Item: 2020 Chevrolet Suburban
Rating: 3.1
Author: Joel Patel

Overview

The Chevrolet Suburban is due for a complete redesign in 2021. Therefore, the 2020 Chevy Suburban only gets minor changes. We doubt the upcoming model will be any cheaper, but we hope it keeps the current generation’s excellent towing capacity.

For 2020, the Pepperdust Metallic exterior color is no more, and a couple aesthetic packages disappear as well. In their place are new aluminum rim choices.

Choosing Your Chevrolet Suburban

Chevrolet offers the Suburban in three trims: LS, LT, and Premier. Prices run from $52,995 for the LS to $66,795 for the Premier.

Engine Choices

The Chevy Suburban comes with two engines, both large V8s. The smaller of the two comes with a six-speed automatic transmission, while the larger gets a 10-speed. The larger engine is only available on the Premier trim for $5,425. All-wheel drive is a $3,000 option regardless of trim, but it's $3,100 with the larger engine.

Engine Type	Horsepower	Torque	Max Towing	Fuel Economy (Combined)
5.3L V8	355 hp	383 lb-ft	6,300 lbs	18 mpg
6.2L V8	420 hp	460 lb-ft	8,100 lbs	17 mpg

On the highway, the Suburban may improve on those fuel economy numbers. The two engines deactivate half of their cylinders under light loads, which gives them an efficiency boost.

Passenger and Cargo Capacity

The Suburban is among the largest SUVs on the market. It’s a true truck-based SUV, too – no crossover here. Capacity is correspondingly large.

The Suburban can seat up to nine passengers with a front-row bench, which is an option on the base LS that takes $250 off the sticker price because Chevy doesn’t have to put in the seventh airbag. The LT and Premier trims come standard with seating for seven, but a second-row bench is a no-cost option to upgrade passenger capacity to eight.

Even with all three rows in place, the Suburban manages 39.3 cubic feet of cargo space. With the back two rows folded, the Suburban fits 121.7 cubic feet, which is about the best you’ll find short of a van.

Safety Features

The base model doesn't get any standard active safety features outside of rear parking sensors. However, moving up to the LT brings standard automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane keeping assist, and lane departure warning. These features are available on the LS through the $695 Enhanced Driver Alert Package.

The Premier adds blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane change alert, and front parking sensors to the list of standard active safety features. These four features are available on the LT, but only as part of expensive packages – buyers have to spend a minimum of $2,860 to unlock them.

The NHTSA gave the Suburban four out of five stars for its overall safety rating, but notes that the high center of gravity means a higher rollover risk.

Connectivity

An 8-inch infotainment touchscreen comes standard, and the system is compatible with Bluetooth, HD radio, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The range-topping Premier model adds navigation and wireless charging as standard. Navigation is a $495 option on the LT.

LS - From $52,995

The LS comes with cloth upholstery, but it does get three-zone automatic climate control, keyless entry, remote start, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and rain-sensing windshield wipers. It comes standard with 18-inch rims, but buyers can option up to blingy 22-inchers ($2,995).

Being the base model doesn’t hinder the Suburban LS' towing capacity, but to get the max payload, buyers need to add the Max Trailering Package ($580).

LT - From $57,795

The LT occupies the Goldilocks position in the range and adds some welcome upgrades. Leather upholstery is standard alongside a nine-speaker Bose audio system, a power tailgate, memory settings, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror.

A power sunroof is available in the awkwardly named Sun, Entertainment and Destinations Package ($3,530), which also includes navigation and a rear-seat Blu-ray entertainment system. The full range of active safety features are hidden away in the Luxury Package ($2,860) alongside push button start, a hands-free liftgate, and more.

Premier - From $66,795

Topping the lineup is the Suburban Premier, with prices that can run perilously close to Escalade territory. For the money, buyers get 20-inch wheels, HID headlights, fog lights, perforated leather seat trim, heated and ventilated front seats, heated second row outboard seats, and a heated steering wheel. Convenience is enhanced with power second-row bucket seats, a power-folding third-row bench, and the hands-free liftgate.

The best package deal lies in the 6.2L Performance Package ($5,390), which gets buyers the larger engine, a head-up display, and the rear seat entertainment system. The same bundle is available with a sunroof for $6,775.

Compare Suburban Trims Side-By-Side

CarsDirect Tip

The LT trim is the best value of the 2020 Chevrolet Suburban lineup. It gets leather seats and several standard active safety features, along with enough customization to suit a wide range of buyers.

