2024 Chevrolet Suburban Review: Nine-Seater Behemoth

At many a suburban house in the US, you'll find a Chevy Suburban in the driveway, as this nameplate has been a household name here since the '30s. The Suburban is about as big as a house, too, playing in the full-size three-row SUV category populated by its slightly plusher GMC Yukon XL cousin and the Ford Expedition Max. Towering over the average car and at close to 6,000 pounds even before you've loaded it with up to nine people and their luggage, the behemoth needs plenty of power, and it comes in the form of a pair of naturally aspirated V8s with 355 and 420 horsepower, respectively, or a high-torque turbo-diesel six-cylinder with 277 hp. Both RWD and 4WD are offered, and the Suburban majors on space, space, and more space. It's not plush like a Jeep Grand Wagoneer L, but it's tens of thousands of dollars cheaper and makes up for its blue-collar feel with genuine value, starting at under $60k. But a major refresh is on the horizon for next year's Suburban, so should you still consider the 2024 model?

New for 2024

The current 12th-generation Suburban went on sale in the USA four years ago as a 2021 model, so next year has been penciled in for the car's mid-cycle refresh. It follows that the 2024 Suburban cruises on into the current model year totally unchanged, except for a few new paint colors and a higher price. It's quite a substantial $3,600 increase, though, and with a $59,200 starting price, a new Chevrolet Suburban LS base trim with 2WD is now the only configuration in the range that still retails for less than $60k.

2024 Chevrolet Suburban Price: Which One to Buy

The price of the 2024 Chevrolet Suburban LS starts at $59,200. It's followed by the LT at $64,700, the RST at $67,300, the Z71 at $69,300, the Premier at $72,600, and the High Country at $79,400. Adding 4WD to any of the 2WD trims will cost you an additional $3,000.

Upgrading the LS, LT, RST, or Premier to the 3.0L turbo-diesel will cost you $995. The Z71 doesn't get access to the diesel but can be upgraded to the 6.2L V8, as can the RST and Premier. The High Country gets the turbo-diesel engine and can upgrade to the 6.2L V8 only. All prices are MSRP and exclude Chevy's $1,995 destination fee.

The menacing RST looks like good value with its blacked-out styling and full leather, but those big 22-inch wheels add a firmer edge to the ride in a car that should be all about passenger comfort. If you don't mind the more mundane looks of the LT, it's the more comfortable car, and you save $2,600. That money is better spent on the $2,525 Luxury package, which adds driver's memory settings, a power-release and heated second row, a power-fold third row, power-folding mirrors with an auto-dimming driver's mirror, a power-adjustable steering column, and rear cross-traffic alert. If you opt for the RST, add the Magnetic Ride adaptive suspension to restore calm to the ride quality.

Interior and Features

The controls are easy to use, with plenty of physical buttons for regularly used functions and an easy-to-understand dashboard layout.

You don't expect a luxurious cabin made from premium materials at this price, and you don't get it. Build quality is beyond question, and the dashboard is solidly screwed together and rattle-free, but it doesn't feel plush, though the top trims come with genuine leather. The base LS trim is a little bare inside with its cloth upholstery and small displays, but the other trims all get a digital gauge cluster and a large infotainment screen. Some people find the seats a bit flat and unsupportive. There are physical buttons for HVAC and radio that make the Suburban easy to interact with. The impression that overrides all others is, of course, interior space, and the concert hall you'll find in the Suburban will accommodate up to nine people in three rows - while still swallowing more than 40 cubic feet of luggage. With a minimum of eight inches of ground clearance, you step up to board the Suburban, but standard assist steps make it easy. The sheer expanse of the car and the broad rear pillars makes for several blind spots, but at least front and rear parking sensors are standard to ease parking.

Space

The Suburban's wheelbase of 134 inches outstretches everything in this class except its Yukon XL cousin and makes for an overall length of nearly 226 inches, so there is space for a vast cabin within those extremities. Nowhere in any of the three rows does headroom ever drop below 38.2 inches, while the first two rows offer tons of legroom, as well. Even in the third row, you get 36.7 inches of legroom, making that row suitably spacious for adults. All trims have two individual front seats, which makes for a total seating capacity of eight people, but the LS has access to a 40/20/40-split three-seater front bench, increasing seating capacity to nine.

