2007 Chevy Suburban

by Keith Burton

Despite the wildly fluctuation price of gasoline, the popularity of Chevrolet's largest SUV is sure to hold fast, that's because the the Suburban can do what few vehicles can do, and for 2007, the Suburban continues to be a leader in the full size SUV market. Much of the Suburban for '07 is all new with much more refinement than has ever been seen in a Chevy SUV.

The ’07 Suburban is based on GM’s new, full-size SUV architecture, which features sleek exterior styling, a sharper, more precise driving feel, more power with improved fuel economy, increased interior refinement and improved quietness.

Key Points:

1. Among the largest SUVs
2. Much improved styling with wraparound fascias, improved aerodynamics
3. Refined, quiet interior with improved seating comfort, upscale appearance and better materials and fit and finish
4. New, stronger chassis enables smooth ride and handling
5. Despite its size, it is easy to drive with a surprisingly sharp turning radius, nimble feeling
6. Very powerful with the 6.0L V-8 with variable valve timing, as well as Active Fuel Management rated at 352 and 383 lb.-ft. of torque.
7. Four speed automatic, competitors have five or six speed transmissions.
8. Sometimes feels like it is in the wrong gear, used tow-haul mode to add some sprightliness to the transmission.
9. Visibility is generally good
10. Seating comfort is excellent, although steering wheel still angles somewhat.
11. Much improved instrument panel and center cluster with a more attractive night lighting. Gone is the old Chevy olive green lighting.
12. Suburban 1500 offers up to 8,200 pounds (3,720 kg) of towing capability (2WD models), when properly equipped; Suburban 2500 can tow up to 9,700 pounds

The suburban rides on a 130-inch (3,302 mm) wheelbase, which supports generous passenger and cargo capability, while enabling a smooth ride. It also offers a host of new and enhanced safety features, including available head curtain side air bags and standard StabiliTrak stability control system with new rollover mitigation technology.

Suburban is offered in LS, LT and LTZ models, with 2WD and 4WD, as well as 1500 and heavy-duty 2500 series. As mentioned earlier, the Suburban is built on GM’s new full-size SUV platform, which incorporates features such as a new, fully boxed frame, coil-over-shock front suspension, rack-and-pinion steering and an all-new, premium interior system that bolster the vehicle’s comfort, quality and capability. Wider front and rear tracks enhance handling and lower the center of gravity for a more confident road feel.

Extensive attention to detail was paid to ensure a quiet driving experience. It centers on a new, stiffer frame, which reduces vibrations transmitted to the passenger cabin. The strength and accuracy of the fully boxed frame also enables more precise mounting and tuning of chassis and suspension components, which also help reduce vibration. Even the tires on the large, 17-inch standard and 20-inch available wheels were designed to reduce noise.

Over the road, this new chassis stiffness gives the Suburban a surprisingly good ride for a large SUV. It is smooth and steers easily with terrific feel through the steering wheel. The result is that for a large vehicle, it actually drives like a smaller truck. Visibility is excellent, so you can see what is around you, and the dynamic controls of the brakes and the way the engine responds makes this heavy truck feel light on its feet - much better than its competitors such as the Nissan Armada and Ford Expedition.

The new exterior look is also more attractive and the Suburban now has a well-integrated look with a bold grill and stylish quad headlights. Inside, the Suburban features and all new interior that follows the improvements we have seen in other 07 Chevy trucks. The result is a much better looking, and more expensive feeling interior that has more in common with some luxury cars and SUVs than you would expect from a Chevy. Gone are the old interior's mismatched materials, mouse fur headliner and glaring panel gaps. The new dash is well laid out with easy to see gauges and a straight-forward center stack where the truck's accessories are operated.

There is also quite of bit of luxury with our truck, which had an easy to operate navigation system, high-end Bose stereo/CD system and even a DVD player for the rear seat passengers.

Obviously, the Suburban is a major league people hauler with room for adults and all seating positions. A great feature for carpoolers and big families is the electrically operated second row seats, which with the push of a button, tumble forward to make access to the third row seats a snap.

Safety is also greatly improved in the new Suburban. New features include roof-mounted head curtain side air bags with rollover protection for all seating rows and front-seat safety belt pretensioners that are linked to the vehicle's sensing system to provide segment-exclusive deployment in rear-end crashes. These features are integrated into a stronger vehicle structure that is also designed for improved compatibility with other vehicles. The roof-mounted head curtain air bags include design features that provide increased rollover protection and occupant containment. Sensors located at the front of the vehicle, in the side doors, and within the occupant compartment provide increased and more immediate crash detection. The vehicle's sensing system provides segment-exclusive capability to deploy front seat safety belt pretensioners during certain rear-end collisions, enhancing the belt system's ability to hold the occupants firmly in place.

The roof-mounted head curtain side air bag system incorporates one of the segment's first rollover indication sensors, which is located on the vehicle's center tunnel in the occupant compartment. The sensor monitors the vehicle's accelerations and roll rate. If these signals indicate an impending rollover, the roof-mounted head curtain side air bags deploy to provide an extra measure of occupant protection and containment. These rollover-capable head curtain side air bags stay inflated longer than air bags developed only for side impacts because rollover incidents can last longer.

Overall, the 2007 brings to the party great styling, terrific safety and the serious room that a really big full size SUV provides. But the best part is that this latest Suburban is arguably the finest large SUV Chevrolet has ever built. Some people will argue that no manufacturer needs to be building vehicles that get between 12 and 17 miles per gallon, but when you factor in the people the Suburban can carry, the cargo, and towing performance, this is a vehicle where efficiencies are found in what it can do.

SPECIFICATIONS

(See GM of Canada section for Canadian product information.)

Overview

Engines

Transmissions

Chassis/Suspension

Brakes

Wheels/Tires

Dimensions

Exterior

Interior

Capacities

*SAE certified. A new voluntary power and torque certification procedure developed by the SAE Engine Test Code committee was approved March 31, 2005 . This procedure (J2723) ensures fair, accurate ratings for horsepower and torque by allowing manufacturers to certify their engines through third-party witness testing. GM was the first auto manufacturer to begin using the procedure and expects to use it for all newly rated engines in the future.

Note: Information shown is current at time of publication.