Chevrolet Suburban looks like an old friend. It was completely redesigned for 2000, which gave it a smoother and more aerodynamic look. Sharp edges were rounded. New headlights gave it a more contemporary appearance. But there is no mistaking the 'burb.Two tailgate configurations are available. The one-piece rear hatch ($250) works best for most families. It's lightweight and can be opened with one hand. Also available are side-by-side cargo doors, which we like because they open wide and allow a closer working position to the cargo area. Cargo doors are also useful when pulling trailers because they will usually clear the trailer tongue jack. We also like them because it's easier to control a dog when opening them. The hinges have been re-engineered to let the doors open wide without having to disconnect the hinges manually. A puddle lamp mounted below the side mirrors shines down to light up the perimeter of the Suburban. It can be turned on using the keyless remote. That makes it a nice feature when approaching the Suburban in a dark parking garage, as it illuminates underneath the vehicle. It can also be used in the backwoods to illuminate mud puddles. Suburban is about 17 inches longer than the Chevy Tahoe and GMC Yukon, and nearly identical to the GMC Yukon XL (which was called the GMC Suburban until recently).
Cleverly designed seating maximizes the hauling potential of the Chevrolet Suburban. The third-row seatback folds down without having to remove the headrests, then the whole thing flips forward to substantially increase cargo capacity. A short prop rod locks it into place. This bench seat can be removed and is mounted on wheels, but it weighs 75 pounds, easiest as a two-person job. After removing the third-row seat, flip the seat bottom of the second row forward, fold the seatback down (no need to remove the headrests), flip the floor extension down and you've got a huge, flat cargo space behind the driver's seat. Loading cargo is easy because there's plenty of space for it. The spare tire has been moved underneath the vehicle to free up rear cargo space.
Optional cloth bucket seats ($1035) in our LS were okay, but didn't offer as much support as we would have liked. LT's leather seats seem more supportive, but there's still room for improvement. The second row is quite comfortable. Headphone jacks (standard on LT, optional on LS) allow rear-seat passengers to listen to CDs while those up front turn on the radio. Sitting in the third row is surprisingly comfortable for an adult; slide your feet under the seat in front of you, and you can ride back there for fairly long distances. Getting back there requires folding and flipping the second-row seat out of the way. Climbing into a Suburban is a challenge for some and running boards make getting in easier. Younger, taller people find it easy. Step-in height is actually lower than before because of the fully boxed frame introduced with the 2000 models. The optional power-adjustable pedals can taxi in 3 inches closer, allowing shorter drivers to sit farther back from the steering wheel and farther away from the airbag, a good thing should it ever deploy. Also new for 2003 are dual-level airbags, which inflate with less force in less forceful collisions. Sensors in the front passenger seat and seat belts also measure the weight and size of the front-seat passenger and, if that passenger is child-size, shut the airbag down completely. |
