize confusion when shifting from one drive range to another in a hurry, the driver pushes the Park or Neutral buttons and pulls up on the Drive or Reverse ones. For manual shift control in slippery winter weather, on twisty mountain roads, or when towing, the driver pushes the “L” button for transmission Low, while the plus and minus buttons flanking it can perform transmission upshifts or downshifts.

 Photo by Ron Sessions

Photo by Ron Sessions

Huge Interior

The 2021 Suburban coddles up to nine passengers with comfort and plenty of spread-out space. The big Chevy’s cabin is exceptionally quiet with minimal road, engine, traffic, and ambient noise. Up front, large and comfortable power-assisted front bucket seats are good for all-day drives. While not fancy, the fit and finish of the dash, seats, center console, and door trim appear to be up to the task of providing years of service. There are lots of buttons, but what’s there is well laid-out and easy to access. Storage is generous, too.

Cloth covers the seats of the base LS model, while the LT, RST, and Z71 gain leather coverings and the Premier and High Country upgrade to buttery perforated leather. The front seats are heated in lower trims, with Premier and High Country adding seat ventilation as well as a heated steering wheel. Buyers looking for nine-passenger seating can replace the front buckets with a 60/40 front bench. Other standard interior niceties on all Suburban trims include a tri-zone automatic climate control system, a leather-wrapped tilt/telescopic steering wheel, push-button starting, rain-sensing wipers, keyless entry, and remote start. A power tilt/telescopic steering wheel is included with Premier and High Country trims. A panoramic sunroof is optional.

 Photo by Ron Sessions

Photo by Ron Sessions

Infotainment System

Replacing the 8-inch infotainment display in last year’s Suburban is a dash-top, 10.2-inch, horizontal-format touchscreen. The high-resolution screen is easy to read with large onscreen tiles and vibrant colors. Below the screen are familiar analog volume and tuning knobs. Voice and steering wheel controls add further flexibility. The Suburban is 4G LTE capable for in-vehicle Wi-Fi.

The new Suburban’s upgrade to wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto cellphone mirroring reduces USB and power-cord clutter and allows Suburban occupants to stash paired phones in briefcases or purses. There’s no shortage of Type A and Type C USB ports for hooking up other devices. LT and higher trims add an oversized wireless charging pad on the console as well. For tunes, base LS Suburbans roll with a six-speaker AM/FM stereo with standard HD radio and SiriusXM with 360L capability. Upgrading to the LT, RST, or Z71 nabs a nine-speaker Bose system. A rich-sounding 10-speaker Bose surround-sound system and embedded navigation come on the Premier and High Country.

 Photo by Ron Sessions

Photo by Ron Sessions

Roomy Second and Third Rows

The Suburban’s 4.1-inch wheelbase stretch for 2021 means there is both expanded legroom for second- and third-row passengers and easier access to the rearmost seats. Longer rear doors in the 2021 model improve ingress and egress for rear-seat passengers. New for 2021, whether the Suburban is equipped with the 60/40 split-folding second-row bench or dual second-row captain’s chairs, either can be adjusted fore and aft up to 5.5 inches. This lets passengers divvy up available legroom between the second and third rows and eases entry through the rear doors into the third row. Second-row legroom is up 2.3 inches this year.

The new Suburban’s third row also gets a boost in legroom — another 2.2 inches — courtesy of the wheelbase stretch. And thanks to the new Suburban’s first-ever independent rear suspension, the cargo area floor is lower, meaning 6-footers seated in the 60/40 split third-row bench don’t have to ride with their knees tucked under their chins. Heated outboard second-row seats are available on top versions of the Suburban.

 Photo by Ron Sessions

Photo by Ron Sessions

Rear Entertainment

New this year is a rear-seat entertainment system with 12.6-inch high-res screens on the back of the front seatbacks to keep the peanut gallery happy. Each screen has its own HDMI input so no two siblings are forced to watch the same content.

Android users can mirror content on the screens from their phones. They can also send navigation points to the main screen up front to help Mom and Dad with their tech challenges as well as share content from one rear screen to another.

 Photo by Ron Sessions

Photo by Ron Sessions

Max Cargo

The new Suburban’s lower cargo floor makes loading and unloading easier. The lower floor and longer cargo bay also make for a huge 41.5 cubic feet space behind the third seat. And with both the second and third rows lowered, cargo space improves by 23 cubic feet to a whopping 144.7 cubic feet. That's also 23.2 cubes more than the Ford Expedition Max. Power-folding third-row seats and power-releasing second-row captain’s chairs available on all but the base LS trim, make configuring the vehicle for cargo duty easy.

Access to the cargo hold is via a hands-free power liftgate on LT and higher trims. With the vehicle remote in your pocket, it will open the liftgate with a foot wave between the rear bumper and a Chevy bowtie logo projected onto the pavement. A cargo management system that can keep items from rolling around back there is standard. An available rear cargo shade accessory can keep valuables out of view and protected from the hot summer sun.

 Photo by Ron Sessions

Photo by Ron Sessions

Safety and Driver Assistance

As is the trend with family vehicles, the new Suburban comes with an expanded suite of safety and driver-assistive technology. Standard equipment on all Suburban models includes automatic emergency braking, front pedestrian braking, a forward collision alert, rear parking sensors, automatic high beams, a following-distance indicator, and a high-definition backup camera with multiple angles and hitch guidance. There is also a rear-seat reminder that alerts the driver to check the back seat for a child or pet left behind if a rear door has been opened since the engine was last started.

The Premier trim adds a lane-departure warning, lane change assist, a rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring for the vehicle and a trailer, and front parking sensors. Also standard with Premier is a "safety alert seat" that buzzes the driver’s lower seat cushion in the direction of a possible threat. The High Country provides a 360-degree surround-view camera, a large head-up display in the lower part of the windshield for key driving information, a rear pedestrian alert, and a rear camera mirror that gives a view out the back window unobstructed by rear headrests or passengers. Adaptive cruise control is optional only with the Premier and High Country trims.

 Photo by Ron Sessions

Photo by Ron Sessions

Better Than Ever

Currently the big kahuna among jumbo SUVs, the 2021 Chevrolet Suburban offers more passenger and cargo space than is available from any competitor.

While there are rumors Toyota may enter this segment when it significantly updates its three-row full-size Sequoia in a year or two, in the meantime, the Suburban continues to be the sales leader in the segment it created 85 years ago. For 2021, Chevrolet addresses previous shortcomings while upping the ante with greatly improved ride and handling, easier loading, and a plethora of advanced safety and infotainment features. At 18.8 feet nose to tail, the new Suburban is a roomy rig, but before taking one home, check if there is room for it in your garage.

 Photo by Ron Sessions

Photo by Ron Sessions


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