By Liz Abbe

DISCLAIMER

I am a mini-van gal and have been for about 14 years. I have three sons and I switched from a station wagon to a mini van when the boys started getting bigger. I still remember Leo, aged three or four, when he first got in the van, saying, “Mom, it’s a car with a hallway!” He was right, and I’ve driven the car with the hallway ever since, even though the boys are 20, 17 and 14 now. However, I was happy to check out the Chevy Suburban on a recent trip to Boston.

THE BIG PICTURE

People have strong opinions about Chevy Suburbans. Some people love the whole car-truck combo thing and some people hate the gas guzzling monster truck sensibility. However, there is a practical side to the matter. If you want the versatility to seat up to nine people or have a large, safe and dry cargo area while also having the option and towing power to tow a boat, horse trailer or camper, then the Chevrolet Suburban is a good choice.

AN INSIDE JOB

The 2011 Chevy Suburban is handsome on the inside. It’s up to date, but not space-age looking. In the front are standard bucket seats, however, you can choose between that a split three passenger bench seat in front which is becoming a rare offer. When you add benches for the second and third row, that gives you seating for an impressive nine passengers. The model I tried had the leather buckets in the first and second rows and still felt quite roomy and comfortable. All four can also can be heated or cooled! The third row bench was a little shy on legroom for my gangly teenagers, but it was still workable, best for the young and flexible.

For those times when you really need the space, there’s an impressive 137 cubic feet of cargo space available in back when the second and third row seats are removed. Unfortunately, they don’t fold down into the car as they do in many minivans. The armrests and seat pockets are impressively large and there are cup holders throughout the vehicle. Since this is a car that’s all about schlepping people, the three-zoned special controls for the rear audio sound system and air conditioning are extremely practical.

FAMILY FRIENDLINESS

Chevy Suburban is all about family and nine seats is more than enough for most families and all their related gear. And while that back bench can be a little tight, Chevy has made it easy to access by engineering a second row fold and tumble seat to get back there.

Only available on the more upmarket Chevy Suburban LTZ, your smaller or older folks get a leg up into vehicle by way of power retractable assist steps (with chrome accent strips). They pop out and retract automatically when the door is opened or closed and make it much easier to get in and out of this sized XL car. Even with all the seats in, there was a decent amount of cargo space in the back, so you could still make a trip to the airport or the grocery store with a full house.

SAFETY

Chevrolet is obviously taking safety very seriously with the Suburban. The car is built with an internal steel safety cage and includes six airbags: dual frontal airbags, head curtain side air bags in all rows, and seat mounted side impact air bags in the driver and front passenger seats. In addition, the OnStar system has an Automatic Crash Response feature, which is standard for the first six months. Chevrolet also has something called StabiliTrak, which provides Traction Control and Proactive Roll Avoidance. The car is equipped with rear door child security locks as well.

GIZMOS AND TECH

The Chevrolet Suburban really keeps up with the Jones’ in the technology department. Even the basic Chevrolet Suburban LS comes with a whole bunch of standard features, like USB and auxiliary input jacks, Bluetooth connectivity, audio controls mounted on the steering wheel and OnStar Turn-by-Turn navigation System (in Boston, a MUST!). OnStar is an extremely useful navigation tool with simple buttons to push to find the nearest gas station or restaurant. With OnStar, you can run a remote diagnostic check or summon assistance in an emergency. Of course, you also get the expected turn-by-turn voice directions and map. OnStar also features a mobile app, which gives you the ability to start your vehicle remotely and activate your horn and lights to help you locate the car, among other things. Though we weren’t able to test that app, it sounds pretty cool.

The LT package upgrades include the remote start system, triple zone automatic climate control, which is important if you don’t want your kids to broil or freeze in that back bench, and, for the height-challenged among us, power-adjustable pedals.
The Chevy Suburban LTZ includes a power remote liftgate (always handy if your arms are full) and the rearview camera, which, in this behemoth, are a necessity rather than a luxury item, when it comes to parking in the city! The Chevy Suburban also offers a rear seat DVD entertainment system, SiriusXM Satellite Radio and XM NavTraffic to help you avoid traffic jams. There are plenty of high tech gizmos in this car to keep even the biggest gear head happy!

DRIVING EXPERIENCE

Basically, if you are driving a Chevy Suburban, you are driving a truck. The car is built on a truck frame and it is made to carry or pull extremely large loads up to 8,100 pounds. Keeping that in mind, the ride is comfortable and steady, both in the city and on the highway. It doesn’t drive like a sedan, but you don’t feel like you are driving some bouncy truck, either. It handles well, accelerating smoothly and responsively. The V8 provides plenty of engine for this big vehicle and the six speed automatic transmission provides for a smooth shift. Chevrolet is obviously trying to address the fuel efficiency question with the Suburban’s Active Fuel Management Technology. Basically, what this does is to instruct the engine to cut from using eight cylinders to just four when there is a light load cruising on a level highway. This cylinder deactivation helps to conserve fuel. If more power is needed, all eight cylinders are automatically reengaged.