Cargo

Trunk space is vast, with 41.5 cubic feet behind the third row with all passengers in all three rows in place. It only expands from here, increasing to 93.8 cu-ft with the 60/40-split third row folded down. Maximum trunk volume with all three rows stowed comes to a mammoth 144.7 cubes. In the top two trims, you get power operation for the second row's release and the third row's folding functions. A cargo-management system with movable dividers that helps you restrain luggage and other items in the trunk is standard on all trims, and an optional collapsible cargo organizer and vertical cargo net can be added to that. A retractable cargo cover is an option on all trims.

The front cabin's center console contains a huge lidded storage box, a removable organizer tray, a phone rest/wireless charging pad, and dual cupholders. In the top trims, this console features a power-sliding function so you can move it rearward if you want to put larger items between the seats; it also uncovers a hidden storage drawer for smaller items when moved back. You get a glovebox, too, large door pockets with bottle holders, and cupholders for every passenger in every row.

Materials and Colors

The seats of the LS are trimmed in premium cloth, and you get a choice of two color schemes for the cabin environment - Jet Black or Gideon/Very Dark Atmosphere. The LT has access to the same interior colors, but the front seats are trimmed in leather, while the rest of the seats get leatherette. The RST upgrades to full leather upholstery in Jet Black with Victory Red stitching, in keeping with its sporty persona, while the Z71 follows suit but loses the red stitching and reintroduces Gideon/Very Dark Atmosphere as a second option. The Premier's full-leather interior comes in either Jet Black or Jet Black/Maple Suger, while the High Country exchanges the second option for a chocolate-brown Mocha instead. The steering wheel of all trims is trimmed in leatherette.

Features and Infotainment

Standard equipment from LS level includes keyless entry with push-button start, remote start, two 120-V power outlets, a color 4.2-inch driver-information display, illuminated sunvisor mirrors, cloth upholstery, a 10-way power driver's seat, manually folding 60/40-split second and third rows, a manually tilting/telescoping and leatherette-trimmed steering wheel, and tri-zone climate control with rear-seat vents. Higher up the trim tree, the front seats are both power-adjustable and heated, with or without ventilation, and the second row gets heating too. The gauge cluster is upgraded to a 12-inch digital display, leather upholstery becomes standard on the front or all the seats, and the rear rows release and fold electrically.

The infotainment system at LS level is composed of an eight-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth with audio streaming for two devices, voice commands, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, three years of OnStar Remote Access, SiriusXM with 360L and a three-month subscription, two USB ports for each of the seating rows (six in total), Wi-Fi capability, and a six-speaker audio system. The LT gets a larger 10.2-inch touchscreen with navigation, enhanced voice recognition, HD Radio, in-vehicle app capability, a wireless charging pad, and a nine-speaker Bose audio system. The audio system in the Premier is upgraded to a 10-speaker Bose surround-sound setup. A rear-seat entertainment system is a $1,995 option on all trims above the LS and comes with dual 12.6-inch touchscreens, wireless Bluetooth headphones, and two HDMI ports.

Performance

You can either have performance or economy - but not both, though the diesel’s stump-pulling torque is great for towing, even if it won’t get you anywhere in a hurry.

The base Chevrolet Suburban engine is a naturally aspirated 5.3L V8 with 355 hp and 383 lb-ft of torque, but a 6.2L V8 with 420 hp and 460 lb-ft is also available. The third option is a 3.0L inline six-cylinder Duramax turbo-diesel with 277 hp and 460 lb-ft. The 6.2L isn't available at the bottom of the range, and the 5.3L is not available at the top, while the Z71 off-road trim can't be had as a diesel. The drivetrain comprises a 10-speed automatic transmission and either 2WD or 4WD, except on the 4WD-only Z71.

The 6.2L V8 gives the Chevrolet Suburban a 0-60 time in the mid-six-second range and offers the best performance. The 5.3L V8 completes the sprint in around 7.6 seconds, while the diesel takes around 8.5 seconds. Top speed is limited to about 113 mph. Trailering is a strength, with a maximum towing capacity of 8,300 pounds possible in 2WD 5.3L format. Even the 3.0L turbo-diesel with 4WD can tow 7,800 pounds.

