In a world where SUVs are turning into cross-overs, bodies and frames are becoming one, and hybrids and electric motors are replacing good ole’ American powerplants, the 2018 Suburban continues to help this classic truck reign supreme as a defiant Dinosaur. There are no signs of extinction, thanks to the big ‘Burban’s evolved design, performance, style and legend – especially with the introduction of the new Rally Street Truck, which boasts impressive power numbers.
At first look, the new Suburban is massive. Sure, all previous generations were big thumpers compared to any other SUV on the road, but The 2018 model looks like it continues a seemingly never-ending trajectory of growth, literally. The rear window above the quarter panel is about the size of a bay window, while the wheelbase of the mammoth SUV measures a whopping 130”. The new truck is tall, too – at 74”, it’s just a few inches shy of most new pickups. All these cathedral dimensions are for due purpose, though. The Suburban casually fits 8 adults comfortably – no squeezed legs and knees, no elbowing other passengers in the ribs.
Helping to move all those bodies is a 5.3L V8 that unfortunately sports meager EPA ratings: just 22 MPGs highway, and a wallet-crushing 15 MPGs in the city. Of course, investing in a vehicle that’s this extra probably means you’re not worried about pinching pennies at the pump anyway, so it’s a moot point.
What isn’t moot when it comes to value, however, are the luxury components Chevy keeps squeezing into the Suburban. The 2018 model year is so well considered in its cabin and finish that we beg the question, why bother with a new Escalade? While the Cadillac’s interior looks like some sort of strange, leather-clad spaceship cantina, the 2018 Suburban’s interior just looks and feels nice.
Here, there are no strange design elements that look like they belong in a modern art exhibit. The suede leather seating available in the Premium trim is worthy of sleeping on, but it doesn’t feel imposing. The center console is flowing and crisp, with a modern, high-def LCD touch screen that controls every function of comfort. The Suburban’s buttons are all simplistic and modern, too. Dual-zone climate control is standard and the entire thing is wrapped in double-stitched leather accents that again, don’t feel like they’re trying too hard, while still making the cabin feel like it’s giving you a velvety, expensive hug of sorts.
Beyond competing with luxury brands, the 2018 Suburban is getting a very robust – if almost excessive and unnecessary – performance package: The RST. This premium package includes an equally mammoth 6.2L V8, 10-speed transmission, 22” wheels, Borla exhaust, active fuel management and continuously variable timing. MagneRide suspension that normally belongs on the track pack Camaro will be present, too. We’re not quite sure why Chevy would stick this Iron Man rocket booster technology on a land whale, but it’s certainly going to make for a biggest-class SUV that has some getup-and-go.
To be exact, this performance package will afford the 2018 Suburban 420 horses and 460 torques, comparable to the Cadillac’s powertrain. In the end, then, the 2018 Suburban is shaping to be a direct competitor against an old, tired brand of luxury SUV that’s already struggling to stay relevant.
