Cars
The penalties we pay for Suburban ownership are nothing compared to the perks we enjoy during Suburban ownership. It's a veritable school bus, and with seats folded, it's a genuine cargo van. Suburban 1500s have a theoretical range of 540 miles.
The long wheelbase limits off-roading, but only to a degree: there are nine inches of ground clearance. Even in the third row, leg room stretches to 35 inches, just a speck less than you'll have in the back of a Civic.
Best of all, the Suburban can be a school bus and cargo van at the same time. Having seated eight of your besties, you can also throw in 45.8 cubic feet of their luggage. That's significantly more cargo capacity than you'll find behind the second row of the Chevrolet Equinox. The Toyota Camry's trunk is only one-third the size.
Space equals luxury. Given how much Chevrolet is charging for a Suburban these days, it better be luxurious in one way or another.
Engine: 320 horsepower; 335 lb-ft of torque from a 5.3L V8 or 352 horsepower; 382 lb-ft of torque from a 6.0L V8
Base USD/CAD Price: $42,545 / $52,610
City Fuel Economy: 10 - 15
It's Not Perfect: There are plenty of fine Suburban rivals, not the least of which is its twin, the GMC Yukon XL. Cadillac's $66K Escalade ESV is a high-end option. Toyota's Sequoia and Ford's Expedition also feel a bit fresher. In other words, the Suburban is getting old, and we expect a bit more finesse from a new SUV these days, even if it is more than 18 feet long.
Sales Stats: Obviously GM isn't selling as many full-size, truck-based sport-utility vehicles as it did a decade ago. But automakers aren't selling as many vehicles as they used to in general, as the market is simply not the size it once was. Nevertheless, America remains a much larger market for jumbo SUVs than Canada. Although the overall U.S. new vehicle market is between eight and ten times bigger than Canada's, Suburban volume is 46 times better in the U.S.
Viable Alternatives: Rather obviously, the GMC Yukon XL. The Ford Expedition and Toyota Sequoia are also impressive.
The Bad 8
- 2013's The Good 12 - Ford F-150 Svt Raptor - $40,000-$45,000
FORD F-150 SVT RAPTOR GoodCarBadCar was quick to honour the Ram 1500 range with a Good 12 placement, but for customers aiming to spend a little extra, the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor is downright irresistable. Sure, an off-road truck isn't every pickup...
- 2013's The Good 12 - Bmw 328i - $35,000-$40,000
BMW 328i Until the F31-generation 3-Series Touring arrives and shows us what rooflines were meant to be, the 3-Series sedan does a fine job of showing us what a luxury car ought to be. BMW is still benefiting from its long cultivation of the 3-Series...
- 2013's The Good 12 - Dodge Ram 1500 - $30,000-$35,000
RAM 1500 There are probably about 1951 different Ram permutations that end up with a price somewhere between $30,000 and $35,000. One important new version is the V6-powered 2013 Ram 1500 SLT 4x4 Quad Cab. Relatively efficient, suitable for work and family...
- 2013's The Good 12 - Jeep Wrangler Unlimited - $25,000-$30,000
JEEP WRANGLER UNLIMITED Strange as it may sound, Jeep's stretched Wrangler is a pleasant place in which to spend time. A decent sound system, ample room, and moderate equipment levels are just the beginning. Visibility, paired with the Wrangler's...
- 2013's The Bad 8 - Lincoln Mks
LINCOLN MKS Originally, the Lincoln MKS had but one stylistic fault. And that's where this story gets really bizarre. Lincoln's designers took that one fault, the MKS's ungainly schnoz, and enhanced it. No, enhanced is the wrong word. ...
Cars
2013's The Good 12 - Chevrolet Suburban - $45,000-$50,000
CHEVROLET SUBURBAN
The Chevrolet Suburban's downsides are widely known and easily explained in a nutshell. Suburbans are vast, and while that pays dividends inside, the size of this behemoth sucks, both in parking lots and at the fuel pump. Additionally, the eleventh-generation Suburban is nearing the end of its term, and its interior styling was never the most modern to begin with.The penalties we pay for Suburban ownership are nothing compared to the perks we enjoy during Suburban ownership. It's a veritable school bus, and with seats folded, it's a genuine cargo van. Suburban 1500s have a theoretical range of 540 miles. The long wheelbase limits off-roading, but only to a degree: there are nine inches of ground clearance. Even in the third row, leg room stretches to 35 inches, just a speck less than you'll have in the back of a Civic.
