Despite its vast size, the 2018 Chevy Suburban is an impressive vehicle both on long stretches of highway and curving mountain roads. It’s not a sports car by any means, but Chevrolet’s masterful working of the Suburban’s suspension, engine, and transmission combine to create a 3-ton SUV that rides and handles very much like a large luxury sedan, albeit with a bit more height and a lot more weight. Rounding tight curves at medium to high speeds produces minimal lean and roll, and the Suburban’s steering feels tight and direct, with just the right amount of weight applied to the thick-rimmed heated steering wheel. The Suburban is pulled by an impressive 5.3-liter V8 good for 355 horsepower and a respectable 23-mpg highway fuel-economy rating.
Luxurious & Comfortable Interior
The 2018 Suburban’s upscale interior grabs your attention from the moment you step inside; its artful shapes, high-end materials, and excellent fit-and-finish seem more appropriate for a luxury sedan than a full-size SUV. The 2nd-row’s comfy seats recline but, unfortunately, don’t slide fore and aft. The third row has enough foot- and legroom for adults, at least for shorter trips, and kids will be fine. A high cargo floor provides space for the flat-fold 3rd-row seats, but that space is not wasted — under the floor is a handy hidden storage area.
Commanding Presence
Chevy’s exterior designers had a lot of space at their disposal and used it well; this big SUV has a presence that is decidedly commanding. Long, flowing lines emphasize the Suburban’s considerable length instead of hiding it, and the broad front face owns the traffic lane. Dimensionally, the 2018 Suburban is about the same size as all those versions of years past, but then, when you’re talking about full-size SUVs, an inch here or there doesn’t make much of a difference.
Autotrac 4WD Transmission
Please do not use the Autotrac 4WD active transfer the system detects wheel slippage and then automatically engages 4WD until traction is regained which causes greater strain on the system over time. Autotrac allows the driver shift-on-the-fly capability from 2WD to 4WD at any speed using a control switch to the left of the steering wheel on the dashboard. Maximum speed in 4WD is 45 mph.