2008 Chevy Suburban

Thanks to http://www.chtruckparts.com/chevrolet-blog/category/chevrolet-suburban/ for the picture!


Well, well, well. Okay, I love this thing. It's big, it's everywhere, it's expensive to feed. But I love Suburbans! I learned to drive on the family farm in a big, old, squared-off 1970's model that had been spray-painted camouflage and it was love at first sight.

I'm not going to fill this blog entry with technical specs, which can easily be found on the Chevy website, and vary from model to model. I will, however, provide an honest opinion of the vehicle. I'm not paid to like these cars, remember.

Let's get down to business. Drew and I test drove an LS model, basically the bottom of the line. No frills, but seating for eight, which is something we'd like to have in the future. We cart around our own three kids, plus we have a niece and nephew who are frequently with us on our camping trips, etc. Seating for 9 is available, but, once again, check the manufacturer's website for your options.

So, the ride quality was really nice and it was easy to drive. Not so easy to park, which, you know, you may have to do some day. And forget reaching that sippy cup that your kid threw on the floor and is now leaking milk onto your expensive new Chevy carpet. This thing is huge. However, the space behind the rear seat is a little less than I expected from a vehicle this big. I can't help but compare these vehicles to the decidedly un-cool but amazingly spacious Toyota Sienna that I drive. The rear deck is at a comfortable height for getting groceries in and out, though, and the lift gate is easy to operate--not super heavy. The biggest complaint I have noticed from web forums is that the 2007 and earlier Suburbans had room for a sheet of plywood if you took the seats out. The 2008 model does not. Enough said.

Oh, and getting to that third row seat will be a pain. And, a pet peeve of mine, the third row sits right on the floor of the vehicle and is dismally lacking foot room. It is not a third row for adults. The other issue I have is the LATCH placement. There are only about three locations where LATCH equipped car seats can be anchored. Are you kidding me? People buy Suburbans because they have lots of kids. Helllllooooo GM!!!

Fit and Finish: Well, once again, we are dealing with a GM product. There are body lines and plastic pieces on this brand new vehicle that gap and don't line up properly. If you can ignore that in a $30,000-plus vehicle, then fine. If you can't, well...

In my opinion, for most people, the Suburban doesn't do anything that a nice minivan can't do. Of course, there is a segment of the population that owns boats, horses or both, and has more than three kids. If you have to tow something heavy, and seat more than five or six people, the Suburban is awesome. If not, get a minivan, attach a tow hitch, and enjoy your 20 miles to the gallon.