2021 Chevrolet Suburban

Overview

Chevy totally reinvents its oldest nameplate with the all-new 2021 Suburban—and it's bigger and better than ever, which earned it an Editors' Choice award. It shares a lot with the redesigned Chevy Tahoe; however, its extra length and newly adopted independent rear suspension bring more cargo and third-row space. Those traits make the 'Burban the biggest SUV to wear a bowtie, and a serious competitor to enormous alternatives such as the Ford Expedition Max. In addition to its familiar V-8 engines, the Chevy now includes a diesel option with loads of torque. Of course, it also offers an abundance of obligatory equipment such as contemporary driver assists and countless infotainment features.

What's New for 2021?

The 2021 Suburban introduces an all-new generation that features significant improvements. The most notable update is the SUV's first-ever independent rear suspension. This allows much better interior packaging that frees up room in the cargo area and third row. The Suburban is also longer than before and outfitted with more technology than ever. This includes first-time equipment such as an air suspension and a downsized Duramax diesel engine.

Pricing and Which One to Buy

Engine, Transmission, and Performance

A pair of V-8s and a diesel six-cylinder complete the Suburban's engine lineup. All of them hook up to a 10-speed automatic transmission and either rear- or all-wheel drive. A 355-hp 5.3-liter V-8 is the default engine on all but the top-tier High Country model. It gets a standard 420-hp 6.2-liter V-8, but it also can be equipped with the optional diesel 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine. While the latter only pumps out 277 horses, its 460 lb-ft of torque ties that of the bigger V-8. The 2021 Suburban also can be fitted with adaptive dampers and an adjustable air suspension. The latter allows the Suburban's ride height to be automatically and manually lowered or raised. This enables improved passenger accessibility, aerodynamics, and ground clearance. Those looking for sporty styling such as blacked-out exterior trim and 22-inch wheels should see the RST model. The more rugged-looking Z71 trim level has 20-inch wheels wrapped with all-terrain tires, underbody skid plates, and a two-speed transfer case that provides traditional four-wheel drive.

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Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG

According to the EPA, the larger Suburban will offer the same fuel economy numbers as the shorter Tahoe, with the 5.3-liter V-8 earning ratings of 16 mpg city, 20 mpg highway, and 18 mpg combined. Stepping up to the 6.2-liter V-8 drops fuel economy only slightly, to 15 mpg city, 20 mpg highway, and 17 mpg combined in rear-wheel drive examples. The optional diesel engine will still likely be the thriftiest, but the EPA hasn't released estimates for that engine yet. Both gas-only powertrains employ fuel-saving technology that includes auto stop/start and cylinder deactivation. Once we're able to test the all-new Suburban models on our 200-mile highway route, we can evaluate their real-world mpg.

Interior, Comfort, and Cargo

Compared with its predecessor, the all-new 2021 Suburban's cargo and passenger space is notably larger. Its second and third rows have a couple more inches of legroom, and the second-row seats add adjustments so they can now slide fore and aft. The Suburban's cargo area also expands by 23 cubic feet (145 total); the load floor is flatter and lower, courtesy of the Suburban's new design and independent rear suspension. Most of its popular options such as wireless phone charging as well as heated and ventilated seats were previously available, but its head-up display and digital gauge-cluster display are bigger than before.

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Infotainment and Connectivity

Transporting modern families also requires entertaining them, and the 2021 Suburban has no shortage of infotainment and connectivity features. Along with an optional rear-seat entertainment system that includes two 12.6-inch screens mounted behind the front seats, every model has copious charging ports throughout the cabin and a Wi-Fi hotspot. Likewise, a standard 10-inch touchscreen is fitted into the center stack and supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability.

Safety and Driver-Assistance Features

The 2021 Suburban features an array of contemporary driver-assistance technologies as well as innovative assists for towing. For more information about its crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites. Key safety features include:

• Standard forward-collision warning and automated emergency braking
• Available blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert
• Available lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist

Warranty and Maintenance Coverage

Chevy provides a competitive limited and powertrain warranty as well as more complimentary maintenance than all of its rivals except for Toyota.

• Limited warranty covers three years or 36,000 miles
• Powertrain warranty covers five years or 60,000 miles
• Complimentary maintenance is covered for the first visit

More Features and Specs