Willis Kuelthau

Automotive Editor - September 04, 2019

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Expert Review

Pros

Impressive V8s
Spacious cargo area
Car-like cabin

Cons

Skimpy standard safety
Massive footprint
Expensive

Expert Rating

3.1 (Good)

Our expert ratings are based on seven comprehensive criteria: quality, safety, comfort, performance, fuel economy, reliability history and value.

You can interpret our ratings in the following way:

: Outstanding vehicle. Only the most exceptional vehicles achieve this rating.

: Very Good vehicle. Very good and close to being the best vehicle in its class.

: Good vehicle. Decent, but not quite the best. Often affordable, but lacking key features found in vehicles of the same class.

: Below average vehicle. Not recommended, and lacking attributes a car buyer would come to expect for the price.

: Poor vehicle. Simply does not deserve to be on the road.

Joel Patel

Automotive Editor - January 23, 2020

Room for everyone. The 2020 Chevrolet Suburban’s main job is to haul people and things, and it does its job well. The large SUV has seating for up to nine thanks to three bench seats. The Suburban also offers consumers with flexible seating options with seating for eight or seven.

With available leather upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, tri-zone climate control, power second-row bucket seats, and heated second-row seats, the Suburban is capable of coddling passengers in upscale niceties, too.

When it comes to cargo space, the Suburban leads the class. It's capable of holding up to 121.7 cubic feet of cargo. Behind the second row, the SUV has 76.7 cubic feet of space, which shrinks to an impressive 39.3 cubic feet of space behind the third row.

If the Suburban's cargo space isn’t enough, it has plenty of storage bins throughout the cabin, including a nifty hidden storage space underneath the cargo floor.

Immensely powerful V8 engines. With a curb weight of roughly 5,500 pounds, the Suburban needs powerful engines to get it down the road, and it has them. The base engine is a 5.3-liter V8 that produces 355 horsepower of torque. A 6.2-liter V8 is available on the range-topping Premier trim that’s rated at 420 hp.

With a towing capacity of up to 8,300 pounds, the Suburban is one of the few vehicles on the road that can carry an entire family and tow large cargo.

Versatile, helpful features. With a starting price tag of $52,995, the Suburban isn’t exactly cheap, but it does come with a good list of standard equipment.

The base LS trim comes with an 8-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, multiple USB ports, a six-speaker audio system, and wi-fi hot spot capability. It’s a strong list of standard features that make the base trim attractive.

Chevrolet Suburban

Terrible, behind-the-times fuel economy. Because of its large size and enormous V8 engines, the Suburban is far from efficient. The best it can get is up to 18 miles per gallon combined, according to the EPA.

That figure is for the base engine with rear-wheel drive. Going with the available 6.2-liter V8 and four-wheel drive, the Suburban is rated to get 16 mpg combined.

Even for the large SUV segment, which has seen some options move to smaller, turbocharged engines, the Suburban’s fuel economy is lackluster at best.

Very little standard safety features. If there’s one area where the Suburban really shows its age, it’s when it comes to standard safety features. With only rear parking sensors to show, it's well behind the times compared to the competition.

Nearly every modern safety feature is optional. Things like automatic emergency braking, lane keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and adaptive cruise control are all available. Unfortunately, a lot of these features are only available through extra-cost packages on the LT trim and above.

Final thoughts. With an all-new version around the corner, the 2020 Chevrolet Suburban is one of the few SUVs on the road that feels more like a pickup truck. For passengers that need to seat up to nine, hold up to 121.7 cubic feet of cargo, and tow up to 8,300 pounds, few options can match it.

Complaining about fuel economy with a vehicle like the Suburban doesn’t make much sense, but it does when the competition has better numbers. For a vehicle that’s all about transporting a lot of people around, it lacks safety features that are found on much more affordable and smaller vehicles.

When it comes to the competition, the Ford Expedition Max is the latest and greatest. While the Expedition Max has less maximum cargo space and seating for up to eight, it has a more powerful turbo V6 engine, much better fuel economy, and a more comfortable ride. The Expedition Max can also up to 9,300 pounds.

For consumers that want unshakable reliability and immense off-roading capability, there’s the Toyota Land Cruiser. Much, much more expensive than the Suburban, the Land Cruiser has a luxurious ride, a more powerful V8, nicer interior materials, and more standard safety features. The Land Cruiser can’t match the Suburban when it comes to cargo space, however.

Check prices for the 2020 Chevrolet Suburban »

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Specs & Features

Highlights

Overall Crash Safety Rating

Engine - Cylinders/Horsepower/Torque

5.3L V-8 / 355 HP / 383 ft.lbs.

