The 2012 Chevrolet Suburban

2012 Chevrolet Suburban. Images courtesy of Chevrolet. 

The 2012 Chevy Suburban offers a cavernous interior that can seat up to nine people, if outfitted with the optional bench seat in the front row. All three rows of seating come with plenty of shoulder, hip and legroom that can accommodate even tall adults. LTZ models come with bucket seats for the first two rows, meaning the Suburban can only seat seven occupants. The rear cargo area is humongous with 137 total cubic feet that can hold even larger pieces of furniture, outclassing other full-size SUVs.

Chevrolet loads the Suburban with standard feature such as steering wheel mounted controls, power door locks and windows, Bluetooth for hands-free phone connectivity, headphone jacks in the rear two rows and an eight-speaker sound system. LT models come with additional standard features like fog lights, rear parking sensors, leather seats, heated front seats and power-adjusting brake and gas pedals. LTZ models come with a power lift gate, auto-dimming rearview mirror, a Bose branded ten-speaker sound system and heated second row seats.

Buyers can choose between two different engines for the 2012 Chevrolet Suburban. The smaller of the two engines, a 5.3 liter V8 that produces 320 horsepower and 335 pound-feet of torque, comes in the 1500 trim level. The 2500 trim level comes with a 6.0 liter V8 that puts out 352 horsepower and 382 pound-feet of torque. The only transmission available is a six-speed automatic. Power can go to either the Suburban’s rear wheels, or all four if equipped with the optional four-wheel-drive. 2500 models can tow up to 9,600 pounds when outfitted with proper equipment. The EPA estimates gas mileage for 1500 models to be 15 mpg city and 21 mpg highway, while 2500 models achieve 10 mpg in city driving and 15 mpg on the highway.

As far as safety, the 2012 Suburban comes with General Motor’s OnStar service, which allows drivers to call for roadside assistance and also automatically calls for help after a collision. Frontal and side airbags protect the driver and front passenger, while curtain airbags extend down the sides of the vehicle to protect all three rows. Helping drivers avoid accidents are standard features such as a system that warns the driver when another vehicle is in the Suburban’s blind spots, traction control, antilock brakes on all four wheels and stability control.

If you're in the market for an SUV, likely the Suburban is too much truck. It's not the smoothest ride out there and can be difficult to maneuver in parking areas, especially without cameras or parking sensors. At the same time, if you need plenty of space on all three rows, plus a lot of cargo space and the ability to tow heavy trailers/boats/whatever, then the Suburban is a perfect fit.