{"id":25864,"date":"2020-08-21T11:41:08","date_gmt":"2020-08-21T15:41:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/henrypayne.com\/?p=25864"},"modified":"2020-08-22T11:43:30","modified_gmt":"2020-08-22T15:43:30","slug":"payne-chevy-suburban-takes-the-school-bus-to-another-level","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/2020\/08\/payne-chevy-suburban-takes-the-school-bus-to-another-level","title":{"rendered":"Payne: Chevy Suburban takes the school bus to another level"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"All-new<\/p>\n<\/div>

In the 19th century, huge\u00a0elephants would kneel to pick up Indian maharajas. These royals would ride atop their steeds in gem-flecked carriages called howdahs, decorated with gemstones. In 21st-century America we don\u2019t have royalty.<\/p>\n

But we have howdah-carrying elephants.They\u2019re called Chevy Suburbans.<\/p>\n

I picked up Mrs. Payne for a night out this summer in Chevy\u2019s all-new 2021 model. When we arrived at the Clarkston Union Bar & Kitchen, the elephant \u2014 er, Suburban \u2014 dropped 2 inches to allow for easier egress for my 5\u20195\u201d wife.<\/p>\n

Thank an all-new air suspension, part of a comprehensive remake of one of the bowtie brand\u2019s most beloved vehicles.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n
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The Suburban is the stretched version of the Tahoe, the Brobdingnagian mega-utes based on the same truck platform as the mega-selling Chevy Silverado. Sister brand GMC has its own version called the Yukon, while crosstown rival Ford puts its Expedition atop the Ford F-150 platform. Like the full-size pickup market, truck-based SUVs are dominated by Detroit automakers with Suburbans, Tahoes\u00a0and Expeditions ruling the road like, well, elephants.<\/p>\n

But for 2021, the Tahoe and Suburban have taken significant steps to separate themselves from their truck kin. Silverado and Suburban badges have always suggested a difference between ranch workhorse and family transport, but now it\u2019s more than just a name, third-row seats\u00a0and a hatch.<\/p>\n

For the first time ever, Tahoe and Suburban get more upscale independent rear suspension and unique interiors. I\u2019ve yet to drive the Tahoe, so I\u2019ll focus on my Suburban Z71 tester.<\/p>\n

I am already a fan of the new Silverado, the lightest truck in class thanks to a 400-pound diet over the last generation due to shrewd\u00a0multi-metal chassis engineering. Suburban inherits this chassis, then adds car-like independent rear suspension making it a joy to drive.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n
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The smoother road ride over Metro Detroit\u2019s ox-cart roads is welcome \u2014 but the SUV\u2019s light weight (Suburban saves 300 pounds over the last gen) still means it\u2019s fun to drive on-road. Pity my poor third-row passengers.<\/p>\n

This thing is an ocean-liner, stretched another four inches over its predecessor. Second-row seats not only gain 10 inches of legroom, but the captain\u2019s chairs slide, allowing for easy third-row seat access. The rug rats are waaay back in coach now.<\/p>\n

Curled up in their seats, headphones on, playing their video games, they deserve a warning when dad decides to have fun in the twisties. Might I suggest an intercom system like an ocean liner?<\/p>\n

Attention passengers:\u00a0the captain is about to have a little fun.<\/p>\n

An intercom system (I\u2019m not kidding, actually \u2014 the Kia Telluride has one and it\u2019s a lot shorter than the Suburban) is one of the few things missing from this technological tour de force. The other is adaptive cruise control, which GM has been notoriously reticent in offering in vehicles from the Chevy Traverse to the Corvette. ACC comes standard on my wife\u2019s $21,395, all-wheel-drive\u00a0Subaru Impreza hatchback for goodness sake. And on one of my favorite SUVs, the $23,000 Mazda CX-30.<\/p>\n

\"Flatten<\/p>\n
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For a long-distance cruiser like the Suburban (starting at $57,795), adaptive cruise should be standard as well. Suburban doesn\u2019t even offer it until the High Country trim, starting at the kingly sum of $77,890.<\/p>\n

Or my $78,925 (cough) Z71 tester.<\/p>\n

My recent $72,075 Corvette C8 ride didn\u2019t have adaptive cruise, either. The good news is there are other Suburban features that favorably reminded me of King \u2019Vette \u2014 and the Cadillac CT4-V.<\/p>\n