Best of all, the Suburban can be a school bus and cargo van at the same time. Having seated eight of your besties, you can also throw in 45.8 cubic feet of their luggage. That's significantly more cargo capacity than you'll find behind the second row of the Chevrolet Equinox. The Toyota Camry's trunk is only one-third the size.
Space equals luxury. Given how much Chevrolet is charging for a Suburban these days, it better be luxurious in one way or another.
-----
Engine: 320 horsepower; 335 lb-ft of torque from a 5.3L V8 or 352 horsepower; 382 lb-ft of torque from a 6.0L V8
Base USD/CAD Price: $42,545 / $52,610
City Fuel Economy: 10 - 15
It's Not Perfect: There are plenty of fine Suburban rivals, not the least of which is its twin, the GMC Yukon XL. Cadillac's $66K Escalade ESV is a high-end option. Toyota's Sequoia and Ford's Expedition also feel a bit fresher. In other words, the Suburban is getting old, and we expect a bit more finesse from a new SUV these days, even if it is more than 18 feet long.
Sales Stats: Obviously GM isn't selling as many full-size, truck-based sport-utility vehicles as it did a decade ago. But automakers aren't selling as many vehicles as they used to in general, as the market is simply not the size it once was. Nevertheless, America remains a much larger market for jumbo SUVs than Canada. Although the overall U.S. new vehicle market is between eight and ten times bigger than Canada's, Suburban volume is 46 times better in the U.S.
Viable Alternatives: Rather obviously, the GMC Yukon XL. The Ford Expedition and Toyota Sequoia are also impressive.
The Good 12
Kia Rio 5-Door - Fiat 500 Turbo - Volkswagen Golf GTI
Jeep Wrangler Unlimited - Dodge Ram - BMW 328i
Ford F-150 SVT Raptor - Chevrolet Suburban -
Mercedes-Benz E350 4Matic Wagon - Porsche Boxster S -
Porsche Cayenne S - Land Rover Range Rover
Jeep Wrangler Unlimited - Dodge Ram - BMW 328i
Ford F-150 SVT Raptor - Chevrolet Suburban -
Mercedes-Benz E350 4Matic Wagon - Porsche Boxster S -
Porsche Cayenne S - Land Rover Range Rover
The Bad 8
Chevrolet Spark - Chrysler 200 Convertible -
Ford Escape Titanium AWD - Honda Crosstour -
Lincoln MKS - Nissan Versa Sedan -
Toyota Corolla CE - Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid
Ford Escape Titanium AWD - Honda Crosstour -
Lincoln MKS - Nissan Versa Sedan -
Toyota Corolla CE - Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid
The Good 12 Rules
- 2013's The Good 12 - Ford F-150 Svt Raptor - $40,000-$45,000
FORD F-150 SVT RAPTOR GoodCarBadCar was quick to honour the Ram 1500 range with a Good 12 placement, but for customers aiming to spend a little extra, the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor is downright irresistable. Sure, an off-road truck isn't every pickup...
- 2013's The Good 12 - Bmw 328i - $35,000-$40,000
BMW 328i Until the F31-generation 3-Series Touring arrives and shows us what rooflines were meant to be, the 3-Series sedan does a fine job of showing us what a luxury car ought to be. BMW is still benefiting from its long cultivation of the 3-Series...
- 2013's The Good 12 - Dodge Ram 1500 - $30,000-$35,000
RAM 1500 There are probably about 1951 different Ram permutations that end up with a price somewhere between $30,000 and $35,000. One important new version is the V6-powered 2013 Ram 1500 SLT 4x4 Quad Cab. Relatively efficient, suitable for work and family...
- 2013's The Good 12 - Jeep Wrangler Unlimited - $25,000-$30,000
JEEP WRANGLER UNLIMITED Strange as it may sound, Jeep's stretched Wrangler is a pleasant place in which to spend time. A decent sound system, ample room, and moderate equipment levels are just the beginning. Visibility, paired with the Wrangler's...
- 2013's The Bad 8 - Lincoln Mks
LINCOLN MKS Originally, the Lincoln MKS had but one stylistic fault. And that's where this story gets really bizarre. Lincoln's designers took that one fault, the MKS's ungainly schnoz, and enhanced it. No, enhanced is the wrong word. ...