2025 Chevrolet Suburban: Pack Leader

The Chevrolet Suburban has received a mid-cycle update for 2025—similar to the Tahoe, its short-wheelbase sibling. This includes a cosmetic refresh led by a new lighting signature, while the interior now features a huge 17.7-inch infotainment screen.

Among other changes, the 2025 Suburban offers increased comfort and a smoother ride, while the diesel engine packs more power. Chevrolet’s largest SUV also boasts more technology than ever before including upgraded towing assist features.

• Also: The Best Full-Size SUVs in 2025
• Also: GM Recalls Trucks, SUVs With 6.2L V8 That May Lose Power or Fail

All powertrain options, configurations and trim levels considered, the Suburban offers an extensive lineup of 15 models. Our RST tester sits somewhere between the mid-grade and top-line models. However, it comes with over $20,990 worth of options, pushing the total all-inclusive price up to $117,688. That's a lot of money for a truck with a rather uninspiring interior.

First Class Up Front, Second Class in the Rear

Chevrolet is known for designing ergonomic and user-friendly interiors. This huge SUV is no exception. The configurable digital instrument cluster is elegant and intuitive to use. One of the displays shows navigation using the Google system. Ironically, if you pair your iPhone and activate Apple CarPlay, a second navigation display appears, which is a bit redundant.

The infotainment interface, meanwhile, integrates the climate controls at the bottom. Not happy with that? You can always adjust the settings via physical buttons below the screen.

While the Suburban’s cabin is attractive and accommodating in the front row, it’s a different story in the second and third rows. Aside from a few USB ports for plugging in electronic devices, there are no entertainment monitors or unique design touches. Furthermore, the seats and headliner are all black. Only the panoramic sunroof brings a bit of life to the decor. Without going overboard, Chevrolet should add contrasting colours and materials to make life inside the Suburban more interesting—especially at this price.

You can’t complain about space, that’s for sure. The big SUV can easily accommodate seven or eight passengers depending on the configuration. The versatile interior makes ingress and egress a breeze, while cargo room will please active families. The seats provide decent comfort, but we’ve seen better.

The available Magnetic Ride adaptive suspension, which adjusts damping in real time, greatly improves ride quality and makes up for the RST model's ginormous 24-inch wheels. This is definitely an option worth considering... if you have $2,930 to spare. Speaking of options, another one to consider if you spend lots of time on the highway is Super Cruise hands-free driving assist, which is included in the Technology Package for $5,155.

Not the Best SUV for Towing

Despite its bulky size, the Chevrolet Suburban is still a pleasure to drive. It also makes you feel like you’re the king of the road. Visibility is generally good, but the large, tall hood and massive B-, C- and D-pillars get in the way. Luckily, there’s a digital rearview mirror providing a better view of what’s behind the vehicle. In addition, the various sensors can trigger visual alerts (on the instrument panel) and physical ones (seat vibrations, for instance) to warn drivers of any obstacles.

Under that hood, three engines are available. With the exception of the top-of-the-line High Country model, every other Suburban can be equipped with the 5.3-litre V8, which develops 355 horsepower and 383 lb-ft of torque. This engine boasts the highest towing capacity at 8,400 lbs. The optional 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbodiesel engine, which can be found on the Z71, RST, Premier and High Country, proves very pleasant thanks to its generous torque of 425 lb-ft, even though output is limited to 305 horsepower. Max towing capacity also drops to 8,200 lbs. A big benefit here is significantly higher fuel economy—at the expense of more frequent maintenance.

The same four models can alternatively receive a 6.2-litre V8 producing 420 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque. This engine is stout and sounds great, yet burns plenty of fuel in the process. Without pushing it, we achieved a combined 14.3 L/100 km during our summer test drive. Imagine what it’s like during winter. Furthermore, all models are mated to a solid 10-speed transmission. While shifts were sometimes a bit jerky in the lower gears, things were smoother in Tow/Haul or Sport mode.

Chevrolet’s 6.2-litre V8 may sit at the top of the performance ladder, but it trails the competition when it comes to towing, maxing out at 8,100 lbs (or 7,900 lbs in the case of our RST tester). This is disappointing when you look at rivals such as the Nissan Armada (8,500 lbs), Toyota Sequoia (9,120 lbs), Ford Expedition (9,200 lbs, or 9,000 lbs in MAX trim), and Jeep Wagoneer (10,000 lbs, or 9,810 lbs with the Grand Wagoneer).

One more thing: while the latest Suburban boasts numerous safety technologies, its crashworthiness still needs to be improved, especially where rear passengers are concerned. The U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gave the closely rated Tahoe a “Poor” rating following its updated moderate overlap front test.

Leading the Pack

For 2025, the Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe, along with the GMC Yukon, were selected by The Car Guide as the best buys in the full-size SUV segment. The three GM leaders impress with high levels of comfort on long trips (especially with the optional Magnetic Ride suspension), a pleasant driving experience and a sharp, muscular design.

Their presence on the road can’t be denied, and generous model selection allows customers to find exactly what they need. These are, in our opinion, the main attributes that put them at the top of the class—and probably for a long time to come.