2012 Chevrolet Suburban: What's New

Vehicle Overview

Chevrolet’s Suburban full-size SUV is available in a variety of payload, drivetrain and trim-level configurations, including regular-duty 1500 and heavy-duty 2500 models with either rear- or four-wheel drive. The Suburban can seat up to nine, and its GM sibling is the more upscale GMC Yukon XL. The Suburban competes with other full-size SUVs like the Ford Expedition EL, Nissan Armada and Toyota Sequoia.

New for 2012
LTZ models add a heated leather-wrapped steering wheel and a blind spot warning system while LT versions gain heated seats. The Suburban’s standard electronic stability system now features electronic trailer-sway control and hill start assist. A new stereo with a 30-gigabyte hard drive, navigation, a 7-inch touch-screen, recording capability and a USB port is available.

Exterior
The Suburban is one of the biggest SUVs on the market, with traditional boxy styling. Various options, like fog lights, can dress up the exterior. A variety of wheel sizes are available, with 17-inch wheels standard and 18- or 20-inch wheels optional. An available Z71 off-road package adds underbody skid plates and unique exterior details including color-keyed fender flares and a chrome grille insert. Exterior features include:

• Optional turn-signal display in side mirrors
• Optional power liftgate
• Optional power running boards
• Variety of chrome options, including a custom grille, recovery hooks, door handles and mirror caps

Interior
The Suburban can seat up to nine people in three rows of seats, but that third row doesn’t fold flat into the floor, which can limit storage. Options include a navigation system, a rear entertainment system, automatic climate control, and first- and second-row heated seats. Interior features include: 

• Bluetooth cellphone connectivity with steering-wheel controls
• Optional leather seats
• Optional cooled front seats
• Optional Bose stereo
• Optional remote start
• Optional backup camera
• Optional power-adjustable pedals

Under the Hood
The Suburban’s engines differ depending on whether a regular-duty 1500 or heavy-duty 2500 is selected. The 5.3-liter V-8 in the 1500 can run on regular gas or E85 ethanol and uses Active Fuel Management to shut down cylinders to improve fuel economy. On rear-drive 1500 models, the 5.3-liter V-8 has an iron block; on four-wheel-drive models, it has an aluminum block. Suburban 2500 models are powered by a 6.0-liter V-8.

When properly equipped, the Suburban 1500 can tow up to 8,100 pounds and the 2500 can tow up to 9,600 pounds. Both engines team with a standard six-speed automatic transmission. Mechanical features include:

• 320-horsepower, 5.3-liter V-8 with 335 pounds-feet of torque (326 hp and 348 pounds-feet of torque with E85) in 1500 models
• 352-hp, 6.0-liter V-8 with 382 pounds-feet of torque (2500)
• Optional integrated brake controller for electric trailer-brake systems
• Optional heavy-duty trailering package with 3.42 axle ratio
• Optional Autoride suspension
• Z71 off-road package adds 18-inch tires, gas-charged monotube shocks, an automatic-locking rear differential and a high-capacity air cleaner

Safety
Safety features include:

• Standard antilock brakes
• Standard traction control
• Standard electronic stability system
• Standard side curtain airbags for all rows
• Standard side-impact airbags for the front seats
• Optional rear parking sensors