Height-adjustable Air Ride air suspension is available on the Z71 and High Country, providing for up to 10 inches of ground clearance and endowing the Z71 with very good off-road ability within the limits of its size and weight, especially when combined with the 4WD versions' two-speed transfer case, which is standard on the Z71 and two top trims. The Suburban's ride quality on the base suspension can be a bit jiggly, letting through some of those telltale ladder-frame shudders on uneven surfaces, though it's never harsh. The Suburban is best experienced with the Magnetic Ride adaptive dampers (standard on the two top trims, optional above the LT) or the optional air suspension, which both smooth out the ride wonderfully and provide exemplary bump absorption.

Fuel Efficiency

The Chevrolet Suburban's mpg figures in gas-powered format are dismal, with the most economical combination being the 2WD 5.3L V8, which returns 15/20/17 mpg on the EPA's city/highway/combined cycles, dropping to 15/18/16 mpg with 4WD. The 6.2L V8 isn't too far behind, returning 14/20/16 mpg with 2WD and 14/18/16 mpg with 4WD. The best gas mileage naturally belongs to the 3.0L turbo-diesel six-cylinder, which can achieve 21/27/23 mpg with 2WD and 20/26/22 mpg with 4WD.

All configurations have the same 28-gallon fuel capacity, and the 2WD diesel gets the farthest on a tank at around 644 miles. The worst - the 6.2L V8 with 4WD - should have a range of around 448 miles.

Safety

The basic driver-assistance suite is fairly comprehensive, and even Super Cruise is available on top trims, but the crash scores could bear improvement.

The NHTSA's safety review of the Chevrolet Suburban saw it coming up a little short with an overall score of four stars out of five and an SUV-typical three stars for the rollover test. The IIHS hasn't tested the Chevy.

The Chevy Safety Assist driver-assistance suite includes front collision alert with pedestrian detection and automatic emergency braking, a following distance indicator, lane departure alert with lane keep assist, and automatic high beams. Other driver assists include hill start assist, cruise control, Hitch Guidance, trailer sway control, front and rear parking sensors, Buckle to Drive, a Teen Driver function, and a rear-seat reminder. To these features, the LT adds an auto-dimming rearview mirror. At Premier level, more driver aids are added, namely an auto-dimming driver's side mirror, lane-change alert with blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, and a vibrating safety-alert seat. The High Country is the only trim to get enhanced automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, a surround-view camera, a camera-based digital rearview mirror, rear pedestrian alert, and a head-up display as part of its expanded driver-assistance suite. Super Cruise hands-free highway driving with automatic lane change is only available optionally on the top two trims.

Reliability

JD Power rates the Chevrolet Suburban's reliability as average, giving it a score of 78 out of 100 for the Quality & Reliability category. At the time of writing, the 2024 model was recall-free, but the 2023 model was recalled for failing suspension bolts and running lights that may not deactivate.

The limited warranty of the 2024 Chevrolet Suburban runs for an unremarkable three years/36,000 miles, but the powertrain warranty is valid for a longer five years/60,000 miles. Chevy also includes the first maintenance visit for free.

Warranty

Design

The Suburban is a small apartment on wheels and its upright, box-like styling speaks of practicality and optimal space utilization, not sleek lines or performance aspirations. Distinguishing LS exterior features include silver 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, DRLs, and taillights, black assist steps, body-color door handles and (heated, power) side mirrors, and bright roof rails. Higher trims add bigger wheels up to 22 inches in size, a hands-free power liftgate, and bright sill plates. The RST has a blacked-out exterior with black trim, wheels, and badging, while the off-road-oriented Z71 has a high-clearance front fascia, red recovery hooks, and a skid plate.

Verdict: Is The 2024 Chevrolet Suburban A Good SUV?

The Suburban offers excellent value with its sub-$60k starting price. You don't get true luxury, and many of the nice-to-have features cost extra, but the Chevy can be forgiven a lot, considering its low price comes with competent handling and very good refinement. The fly in the ointment is the updated 2025 model coming next year, which will benefit from a facelift, get big new digital displays on all trims, and gain a more refined interior, which we hope will also feel more expensive. Prices will increase, but the Suburban will still be far cheaper than premium rivals, promising an even better deal in this price class. We'd rather wait for next year's updated Suburban.