Suburban gains sophisticated handling for ’03
If you have thick skin and deep pockets, you’ll find the 2003 Chevrolet Suburban more pleasant than many of the other sport utility vehicles on the market.
It offers a smooth, sedan-like ride and rather agile handling for a vehicle so big -- except when you have to pull into that tight spot in the parking lot.
The three-quarter-ton Suburban 2500 offers Quadrasteer, a four-wheel-steering system in which the rear wheels turn independently of those in front to allow the vehicle to make tighter maneuvers. With it, you can whip a Suburban into and out of the stall in the mall lot as if piloting a Malibu.
But the version we tested was the half-ton 1500, which does not come with Quadrasteer. At the mall, getting into or out of the parking space is like piloting, well, a Suburban.
“After we get more consumers aware of what four-wheel steering does, we’ll consider it for the smaller 1500 Suburban,” said Rick Scheidt, marketing director of full-size trucks for Chevy.
Even with Quadrasteer, Chevy goofed by trying to recapture its investment too quickly.
“We priced it at $4,900. We’ll offer a $2,000 incentive on Quadrasteer through the end of the ’03 model year,” Scheidt said, “and then decide how to handle it for ’04.”
But the 1500 Suburban does benefit from StabiliTrak, offered for the first time when buyers choose the base 5.3-liter V-8 engine and not only the optional 6.0-liter or 8.1-liter V-8s.
StabiliTrak maximizes handling on all road surfaces. It uses sensors to monitor intended vehicle path, steering angle, brake pressure, acceleration rates and lateral movement to automatically employ anti-lock brakes, traction control or engine torque adjustment when wheel slippage or loss of traction is detected.
This feature allows the driver to continue to steer the vehicle along its intended path. Then again, most motorists will probably credit their driving skills, not the sophisticated electronics, for being spared slipping and sliding.
Our Suburban also came with Autoride, an $875 option that automatically controls shock damping to help smooth irregular road surfaces and take the bounce out of being big.
Also new for ’03 are optional power adjustable pedals that make the Suburban a one-size-fits-all vehicle. Press a button on the driver’s door and the brake and gas pedals motor closer to, or farther from, the driver. Short folk no longer have to move the seat toward the steering column to reach the pedals.
Owners didn’t necessarily ask for large red arrows in the outside mirrors to blink whenever they use the turn indicators. But they got them anyway, and this is a nice feature to have.
The new passenger-sensing air-bag system is noteworthy too. A message light on the inside mirror tells whether the passenger bag is activated when a person is in the seat or deactivated when the seat is empty or (based on weight) holding a child or child safety seat -- even though, as we know, kids belong strapped in back. If an adult is in the seat, the bag will deploy, though at reduced force when sensors detect that it is a low-speed impact. This is what is meant by “smart” bag.
By the way, we took the Suburban to Detroit and pressed the OnStar button for help when unsure of how to get to a meeting. In seconds a voice from OnStar headquarters detailed the route and miles left to be traveled and saved us from having to find, and then stop to ask directions at, a gas station.
Appreciated options are the DVD entertainment system ($1,295) so the kids in back can watch “Wiggles” on the screen while Mom and Dad listen to the comedy channel or ‘60s music on the XM radio ($325) upfront. These systems make long trips seem like short jaunts, though after about the 27th viewing of the same “Wiggles” disc, the adults may be the ones asking, “Are we there yet?”
Be advised that XM is a 100-channel satellite system and that there are adult-rated channels, though one can bypass them when kids or the in-laws are in the car.
Drivers also will appreciate the 5.3-liter V-8 for its 285 horsepower and its 325 pound-feet of torque for handling full loads or journeys up steep inclines. But -- please note -- fuel economy of 14 miles per gallon in the city and 18 mpg on the highway is the price you pay.
A gasoline-electric hybrid would help mileage, as would displacement on demand, or DOD, the system GM plans to use soon that will shut off four of the eight cylinders when the truck is cruising. A high-mileage diesel would help the rating too.
“We’re looking at DOD and hybrid power for Suburban for 2005, though the hybrid would be for fleet usage at first,” Scheidt said.
“There’s no diesel for Suburban yet,” he added. “The new Duramax diesel V-8 we get from Isuzu is outstanding and would offer better mileage, but it’s a question of capacity. We added it in our full-size Silverado pickup and went from 2% of the diesel market to 20%. We’re limited by supply. We’re looking at it for Suburban and wouldn’t rule it out in the 1500, but it would be in the 2500 first.”
The Suburban tested also came with Autotrac four-wheel drive. The system has separate two-wheel- or four-wheel-drive “auto” settings. With auto you remain in 2WD until sensors detect the need to engage all four wheels and do so. It’s called a “set and forget” system.
Inside, the Suburban came with three rows of seats that allow for easy access to the third row as well as an ample cargo hold for gear or groceries even when all the rows are full.
The Suburban 1500’s base price is $39,006, which includes four-wheel anti-lock brakes; power windows, locks and driver’s seat; air conditioning; AM-FM stereo with cassette-CD player; rear window defogger; tilt steering; cruise control; side-mounted assist steps; and 16-inch, all-season radial tires.
Options, a ton of them, brought the sticker within sight of $50,000.
