CHEVROLET SUBURBAN

The Chevrolet Suburban is a very, very large sport-utility, yet in testing I was amazed to find that it feels smaller than it is.
How so? Well, it has a pretty tight turning circle -- tighter than last year's Suburban and tighter than its rival, the Ford Excursion. And for instance No. 2: it's really quite easy to slide in behind the wheel. 

How did they manage to do that, those crafty engineers re-invented the Suburban for model year 2000? I mean, the new, eight-passenger Suburban's ride height is the same as the old one, with or without four-wheel drive. So drivers do get a commanding view of the road ahead, without being faced with an Everest-like climb go get there. Nifty.

And that's true about so much else about this jumbo truck. Speaking of jumbo, now seems a good time to give you some Suburban numbers: overall length, 5,570 mm./ 219.3; width 200.1 mm./78.8 in.; height 186.1 mm./73.3 in.; curb weight 2,495 kg./5,500 lbs. for the 1500 LS four-by-four model). 

What do those numbers mean, when compared to the old Suburban? The 3,302 wheelbase (130-in.) is almost four centimetres shorter (1.5 in.) than the '99 model and overall length is a tad shorter, too. 

Still, Virginia, this is a big truck, though manageable and refined for what it is. That's much like the Silverado pickup from which it borrows its basic frame and powertrain combinations. 

And like the Silverado introduced two years ago, the new Suburban has more power than the previous version, along with a bigger cabin, outstanding seats and all sorts of thoughtful touches to make sport-ute life easier.

What do I mean by thoughtful? How about optional traction control for rear-wheel-drive models, to make winter driving safer. Or what about a keyless remote that when punched activates little lights at the base of the side mirrors. At night, this provides for welcome illumination at your feet around the door. Nice touch. Oh, and the brakes now boast a disc at each corner and they 
WILL NOT wilt in the face of heavy hauling.

Now I can't say the Suburban drives like a full-size sedan, but as trucks go it's something of a revelation. The most comfortable Suburbans I've tested (and I've driven quite a few) were 1500 models (the sport-ute equivalent of a half-ton pickup) equipped with the optional Premium Ride shock absorbers and the more comfortable five-link rear axle design with coil springs. 

Move up to the 2500 heavy-duty Suburban and you get rear leaf springs that do a good job of supporting hefty loads, but a are much less comfortable -- especially so when running empty. Of course, 2500-series Suburbans are aimed at people who tow huge trailers; they're not designed for everyday grocery-getting.

Truth be told, neither are 1500-series Suburbans. While this is no lumbering, ungainly truck, it is still a handful to park at the average shopping mall. If you try, look for two empty spaces side-by-side.

Where the Suburban stumbles a bit, in my view, is in styling. If you're not a truck afficionado, the '00 Suburban is easy to mistake for the '99 model. GM officials insist that their buyers are not looking for radical styling. And they won't find it here. I'm told that Suburban buyers are a conservative lot who most value consistency and functionality. 

If so, they'll like what they find inside the '00 model. The cabin has more head, leg, hip and shoulder room than ever. The standard front seats in the $47,000 LS model - with seat-mounted belts for a proper safety fit that also catch your clothing - provide loads of lateral and lumbar support. Move up to the LT model ($54,300) and the seats have better padding everywhere, not to mention being heated and power-operated. Regardless of model, the front seats come fitted with side-impact airbags.
Back in the second row, the standard folding bench (buckets are optional) tips and slides forward for access to the removeable third-row bench. Nice work has been done on the third row bench, too. It comes with small wheels and built-in belts to ease removal. 

Suburbans, GM officials point out, are most often used for long trips carrying (and often towing) a big load. On those trips, my bet is that drivers will like the instrument panel borrowed from the Silverado. It has large, legible gauges that are easy to use. Smooth-operating controls for heating, ventilation and air conditioning are accessible in the in the lower centre of the dash. 
For plugging in phones and other electronic toys, there are up to five power outlets: three in the front, one for back-seat passengers in the back of the front console (for those truck with the front centre console) and one in the cargo area. You'll also find a power lock button located just inside the tailgate. 

Speaking of the tailgate, the LS comes with a split swing-out rear cargo door. Good idea here and a major improvement over the tailgate of the past. How so? Well, now you no longer need to lean across the outstretched bottom half of the tailgate when loading at the rear. 

Finally, power. Both available engines are pushrod V8s, one a 5.3-litre (285 horsepower), the other a 6.0-litre (300 hp.). Their roots can be traced to the current Chevy Corvette, so it's no surprise they offer plenty of giddy-up. 

In either case, the transmission is a four-speed automatic with an available Tow/Haul feature. Tow/Haul? By playing with the electronic controls, the engineers have equipped this transmission with the ability to changes shift patterns slightly on hills or under a heavy load. Tow/Haul also changes shock absorber settings on trucks equipped with the Autoride suspension.
GM, in my view, pretty much "nailed" it with the 2000 Suburban. Yes, the outside styling is pretty dull, but the design inside is first-rate. And it does all the things Suburban buyers expect. No wonder it's selling so well.

2000 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN LS 1500 4X4

Engine: (front engine/rear-, part- and full-time four-wheel drive) 5.3-litre OHV V8; electronic engine management/sequential multi-port fuel injection; 285 hp at 5,200 rpm; torque rated at 325 lbs-ft at 4,000 rpm.
Transmission: four-speed electronically controlled automatic.
Steering: recirculating ball, power assist.
Brakes: front disc\rear drum w/anti-lock.
Tires: P245/75SR16 radials.
Fuel economy: (litres/100 km) 17.1 city/12.5 hwy.
Wheelbase: 3,302 mm (130.0 in.).
Curb weight: 2,495 kg. (5,500 lbs).
GVWR: 3,266 kg (7,200 lbs.)
b: 748 kg. (1,649 lbs.)
Max. trailer weight: 3,992 (8,800 lbs.)
Price (MSRP base): $46,795; freight: $990.
Key standard equipment: side airbags, AC, cruise control, power door locks w/remote, power windows/side mirrors, four power points, AM/FM stereo CD w/9 speakers, cloth seating, front 40-20-40 split bench, seat-mounted safety belts, leather-wrapped steering wheel, four curb lights, mini overhead console, cargo cover and net, cargo tie downs, regular trailering harness, roof rack.
Key options: locking differential ($350), leather seat trim ($2,665), 6-way power front seats ($650), Premium ride suspension ($325), external transmission cooling ($125), electronic climate control ($165), electric sliding sunroof ($1,295), running boards ($425), off-road skid plates ($125).
J.D Power & Associates Initial Quality Ratings (industry average 154 
Chevrolet lineup: 168
Suburban lineup: 174
Consumer Reports predicted reliability: New.
Performance in 0-100 km/h: 10.9 seconds
Safety/security: dual airbags; side airbags; anti-lock braking; four-wheel drive; no rating for headrest effectiveness; anti-theft device; four star/five star rating for driver/passenger crash protection (1999); no available rating for front/rear side impact crash protections; better than average rating for collision claims; average rating for comprehensive claims; average rating for theft claims. 
Warranty:
Basic: three years/60,000 km
Major components: three years/60,000 km.
Rust perforation: six years/160,000 km.
Roadside assistance: three years/60,000 km.
Pros
* Excellent hauling and towing abilities
* Comfortable ride for a big truck
* Powerful engine lineup
* Plenty of nifty features
Cons
* Front passenger footroom still at a premium
* Built-in seatbelts fit well, but catch clothing when getting in