Transmission

6-spd sequential shift control auto w/OD

Drive Type

Rear-wheel

Fuel Economy - City/Highway/Combined

15 / 22 / 18 Mpg

Passenger Capacity

8 / 9

Bumper to Bumper Warranty

36 Months / 36,000 Miles

Mechanical Specs

Engine - Cylinders/Horsepower/Torque	5.3L V-8 / 355 HP / 383 ft.lbs.
Drive Type	Rear-wheel
Fuel Economy - City/Hwy/Combined	15 / 22 / 18 Mpg
Brakes	4-wheel Disc / Brembo 4-wheel Disc
Front Suspension	Short And Long Arm
Rear Suspension	Rigid Axle Multi-link
Spare Tire And Wheel	Full-size Steel / Full-size
Fuel Tank	31.0 Gal.
Recommended Fuel Type	Regular Unleaded
Average Cost To Fill Tank	$119

Dimensions & Capabilities

Maximum Cargo Volume	121.7 Cu.ft.
Passenger Volume
Exterior Length	224.4 "
Exterior Width	80.5 "
Exterior Height	74.4 "
Front Headroom	42.8 "
Rear Headroom	39.1 "
Front Legroom	45.3 "
Rear Legroom	39.7 "
Front Shoulder Room	64.8 "
Rear Shoulder Room	65.1 "
Front Hip Room
Rear Hip Room
Curb Weight	5,586 Lbs.
Wheel Base	130 "
Turning Radius	21.5 '

Exterior Features

Door Count	4 Doors
Wheels	18.0 " Polished Aluminum / 20.0 " Polished Aluminum / 17.0 " Silver Styled Steel / 22.0 " Black Aluminum / 22.0 " Machined W/painted Accents Aluminum / 22.0 " Silver Aluminum
Paint	Clearcoat Monotone / Metallic Monotone
Exterior Mirrors	Dual Power Remote Heated, Convex Spotter Driver
Bumpers	Body-colored / Front Body-colored With 2 Front Tow Hook(s) / Black
Grille Moldings	Black W/chrome Surround / Chrome
Rear Spoiler	Lip
Exhaust	Stainless Steel / Stainless Steel With Polished Tailpipe Finish

Interior Features

Seating

Passenger Capacity	8 / 9
Seat Trim	Cloth
Front Seat Type	Bucket / 40-20-40 Split-bench
Heated Front Seats
Front Driver Seat Direction Controls	(8-way Power)
Front Passenger Seat Direction Controls	(4-way Power)
Front Armrests	(8-way Power)
Rear Armrests	Center
Rear Seats	60-40 Split-bench

Radio & Infotainment

Radio	Siriusxm Am/fm/hd/satellite, Clock, Seek-scan / Siriusxm Am/fm/hd/satellite, Seek-scan / Am/fm/hd, Seek-scan
Speakers	6
Radio Steering Wheel Controls
Apple Car Play
Android Auto
Bluetooth w/ Hands-Free Connectivity

Convenience Features

Steering Wheel Type	Tilt
Climate Control	Automatic Air Conditioning
Cruise Control	With Steering Wheel Controls
Sun Roof
Rearview Mirror	Day-night
One Touch Open Window	Front And Rear
Tinted Windows	Deep
Vanity Mirrors	Dual Illuminated
Remote Keyless Entry	Keyfob (all Doors)
Power Outlets	5

Safety Features

Overall Crash Safety Rating
Overall Front Crash Safety Rating
Overall Side Crash Safety Rating
Rollover Crash Safety Rating
Front Impact Airbags	Driver And Passenger
Driver Side Impact Airbags	Seat Mounted
Knee Airbag
Passenger Side Impact Airbag	Seat Mounted
Rear Side Airbag
Seatbelt Pretensioners	Front
Anti-Lock Brakes	4-wheel Anti-lock Brakes (abs)
Forward Collision Warning	Forward Collision Alert With Automatic Emergency Braking Forward Collision Mitigation
Blind Spot Sensor
Lane Departure Warning	Lane Keep Assist With Lane Departure Warning Lane Departure
Autonomous Cruise Control
Pedestrian Detection
Driver Attention Alert
Daytime Running Lights
Auto High Beams	Intellibeam Auto High-beam
Adaptive Headlights
Parking Sensors	Rear Park Assist Rear
Security Systems	Security System
Panic Alarm
Ignition Disable	Immobilizer

Warranty

Bumper To Bumper Months Miles	36 Months / 36,000 Miles
Major Components Months	60 Months / 60,000 Miles
Included Maintenance Months	12 Months / Unlimited Miles
Roadside Assistance Months	60 Months / 60,000 Miles
Corrosion Perforation	72 Months / 100,000 Miles
Accessories Months

Used 2020 Chevrolet Suburban for Sale

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